Mike lost seven friends in a helicopter crash in Vietnam. When he came home, he had nightmares, and he experienced a lot of anger. Drinking alcohol to feel better just made things worse and caused problems in his personal relationships. A fellow Veteran urged him to seek support. Counseling and group therapy have helped him turn his life around.
View Video TranscriptMike:
My name is Mike. I was in the Army. I served in Vietnam from '71 to '72. I lost 7 friends in a helicopter crash. I had to go with a CO and company to the crash site the next morning. I still have a lot of bad dreams about that. It bothers me.
When I came back, I thought I was okay and there was nothing wrong with me. I didn’t have any great affects due to that, but I did. I waited a long time before I got any kind of help. It made things difficult in transitioning back to the real world. I had a lot of anger, suppressed anger and stuff that I didn’t really come to terms with. It affected me in relationships with my family, with my friends.
Looking back on it now, I wish I would have gotten some help. I was glad to be home, but along with being home there was something missing. I think myself and a lot of my Veteran friends, we self-medicated ourselves through alcohol. It doesn’t really help. For sleeping, to this day I still don’t sleep well. I don’t get a good restful night’s sleep. Alcohol was about the only way to go ahead and basically pass out and you get to sleep.
My anger management and alcohol gave me a lot of trouble with relationships and family. Alcohol seemed to bring out the demons that I was carrying. I waited well over 30 years before I took any advantage of the VA system to seek help. I was in denial for so many years. There’s nothing wrong with me. I don’t know. I guess maybe it was just a lucky thing that I went ahead and a friend of mine, another Veteran friend of mine encouraged me and rode me for a long time and bugged me to go down and check it out. I finally listened to him and went down. Once they pointed out the symptoms and all this stuff and show you what’s going on, you realize that, hey, this is me. I fit all of these categories. Something is up here.
I go to a PTSD group once a week with other Vietnam Veterans. We’ve been together in that group for about 5 years. You may have some of the worst problems that week yourself, but if you have a Veteran friend that’s got problems too, you’ll find yourself helping him and it helps yourself too. It keeps me focused. It’s like a once a week grounding. It grounds me and puts me in a good direction.
We were brought up to not be weak. We were brought up to be self-sufficient and strong. It’s not a weakness. It’s just that things like this affect you. You don’t realize it, but if you want to live life and enjoy life you have to accept a few things. Being in denial is no good because it’s not going to get any better unless you try to make some changes and try to come to terms with what is affecting you.
Go seek some counseling and see if they can help you.
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The first step in addressing your challenges is to acknowledge that gambling has become a problem in your life and recognize that it is possible to make a change. Practice relaxation exercises such as deep breathing to manage stress and urges to gamble. Spend time with supportive people who do not gamble, and talk with your family, friends, or health care provider about what you're experiencing. They may be able to provide support and help you find solutions that are right for you. Learn more steps you can take on our Gambling page.
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There are ways to prevent yourself from engaging in risky behavior. Plan to avoid situations that might lead to recklessness. For example, leave early or late to avoid rush-hour traffic, or arrange a ride home if you'll be drinking. Talking with your family members, close friends, or a health care provider may help you find support and resources to address your challenges. Learn more steps you can take on our Reckless Behavior page.
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