Larry dedicated over 20 years of his life to the military. He became a thrill-seeker and heavy drinker. Long separations affected his marriage. After a drinking incident, he was ordered to attend therapy. In treatment, he found a set of tools to effectively manage stress. Now, Larry is sober and enjoying this chapter of his life.
View Video TranscriptLarry:
My name is Larry. I served in the Navy. I was a Hospital Corpsman for the first 12 and a half years, and after which I got commissioned and finished my career as a Medical Service Core Officer, and I spent some time in Vietnam during that period. I spent a total of almost 24 years in service from 1958 to 1982. Being in Vietnam, because there were hazards everywhere, there was no front line. It was hard to tell who the enemy was. It was impossible not to be having adrenaline flow through your body all the time because wherever you went you had to be on alert, because you never knew where you could be ambushed or when an attack would be coming.
I liked being junked up on my own adrenaline and for a long time after I came back from Vietnam I would seek out high-risks behaviors to engage in just for the thrill. My first marriage did not survive, partly because being in the service there’s a lot of periods of separation, and people cope with stress in all different kinds of ways, and that put a lot of stress on that marriage. My drinking at that point took kind of an intensive turn and a incident involving that came to the attention of my commanding officer. It so happened he was an Admiral but he was also a Psychiatrist, and he understood exactly what I needed, and so he disciplined me, he fined me a significant amount of money to make the point how serious this was, and then he ordered me into therapy.
I went through an intense multimodal therapeutic process for substance abuse, for alcoholism in particular, and it took a while for it to take. I was initially resistant. A lot of my masculine identity was tied up in my drinking behavior, so I had to come to realize you could be a man and still abstain, but that process gave me a set of tools that I could use to manage a lot of stressors in my life that were alternatives to substances. Those tools helped me. It helped me cope with a lot of life situations and choices since. I’m grateful for the day that I joined the Navy and left Nebraska and went to the west coast. I’m grateful that the Navy saw to fit to make me into an Officer. I’m grateful for the benefits that the military have provided while I was in the service and after I left. I think that I owe that to the fact that that experience with that Admiral in the Navy who probably saved my life or extended it significantly. I’m just an extremely fortunate and grateful person.
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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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