Sobriety and self-worth

RC:

My name is RC, United States Marine Corps. My mom passed away just prior to me getting out. I went to the funeral. I came back, and then I had to be a Marine. So, the grieving stage, I didn't get a chance to go through that, and then when I got out of the military my wife at the time, her big issue was, "what are you going to do now?"

I eventually came home from work one evening and my house was empty. When she took off things really crumbled. The job, I didn’t go back to the job. I stayed in an apartment for 3 months before I heard from her. I drank and I drank and I drank and I set on the pity pot, and it was the world against me. I became extremely dependent on alcohol. I started getting in trouble. I started going to jail for little, just minor things. I was severely depressed. I didn’t know it, but I was depressed. I got a notice that I was losing my home, not even a week later my car blew up. So, I slept in that car and walked trying to find employment for about a year.

So, I went to the VA, and the VA had an intense drug and alcohol program. It was a 3-month program but the first month was basically detox type of treatment. The second part of the treatment was, we participated. We got a chance to share a lot of our stories, just feeling worthy again, and then the last part was like a therapeutic art, teaching us how to recognize the triggers, recognize when you start, the first thing that starts sinking in, you know well I gotta have a drink. Instead of turning to this drink or this drug we did art therapy. We did music therapy. There was just so many areas that the VA covered.

The biggest thing, was the counselors that I dealt with at the VA. They're not going to feel sorry for you. I know every story is sad, but it's nothing that no one else has gone through and they have different types of processes to teach you to go through, to practice in order to get over a lot of these boundaries that we face.

Since I finished school I've gone back. I've talked to my counselors. I talk to them on a regular period. There are people out there that are just as anxious to give you help as you are as anxious to get help from people. Utilize those opportunities