Marine Gets Opportunity To Pick Up His Life After Substance Misuse
They approved me for a drug diversion program. They took my handcuffs off and then my journey began.
Hi, my name is Mario. I'm a Marine Corps Veteran. I served from 1998 to 2001. I joined the Marine Corps because I wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself, and I didn't wanna stay stuck back in my hometown in a gang.
During a military exercise training, I suffered a lower back injury. I had fractured it. I was prescribed Percocet pills, and they told me, "Just go home, go rest, and get back to work."
I was going through a horrible marriage at the time. I was only 18. I didn't know how to be a father. At that time, I thought I was fine. Started drinking, then I started drinking with Percocets. I was discharged prematurely. I suffered for many years because there was no transitioning phase for me. I was told I could never step foot in another military base. I was disgraced. I just felt like I had failed because I was not able to manage my own life at the time. And I couldn't communicate that to nobody, so I ended up doing five years in prison for a DUI that went wrong, you know? I was just the wrong person. I was mad at myself for many years, and I still never self-identified as a Veteran when I went to prison. So I lost my wife and kids behind it.
I ended up joining a gang, right like? I didn't have a chance. I came out all messed up. And I got in trouble again. I finally just broke. I said, "I'm a Veteran. Is there no help for me, right?" And they ran my numbers, and all of a sudden, they called me back to tell me, "Hey, you're eligible for health care services." The court orders to start addressing these anger issues and these court alcohol-mandated classes, anxiety, depression, PTSD, all kinds of stuff. They start making me do all these groups, right? And I just take a chance.
Residential treatment program, it could be either a treatment facility out in the community or it could be within the VA campus, okay? You get a doctor, a psychiatrist, psychologist. You get the whole nine yards, a pharmacist. And now you're gonna be wrapped around with all kinds of services to be able to support your plan. The VA gives them an opportunity to pick up their life and like try it all over again.
I've been a participant of the ketamine-infused therapy process as well. And that, my friend, also has been very beneficial for me. My experience with ketamine allowed me to be able to recognize I've only been afraid of happiness because I never experienced it. I was always staying away from it because I was afraid. So because of the disassociation that the ketamine does in your brain while you're being induced, I'm able to look into that without any feelings or judgment and then process it and then turn around and be like, "What the heck?" Decide new thoughts and redirect my actions now at that point.
My homelessness story starts on San Vicente. I was homeless on that street with a bunch of other of my brothers and sisters. And from there, then I moved on to on campus with the tents. And then from there, I went to domiciliary. I became a peer support and I got hired, and I'm coming back to help my brothers. Being a peer support specialist is my dream job. I get to tell my Veterans, "Put the pipe down. Pick up your life." I really do, I really get to be an example and a role model now today.
The certificate of recognition was from completing that task of housing almost like 80 Veterans in coordination with the HUD-VASH intake team. I mean, I was speechless at the time. It's a great honor. It motivated me more. I can't wait for the future. I don't want another Veteran to go through what I went through when there's a way out. The VA is there to give you an opportunity to try every day, so long as you have life, you know? I would highly suggest to my Veteran brothers out there to engage with mental health treatment. There's nothing more important than taking care of your mental health.
