My Story of Hope - I am a Suicide Survivor and Mental Health Warrior - part 2.

Read part 1 here: https://rly.pt/3unCyzK

I woke up in a haze to a bright light, glaring into my eyes. The beeping of medical equipment and the hustle-bustle of the hospital around me filled my ears. What is happening? I did not understand. “How did I get here?” I asked myself. I saw a familiar face in the room and a sense of relief washed over me. “Oh, it is you my brother” I said to myself, “You saved my life.”

Later, as I laid in the hospital recovering, I decided I needed to change if I wanted to not only survive, but if I wanted to actually live my life. I could not be silent anymore because the silence almost killed me. I did not know where to start nor did I know where the journey to overcoming my PTSD would take me, but I knew I had to strap on my boots and start figuring it out. This was not going to be an easy task, my PTSD enveloped me and was like my shadow. But I wanted to live and I did not want my enemy, PTSD, to beat me again. It couldn’t beat me again.

My first step to conquering my PTSD was going into counseling. I had one main goal at the start: to understand my enemy. That’s what soldiers do. They bring the battle to their enemies and I planned on bringing it to my PTSD. I needed to stay true to this plan so that the next time, I would not be undone. I would not be silenced. And perhaps most importantly, I would never be defeated by PTSD, the greatest enemy I have faced.

If you or someone you know is struggling, please get help now. Tell a loved one. Tell a friend. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: [login to see] . If you prefer to talk online, visit the veteran crisis line here: https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/get-help/military-crisis-line