My Story, My Connection: Healing, Decades Later
2-minute read
My Story, My Connection: Healing, Decades Later
2-minute read
When decades-old painful memories still trouble you, how do you begin to heal?
That was a question that Rick faced years after serving in Vietnam.
“It was really hard for me to transition into regular life again,” the U.S. Army Veteran says. “I camouflaged all the pain and suffering. I turned to other stuff to get rid of those feelings.”
Rick started using drugs and isolating himself from his friends and family. One day, he broke down and had a heated exchange with a co-worker. It was that incident, and the encouragement from his kids to get help, that led Rick to seek support to overcome the painful memories he was holding onto from the war.
He went to his local VA, where he found strength and comfort in opening up to other Veterans. “Being with a lot of Veterans and having this group therapy helped me a lot, because I know that I wasn’t alone,” he says.
Today, Rick’s kids notice a positive difference in the man they call “Pops.” “They’re really proud of me,” he says.
