Transcript
I do remember reaching a point in my life
that I was extremely worried that I might harm myself,
reaching the point where I didn't know where to go.
I felt that everything I did was wrong,
the war in Vietnam was my fault, anyone who died there I might
as well have pulled the trigger, it was my fault.
So therefore, I wasn't worth, probably wasn't worth helping,
because they wouldn't be able to help me.
If they did, they would get screwed up.
If I try to commit suicide, I would screw that up
and just turn myself into a vegetable,
so that wasn't the route for me.
I remember being down in this very, very bad place,
and I then turned to the VA because I felt
that was the only place I could get the help I needed.
So I went to the third floor
which in the Providence is the behavioral section and I went
to the window and just told the clerk at the window,
I showed them my ID and I said, "I need help.
I need to talk to somebody now.
And please, can I see someone?
I don't care who."
And a young lady came out, very, very understanding, very polite,
very open to what I was saying and very happy that I was there,
just made me feel like I had made a right decision
for the first time in many, many years
and she validated that decision.
From there, they brought me over to the PTSD clinic
where I spoke to a clinician.
And she acted the same way, just validated my thoughts,
validated what I was doing and wanted me there,
wanted to help me and wanted to hear what I had to say.
From that day forward, it's only been reassuring connections
that I've made with them.