Transcript
There is a lot of stigma revolving around seeking help,
and for me, I know from experience that a lot of people
believe that if you go and you seek help, that you're broken.
Especially with men and women who come from elite units,
they feel that they become invaluable to their units,
that they're no longer of help, so they hide the fact
they need help, and they try to keep moving on.
But the thing about that is, is if you don't seek help,
it's like an injury you push through.
It starts off as a small scratch, and you push through,
and you push through, and it becomes infected,
and that can happen.
With the stigma of, "Oh, the unit's going to
put me out of the military, I'm not going to be there,"
those days have come and gone.
I know from experience that the military is definitely
willing to help you, the VA is willing to help you.
There are people out there that are willing to help you
that won't jeopardize your career.
The longer you sit on it and you don't get help,
and I know from personal experience that had I went
and got help immediately versus trying to find
alternative ways of avoiding it, it can ruin your career.
It can ruin what you ultimately want to do with your life,
and it can continue even after you get out, if you don't
get help, and affect the loved ones around you
and the people around you that you really care about.
So my suggestion is definitely not to worry so much
about the stigma involved around it because that is long gone.