Recognizing the need for support

Recognizing the need for support

Arthur:

You isolate yourself. You have a total distress for any authority whatsoever. You have an anger problem. There's deep depression. You want to be left alone and you're not close to people whatsoever. So those are some of the symptoms that manifested themselves over the years.

Arthur:

I didn't see myself as needing help because, first of all, nobody understood what I went through. And number two, I didn't see myself as doing anything wrong.

Arthur:

I started having serious problems at work. I started having problems with some people I was working with on a daily basis. I had problems with communicating with management because I saw them as authority, and I didn't know what was happening to me. I was confused. I was frustrated. I was angry. I isolated myself 100% and for some reason, somehow, the VA Medical Center in Durham got a hold of me regarding a medical issue.

And when I had gone to the VA Medical Center, they were non-threatening. And they considered, they treated me with respect.

Arthur:

It was so bad, and I didn't understand what was happening to me that I just wanted to commit suicide because I couldn't understand what was going on inside of me. It's not something that you control. It's intrusive thoughts and immediately the VA Medical Center, they asked me like four or five questions, and I'd said “Yes.” “Yes.” “Yes.” And they immediately got me into a social worker, which to this day saved my life and I'm just so appreciative of it.