A soldier’s transition to life after war…  Quoting and sharing from this website…

From military to civilian; the mental health issues of an ex-soldier…

Written by Russ.

“If you are suffering and want some advice, my advice would be to take it 1 step at a time, in your own time. None of us know what tomorrow will bring. If you have not yet admitted you have a problem or are too scared to admit it publicly then when you do, it is important that you own it and don’t let it own you. If you can be honest with yourself it is much easier to own it and take control. If you ask for help I hope you have the same positive experience as I have had.”
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The above summary by Russ is a break-out statement regarding the critical need to accept responsibility and ownership.  He sees the process of healing as a journey of “taking 1 step at a time.”  From my own experience moving past denial much later in life was the most significant step in achieving positive results.  I have taken lots of small steps in my own time, but could have moved forward much faster by overcoming much earlier the stigma and denial of  early child trauma living in a toxic home.   Being lucky enough to find my soul mate over 30 years ago was the first huge step in marching down the right path of change and transformation…   Saving my marriage 12 years ago by eliminating alcohol for self medication was very big.  Researching and writing my book, was a monumental step in 2011.    And more recently, cutting back on prescription medications, was another yet very important step.  All of this takes time, and on your own time.  But once you can say “I have arrived,” it is a true blessing of living a healthy, happy, and productive quality of life at any age…  But it is a work in progress!

Steve Sparks
Author
Reconciliation: A Son’s Story (click to order my book or download Kindle version.)