WEBVTT

00:00.703 --> 00:03.453
(dramatic music)

00:05.727 --> 00:08.150
- [Female Interviewee] I
was showing late to work,

00:08.150 --> 00:09.693
just not my normal self.

00:10.630 --> 00:12.580
- [Matt Smith] Was just
not feeling myself.

00:12.580 --> 00:14.040
Isolating from others.

00:14.040 --> 00:14.913
Anxiety.

00:15.890 --> 00:18.070
- [Mayo] I just wasn't
concentrating as well,

00:18.070 --> 00:19.963
I wasn't sleeping as well.

00:21.509 --> 00:22.810
- [Male Interviewee] I
wasn't getting any joy

00:22.810 --> 00:26.080
out of going out and hanging
out with people, like,

00:26.080 --> 00:28.220
I love interacting with
people, talking to people

00:28.220 --> 00:31.320
and just I wanted to stay at
home and not doing anything

00:31.320 --> 00:34.533
and just not interact with
anybody, talk to anybody.

00:37.975 --> 00:40.808
(uplifting music)

00:45.090 --> 00:46.260
- The amount of support I received

00:46.260 --> 00:48.960
from leadership, family,
and friends was tremendous.

00:48.960 --> 00:51.790
Leadership gave me the time
and support that I needed

00:51.790 --> 00:54.750
with my leave to seek treatment,

00:54.750 --> 00:57.840
Family and friends were very compassionate

00:57.840 --> 01:01.380
and understanding of
everything that I needed

01:01.380 --> 01:03.456
throughout that time.

01:03.456 --> 01:05.600
- [Female Interviewee] After
I'd been in counseling a while,

01:05.600 --> 01:08.010
I finally could talk to people.

01:08.010 --> 01:11.180
Initially when I started,
I would go to a counselor

01:11.180 --> 01:13.950
and I would maybe be able
to talk for five minutes

01:13.950 --> 01:16.250
and then I would shut down emotionally.

01:16.250 --> 01:19.750
After a few months, I could
talk for at least 15 minutes

01:19.750 --> 01:22.150
and from there it grew and grew.

01:22.150 --> 01:25.630
So I no longer became afraid
of the emotions I was having.

01:25.630 --> 01:28.640
- So, I actually called Military OneSource

01:28.640 --> 01:33.550
and they referred me to a
counselor in the community

01:33.550 --> 01:35.840
and I got my 12 free sessions.

01:35.840 --> 01:40.040
And I really just got to work
through a lot of the stress

01:40.040 --> 01:43.170
in my life that was
happening at that time.

01:43.170 --> 01:45.940
And the counselor gave
me some really great

01:45.940 --> 01:49.510
stress management techniques
so that I wouldn't get myself

01:49.510 --> 01:51.710
quite to that stage in the future.

01:52.647 --> 01:55.447
- [Male Interviewee] Self-care's
important to me because

01:56.920 --> 01:58.500
the mental health aspect of it

01:58.500 --> 02:01.170
was a gray cloud over my head.

02:01.170 --> 02:03.163
And now, I can actually see sunny days

02:03.163 --> 02:08.163
and enjoy the things
that made me enjoy life.

02:09.970 --> 02:11.420
Going out, talking to people.

02:12.953 --> 02:15.840
It's just a big weight off your shoulders,

02:15.840 --> 02:18.630
weight off your chest of being able to

02:18.630 --> 02:20.150
get your mental health back.