Matt and I served at the same time but only crossed paths briefly. It was awesome reconnecting with him and I was so honored he wanted to share his story. Matt started his life down in Texas. Grew up playing football, as he put it, trading his body for an education. He eventually changed course in life and that led him to joining EOD in the United States Air Force.

Listening to Matt’s story; I’m hearing the story of someone who wasn’t afraid of adversity or a challenge. After getting to know him better he’s a typical person you would look up to. Seeing confident leaders like Matt stepping out to acknowledge even he has struggled with mental health issues has me hopefully that the culture in our community is trending in a positive direction. This episode was so enjoyable for me. It reminds me of a phrase, “similar but different”. I can relate so much to Matt’s struggles and process but his perspective was a new one for me. It left me reevaluating myself in that new lens.

Resources Mentioned:
Exercise
Strong support structure
Occam’s Razor
Stop drinking
Find a purpose that makes sense to you
Therapy 
Be honest with a therapist (be vulnerable, open; a good patient)
Having someone in your life who holds you accountable

 Please share and like on IG, FB, Youtube and Twitter. I am always looking for veterans or first responders who have battled PTSD. Additionally if you support,  provide services for these groups, or have extensive knowledge of benefits available for these groups please reach out. I would love to have a chat and share that knowledge with the community.

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