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As fate would have it, Rieman survived the collision. Rather than being punished for his actions or sentenced to jail for DUI, Rieman instead received compassion from the community where he resided in North Carolina. He was assigned to a Veterans Treatment Court and, with the help of mentor who was a fellow Veteran, he fulfilled the program’s requirements. According to Rieman, the respect and compassion he received from his community is what truly helped him get his life back on track. He now devotes his career to helping other Veterans do the same.
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As evidenced by the many caveats and treatment techniques discussed in the preceding chapters of this book, PTSD has a real impact on real people like Rieman. When real people are hurting and don’t receive the treatment that they need, they may turn to thoughts of suicide, as evidenced by Rieman’s cautionary tale.
Importantly, not all Veterans are as fortunate as Rieman. One of the less fortunate Veterans who was also struggling with substance abuse after service was U.S. Army Sergeant John Toombs. When Toombs was turned away from a VA emergency room, he ended up taking his life on the property shortly thereafter. In a recorded message, Tombs stated: “When I asked for help, they opened up a Pandora’s box inside of me and just kicked me out the door. That’s how they treat Veterans ‘round here.”
According Toombs’ father, David Toombs, “As far as my son, he told me the main trigger for him, was that hopeless, helpless feeling, that would draw you so far down.” For many Veterans suffering with PTSD, overcoming those feelings of hopelessness and helplessness can feel like a Sisyphean curse — every time they seem to make progress, they end up sliding backwards. As Rieman confirms, this feeling that the cycle can never
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