Former Newcastle marine helps others with mental health problems
A former Newcastle marine is pleading with other veterans to get help for post-traumatic stress injury.
A former Newcastle Marine has decided to help others after his life was turned upside down by post-traumatic stress injury.
Steve Wilkins felt abandoned by his country after 24 years of service.
The 46-year-old was drinking 20 pints of beer a day in an attempt to cope with his mental health problems.
“I’d get up and all I would think about was going to get another drink. Sometimes I’d just drink myself into oblivion. That was almost every day for about a year.
“It was really hard to hold a job down, it was really hard to self-medicate with alcohol. That was the main reason and it just got out of control. I realised one day that I had to stop and sort myself out.
“The hardest bit was admitting to myself that I had a problem. Once you’ve done that, the rest is pretty straight forward.”
Steve go help from Save Our Solider and has now completed training to be a counsellor there to other sick and injured veterans.
He has also set up his own business, Northease, to support people suffering from mental health problems as well as confidence issues and smoking cessation.
Find out more help and support at: http://www.saveoursoldier.co.uk/