10 Stories for 10 Years
The things we experience in life can be outside our control. What is within our control, however, is the way we choose to see them.
When “Trent,” a middle-aged Black man living on the Mid Atlantic coast, transitioned from the Navy to civilian life, he thought he had his life figured out. He moved in with his elderly mother, tried to find a job, and had a series of short romantic relationships. Then, he suddenly started experiencing symptoms of mania and depression, including uncontrollable mood swings. His life became unrecognizable. It felt like everything was changing right in front of him, and he had no way of taking back the reins.
Trent chronically thought about suicide for a while, including making multiple suicide attempts. He reached out to Veterans Affairs to get help. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder I, prescribed medication and referred to outpatient therapy. Then, at age 52, he engaged in a suicidal rehearsal where he held a bag over his head until he was nearly unconscious. He dialed 9-1-1 for help.
Trent was admitted into an inpatient facility and engaged in treatment with a CAMS Trained™ clinician. When his clinician asked him how he wanted to treat his symptoms, Trent couldn’t believe his ears. With every prior treatment, the clinician told him how he should treat his symptoms, which was oftentimes incorrect. Finally, with CAMS, Trent was at the center of his narrative.
His clinician shares, “CAMS helped me feel supported in managing his suicidal thoughts and behaviors while helping us redirect to what mattered most in his life. In doing so, Trent chose to focus his treatment on finding stability in his life amidst overwhelming feelings of chaos and unpredictability. Between developing a plan to take his medicine consistently to exploring positive relationships in his life, things started to turn around.”
Trent and his clinician looked beyond his relationships with his mom and ex-girlfriends and remembered his solid group of friends, who consistently showed him love, care, and support. Then, he honed his professional skills to land his dream job. Little by little, Trent started to see things in a different light — one of gratitude, abundance, and meaning— which is exactly what he needed to lead the full life he had always wanted.
