The journey from an upside-down world

Brad builds a new life with support from the Salvos 

My name is Brad* and I’m a veteran. More than one year ago, my world turned upside down. My ex-wife wanted separation — that knocked me for a six.

I attempted suicide. I was rushed to a hospital near where I was living in Central Queensland for treatment and the doctors there sent me to the Keith Payne Unit (KPU), a mental health service that specialises in the treatment of ex-serving members of the Australian Defence Force.

Whilst there, the demons of the past from my military service and the collapse of my marriage and loss of my family basically destroyed me. But with the assistance of the medical staff at KPU, I was on a road to recovery — a long road.

I was a long-term patient and by the end of that, I found out how unprepared I was to tackle the world on my own. I didn’t even have the skills to operate the computer or my iPhone. Everything was done for me in my marriage — my ex-wife took care of the bills just like the Army did for me.

A new start

The psychologists and doctors knew I wouldn’t land on my feet successfully without assistance. Through The Salvation Army Veteran Support Team, I received very strong support, which assisted me [to] transition from an upside-down world to one of purpose and direction.

What the doctors and those involved in my care got right for me was having the services and support organised before my discharge from hospital. This meant there was no stress for me.

There were several organisations at my disposal, which were vital for giving me some sort of routine throughout the week, including having someone to talk to.

The most important asset was The Salvation Army Veteran Support Team. The [case]worker that I had was relentless in assisting me finding more than a home… a community that I could easily interact with and be a part of.

This involved one-on-one online support to draw up profiles to find somewhere to live, and then inspect accommodation for myself. I couldn’t do it without the assistance of The Salvation Army, as I had no rental background and no knowledge of using the system.

It’s been life changing! The services offered to me were vital to my initial survival. Emotionally and psychologically, they were able to carry the burden of stress for me. They also gave me time to develop the strength — emotionally and psychologically — to think for myself and implement the tools I was given, to help me with my journey.

Land to sea

I come from living on a farm and now live near a beach. From running a farm and supporting a family, I am now in the unique position of being time-rich, and okay financially.

From owning my own home to renting a studio was a big change, but it has given me new dreams and goals that I wouldn’t have been able to achieve previously. The hard work of The Salvation Army in finding a place where I would be happy has lifted me and given me new direction and purpose.

Living almost opposite the beach has enabled me to find peace. The sounds of the ocean, waves crashing and sea spray on my face has been a natural healing process for me that I could not find in a hospital or a city apartment. I understand the role of medication, but the true medication is watching and hearing the waves and tasting the salt of the ocean.

During this journey, I have learnt two universal languages — one is music, the other, art. With the combination of both, and with the lifestyle I am starting to create for myself, my journey has just begun.

_{*Name changed to protect privacy}