VO:

My name is Josh. I'm a proud father, Air Force veteran, and I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder in 2012.

VO:

I started to realize that I was experiencing depression relatively young. Where I come from, we did not talk about that kind of stuff. If you did, you were just weak. There was something going on with you. I did not have much of a father figure in my life. We didn't have a lot of resources. I've generally had a feeling that the whole world was on my shoulders, even as young as ten years old.

VO:

Depression feels like to me, very dark and having a general sense of worthlessness, hopelessness, anger towards everything. You are stuck in your own head. It's a vicious cycle.

VO:

I am very proud of my service. I became an engineer. I learned how to work with heavy equipment, machinery. I learned how to work with my hands.

VO:

While I was in. I also saw people who were injured or killed and it brought me down a dark path. The military put me in a hospital and fairly quickly they were able to diagnose me with major depressive disorder.

VO:

Having a diagnosis for MDD made me feel like I could actually point a finger to what was going on with me. I was able to focus and target what I should be doing, what I can do to improve my mental health.

VO:

I found a treatment plan that actually worked for me through the help of medication, therapy, exercising, working out, being more proactive socially, emotionally, I began to change my entire life. Now it's a whole other turn, whole other outlook on life that allows me to grow.

VO:

I still have my dog tags for my military service. This is probably my most precious possession. Reminds me of a time when things were very different. I was a very different person, and I can use it to center me and remember who I am, what I do, and why I do it.

VO:

I really believe in the mantra that we use in the military that service before self is super important.

VO:

I want to share this story because I want others who are going through that same dark time, who might even be worse off than I was before. to know that there is light in a tunnel. It's not hopeless. I know how tough it is, I know the challenges but keep trying, everyone. You just have to be very consistent, persevere and even if you only do a little bit each day, eventually you’ll get there.