It's Medicine, Not Dope: A Veteran's Truth About Healing from Trauma

This DAV Podcast episode "It's Medicine, Not Dope" features a profoundly honest conversation with Gigi, a U.S. Army veteran who served for over 22 years, about her struggle with complex treatment-resistant PTSD, depression, and anxiety stemming from multiple sexual assaults both in and out of uniform, and the demanding work of body identification at the Dover Port Mortuary. Gigi recounts her long journey through anger and isolation, the shame she overcame to finally seek professional help, and her life-changing experience with ketamine-assisted therapy, which she describes as creating new, healthier "train tracks" in her brain. Her message emphasizes hope and resilience, especially for veterans from underrepresented populations who are often discouraged from seeking mental health care, reinforcing that the treatment is "medicine, not dope," and encouraging others to utilize available resources like DAV and VA.