You Are Not Alone: WWP Warriors Share Their Journeys to Help Others Heal from Invisible Wounds

James Rivera spent six months in Iraq with the Marines, driving convoys for 120 to 150 miles each day.

When he returned home, James isolated himself and felt depressed. He used to spend days and weeks on his couch.

“Living with PTSD is like a rollercoaster, but thanks to Wounded Warrior Project my roller coaster is flatter,” James said. “When I first got out of the Marine Corps, the first few years were pretty rough.”

Learn more about WWP's mental health services for veterans.

James moved from New Jersey to Houston, eventually finding his way to support via Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP). A VA counselor gave him a WWP brochure. Through WWP, James learned how to manage his PTSD.

“Before being connected with Wounded Warrior Project, my tough days consisted of sitting on the couch all day, thinking about what I wanted to do, flipping through the channels,” James recalled. “It was hard to hold down a job, and I felt depressed and listless.

“I didn’t understand – I didn’t have any missing limbs, I was physically fine from my combat experience, but it turns out I wasn’t emotionally fine. It was the toughest thing to deal with. When I got connected with Wounded Warrior Project, it gave me the tools to cope with PTSD.

“I was able to recognize what I was feeling and why I was feeling that way. I learned to recognize the problem when it was happening.” James began to experience better moments, and that led to better days, weeks, and months…

Read the rest of the article in Homeland magazine.

WWP is available to connect veterans and their families to programs, services, and resources that can help.

About Wounded Warrior Project
Since 2003, Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP) has been meeting the growing needs of warriors, their families, and caregivers — helping them achieve their highest ambition. www.woundedwarriorproject.org.