Justin

Meet Justin, a veteran and former combat medic with the Illinois National Guard. Following his honorable discharge in 2009, he moved back home to help support his parents. Though he had success during his military service, Justin struggled with his mental health since his teens and often relied on alcohol as a way to cope. In hopes of improving his mental health, he decided to get sober. However, Justin’s newfound sobriety triggered a hypomanic episode that disrupted his life at home.

His mental health worsened, and tensions grew between him and his parents, so he made the decision to leave home. Justin stayed in hotels for several weeks but soon his savings ran out. He began living out of his car in the Hines VA parking lot. During some of the coldest months of the year, Justin struggled to rest and focus on his well-being. “I was in survival mode.”

Around this time, he began visiting the emergency room to get help with his mental health. Nearly a month later, he received a bipolar diagnosis. Eventually, with the right medication, his mood began to stabilize. Throughout some of his darkest days, Justin says he was able to maintain his sobriety. 

“I honestly felt hopeful. I knew everything would work out well if I stayed sober.”

A few months later, Justin was connected to Housing Forward and his case manager, Sonny. Together, they made a plan for housing and began searching for an apartment. In April, Justin moved into a place of his own through Housing Forward's Victory’s Path program, a partnership with Hines VA. He says he loves his new neighborhood, especially the restaurants and art scene. “I could finally relax and breathe. Everything just fell into place,” says Justin. “Housing Forward really instills hope. Everyone has been so wonderful, and Sonny feels like family to me at this point.” 

Today, Justin is just a few credits away from becoming a certified recovery support specialist. Once certified, he will be able to help counsel other veterans as they work toward their own sobriety. He is also working toward his bachelor's degree to become an addiction counselor. Now that he has his own place, he's looking forward to being matched with an emotional support fog through the Pets for Vets program. “I feel like I have all the opportunities in the world now.”