HMCS Glace Bay sailor hopes to reach others with his story

LS Michael Spencer, a stoker aboard HMCS Glace Bay, is sharing the story of his battle with depression in hopes of benefiting others who may be struggling. Photo by Ryan Melanson, Trident Newspaper

Ryan Melanson, Trident Newspaper ~

An East Coast sailor is sharing his story of battling depression and suicidal thoughts, and his eventual treatment and recovery, in hopes of reaching other Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members who may be going through a similar experience.

“I lived with the symptoms of depression for 25 years; pain and torment and constant self-doubt and self-abuse,” said Leading Seaman Michael Spencer, describing years of difficulties with family, school, and other factors that led to worsening symptoms and multiple attempts on his life.

“I might not be here today if I hadn’t gotten that help,” he adds.

He is a stoker currently posted to HMCS Glace Bay, and now leads a happy life with a career he enjoys, and a loving wife and two children at home. But he had a long road to get there.

He was abused by his father and suffered through traumatic experiences as a child. Looking back, he now recognizes he was experiencing symptoms of a mental disorder starting at age 11.

He met his would-be wife in 2008, joined the CAF soon after, and while his depression continued and even worsened during his naval career, access to help, specifically the psychologists employed by Canadian Forces Health Services Centre (Atlantic), led him to discover the root of his issues.

He recently shared the details of his story in a blogpost, where he usually posts creative writing projects. He’s been getting positive feedback since then from colleagues.

“People who know me are understanding my story and who I am, now that they’ve read this, and that’s great.

“What I really hope, though, is that someone who is struggling might read this and know they’re not alone, and see that I didn’t do everything right, and I made mistakes along the way, and it took a long time, but I still got better. It is possible. That’s the biggest thing I’m hoping for in sharing my story.”

He credits the “outstanding” military resources available, the help of Annie Boivin at Canadian Forces Health Services (Atlantic), and the support of his wife and many others with helping him reach this new, positive stage of his life.

He also found support from the sailors and command teams in former ships Athabaskan and Moncton; his supervisors in Moncton even helped him recognize symptoms that were re-emerging, leading to additional treatment in 2016. He also highlighted that others might prefer to seek help more discreetly, and that CAF members’ medical information and treatment histories are confidential.

Above all else, however, LS Spencer stressed that no CAF member struggling with mental health should do it alone, that resources are available and can literally save lives.

“If you’re having trouble, start talking about it. Start asking questions, and start thinking about getting help. Just know that you can get better.”

Read his blog post here: http://thomasfhunter.wordpress.com 

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