Veteran Turned Rapper Sgt Leo Dunson uses music to treat PTSD. LAS VEGAS (FOX5) - One in six Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) last year. Some of them get therapy while others have taken their own lives.
To cope, one local veteran took a different route, rapping about life before and after his experiences on the battlefield.
Sgt. Leo Dunson's war wounds run deep. Upon returning home, he was on edge. He was facing a divorce and struggled with alcohol. It all led him to a suicide attempt.
Dunson said that the only thing that keeps him alive is putting it all down in rap.
"With my songs, I write them and record them while I'm in that moment because I want to feel that feeling forever," Dunson said.
Dunson raps about the loss of fellow soldiers, his frustrations with the government and his fragile mental state.
"What's wrong with me is I've got PTSD," he said. "These pills ain't working for me."
Dunson said his transition back to civilian life was rough and nothing could make it better.
"I think people don't understand that to go from that extreme experience back to regular life and eating cereal every day… it's weird," he said.
Dunson hopes his music - in its raw, no-holds-barred form - will touch others and show them that they're not alone.
"I'm doing it for my brothers and sisters who are hurting just like me - people in the same situation, right here, right now," he said.
While Dunson doesn't know if he'll ever fully recover, he hopes his story and his music might save someone's life.
"I don't want anyone to have experienced what I experienced," Dunson said.
Dunson has so far recorded five albums. He's currently taking college classes and hopes to go into public service.
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