Adjusting to civilian life after spending time in the military can be difficult and uncomfortable. As a veteran, you may face a number of challenges when it comes to adjusting to regular life and coping with the trauma you endured during deployment.
The rates of mental health conditions like posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are high among veterans who return home. Some will avoid getting help because of the stigma surrounding mental health and instead turn to drugs and alcohol to cope. If you or someone you love is a veteran who is struggling with addiction, help is available.
Challenges with Addiction as Veterans Return Home
Veterans face some unimaginable hardships during their time in the military. They often have to deal with physical pain, injuries, and trauma when they return home.
Veterans do not always receive the help they need to cope with what they experienced during deployment. This can lead to untreated depression, anxiety, sleeping problems, and feelings of isolation. These concerns can further affect their ability to adapt to civilian life, leading to relationship difficulties, financial troubles, and homelessness.
It’s not uncommon for veterans to turn to drugs and alcohol to try to make sense of the trauma and discomforts of adjusting to civilian life. In doing so, many develop addictions that can be difficult to control without professional help.
Causes of Veteran Drug Addiction
A substance use disorder is a compulsive and chronic condition that involves the use of drugs or alcohol to achieve a desired effect. Over time, a person who struggles with a substance use disorder will begin to develop a tolerance to the substance. This leads to the need for more and more of the substance to achieve the desired effect, thus increasing the chances of an overdose.
The substance use disorders veterans struggle with are often linked to mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, and PTSD caused by the stress of combat.
Medical professionals often prescribe opioids to veterans who struggle with PTSD. Unfortunately, these can do more harm than good, as they are extremely addictive. Veterans who take opioids for PTSD have a greater chance of developing a substance use disorder.
Alcohol misuse is common among veterans during their time in the military, and this habit often continues once they return home. Veterans who suffer from PTSD, depression, and suicidal ideation are more likely to abuse alcohol and engage in binge drinking.
Veteran Addiction Stats
As post-9/11 veterans have become the largest war era population, their mental health has revealed a serious crisis. There are a number of veteran addiction stats that show how deep these problems run.
Of the active-duty and reserve military personnel deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, 30% have a mental health condition that requires treatment, with many experiencing symptoms of PTSD and major depression.
Veterans are also at risk for a co-occurring disorder, which is the diagnosis of an addiction and a mental health concern. For example, 2 in 10 veterans who are diagnosed with PTSD also struggle with addiction, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Conversely, nearly 1 in 3 veterans who seek treatment for addiction also experience symptoms of PTSD.
One of the most troubling things about these behavioral health concerns is that far too many members of the military fail to receive the care they need to manage their symptoms. Fewer than 50% of returning veterans who are in need get any mental health treatment.
Veteran Addiction Treatment Options
Left untreated, substance use disorders can lead to mood problems, relationship damage, financial concerns, overdose, and death.
Fortunately, there are veteran addiction treatment options available. The first step to recovery is detoxing from drugs and alcohol in a safe and supportive environment under proper medical supervision.
A program that follows the 12-Step drug and alcohol addiction treatment approach can offer long-term recovery for veterans. The best course of substance use disorder treatment for veterans will address not only the addiction, but also its root causes. This involves personalized therapies that ease the symptoms of PTSD, depression, sleep disturbance, and relationship difficulties.
Types of therapy for veterans might include:
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
- Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
- Individual therapy
- Group therapy
- Experiential therapy
- Family therapy
- Medication management
Maintaining recovery from addiction should be a key focus of your treatment program. This will include a plan for ongoing care, sponsorship, possible outpatient treatment, and other resources you will need to ensure your best chance at long-term sobriety.
Finding Veteran Addiction Support in California
In order to receive the support you need for veteran drug addiction, it’s important to recognize the signs of addiction, including:
- Lack of motivation
- Loss of interest in hobbies
- Financial trouble
- Relationship difficulties
- Poor work performance
- Obsession with or strong craving for drugs or alcohol
- Signs of withdrawal (insomnia, nausea, shakiness)
If you or a loved one is a veteran who is struggling with addiction, help is available. Those in Northern California can benefit from the 30-day residential program at Duffy’s Napa Valley Rehab Center.
Our program follows the 12-Step treatment plan formed by Alcoholics Anonymous, which treats addictions to alcohol, opioids, prescription painkillers, and more. Our team will work with you to develop the customized addiction support you need to achieve long-term recovery.