Being in the military is no easy task. The men and women who enlist do so freely and put their lives on the line to protect the rest of us. But more than that, these men and women often bring home more than just battle scars. Too many of the nation’s veterans are coming home and getting addicted to drugs or alcohol with an estimated one in five veterans suffering from substance abuse.
Zero Tolerance Policies
The US Military has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to active duty drug use. Soldiers and other military personnel have frequent random drug tests and face severe consequences if caught using.
While this works to keep drug use down during the stressful experiences of deployment and wartime, it seems to backfire once the soldiers return home. For those who go through multiple deployments and see multiple combat situations, the risks become even higher.
If you or someone you love is addicted to drugs or alcohol, it’s time to find help. Call 888-646-0635Who Answers? today to talk to someone about your treatment options.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Some veterans use drugs to alleviate symptoms of PTSD.
One in six American veterans comes home with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a debilitating anxiety disorder that causes severe flashbacks and panic attacks.
But PTSD does more than just keep you up at night. It also makes you more likely to self-medicate with drugs or alcohol. And of the veterans already diagnosed with a substance abuse disorder, one in three of them also has PTSD.
Prescription Pain Medication
For many of those returning home from combat, a problem arises with prescription pain pills. From missing limbs to shrapnel wounds, these men and women have injuries that cause significant pain. But often, instead of teaching them new ways to cope with the pain, they’re prescribed narcotic pain medication.
These medications are highly addictive and soon, even when taken just as prescribed, a higher dosage is necessary to deal with the pain and the path to addiction is started.
It’s Not Just the Veterans
Prescription pain pill abuse is a problem among those on active duty as well, even with the zero tolerance policies in place. Eleven percent of active military members admit to abusing their prescription medications and yet the current system doesn’t seem to be prepared to handle the situation, and it continues to grow.
When it comes to alcohol abuse, the numbers are even higher. Twenty percent of active duty service members admit to binge drinking at least once a week. While many take this type of drinking lightly, binge drinking is a big deal. It’s hard on the body and brain and can lead to devastating consequences.
Are You Addicted?
If you’re addicted to drugs or alcohol and sick and tired of being sick and tired, today’s the day to make a change. Call 888-646-0635Who Answers? now to talk to a live person about your treatment options. Our addiction professionals understand what you’re going through and can answer your questions and help you find the treatment that can change your life. Don’t wait. Call today.
There is more than one type of rehab center, and while they all have their merits, it can help to compare them in order to find out which one is right for your needs. Make sure to ask yourself what aspects of a treatment program are most important to you before you begin, and it….
It is no surprise that the number of prescription drug abusers has been growing steadily and so have the rates of overdose death. It is an increasingly dangerous situation that affects people in all ages, socioeconomic groups, and races. However, despite the attention the opiate epidemic is getting in general, one group of people is….
Alcohol, though legal for people over the age of 21, still causes detrimental consequences. The fact that alcohol is a legal substance is likely the reason why the negative role that alcohol plays in the community can be seen in nearly any situation including school, home, special events and even work. It doesn’t really matter….
A binge eating disorder is characterized by an excessive and overwhelming desire to eat. This desire causes the individual to eat very large amounts of food and is often paired with a behavior called purging in which the individual eats large amounts and then throws up the food, fasts or takes part in excessive exercising….
When fighting alcohol dependence, many individuals need to spend at least 60 days in a rehab facility, sometimes more. Rehab is one of the most important parts of treating alcohol addiction, but it is not the final step. After leaving the facility, the individual must be able to transition well into daily life, or much….
Not to be confused with addiction to technology, more and more treatment centers are beginning to use technology in their diagnostic and treatment regiments. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, technology sharing has a profound impact on addiction research and furthering knowledge. Not only is technology allowing public and private sector research teams,….
The traditional twelve-step program of Alcoholics Anonymous outlines a course of action that is set for the recovery from addiction or compulsions as well as other behavioral problems. This 12-step type treatment was originally designed as a means of recovering from alcoholism but is now synonymously used for the treatment of all types of addiction…..
Suicide exists as one of those topics that continue to fly under the radar in spite of its occurrence in increasing numbers every year. Suicide affects people of all ages, genders and socioeconomic groups and oftentimes happens in the lives of those you’d least suspect. With modern-day society’s fast-paced lifestyles and ever-increasing pressures, what may….
As one of the more dangerous forms of recreational alcohol use, those who engage in binge drinking do so for one primary reason: to get drunk, quickly. Technically speaking, binge drinking entails consuming five or more drinks in two hours for men, or four or more drinks for women in the same amount of time…..
Many times when people focus on what you need to say when you want someone close to you to seek treatment. They never realize that it is equally important to know what not to say to someone who needs addiction treatment. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, addiction is a disease. When talking….
Calls to numbers on a specific treatment center listing will be routed to that treatment center. Calls to any general helpline will be answered or returned by one of the treatment providers listed, each of which is a paid advertiser that includes Right Path Rehab.
By calling the helpline you agree to the terms of use. We do not receive any commission or fee that is dependent upon which treatment provider a caller chooses. There is no obligation to enter treatment.
