Military Drug Abuse

Alcoholism can cause emotional disengagement, and the family experiencing negative emotions and withdraws all together (Ackerman, 272). Each member of the family will react differently to the conditions that the alcoholic brings into the home, but there are a few things that can be identified that each member of the family will commonly experience. The spouse of the alcoholic will tend to try and shelter any children and deny any problems that they may face for their sake. They will shun the idea that the alcoholic has a problem and just keep living, but this can cause much more damage than it will save. Even though the spouse tries to ignore the problem, it still remains. Nothing will be solved and things will further worsen. When the spouse tries to deny all of the issues, they ultimately just isolate

Opioids, which are painkillers, are among the most commonly-abused prescription drugs. Alcohol abuse is also common among veterans. It is estimated that half of veterans have abused alcohol within the past year.

Parents who use drugs or alcohol are likely to overlook their children leaving them to their own diplomacy. Since such parents are often lost in their addictions, they are unable to provide the proper leadership that children need particularly throughout their growing days (Sindelar & Fiellin 2001). Teenagers bred in homes where a dear blood relation uses alcohol or drugs, have a superior propensity for developing the dependence afterward, generally because the family is more relaxed in terms of drugs use. The result of alcohol or drug abuse on relations involved and results may differ between families based on a numerous factors. Families affected by substance abuse have one thing in comparison; they reside in homes where traits

Alcohol use and abuse is prevalent among members of the United States military as well as among the veteran population. Binge and heavy drinking is commonplace among the military and veterans. Veterans and members of the active duty military face a unique set of challenges when compared to the civilian population. There is a trend of combat exposure leading to a higher risk to abuse alcohol. For over a decade the United States military was involved in combat operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). This has lead to a generation of service men and women as well as veterans with a host of physical and mental injuries as a result multiple combat deployments. There are many veterans and active duty personnel suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as traumatic brain injuries (TBI) as a result of their deployment in support of OIF and OEF. There is a link between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and a higher potential for the abuse of alcohol. Veterans and members of the armed forces deal with a host of psychological injuries related to the stresses of combat which can lead to the abuse of alcohol as a coping mechanism.

Gruber, K.J., & Taylor M.F. (2006). A family perspective for substance abuse: Implications from the literature. Journal of Social

Throughout the decades, alcoholism has become a common issue that has become the cause of the deterioration of many relationships. In Scott Russell Sanders essay, “Under the Influence”, it is demonstrated how his relationship with his father continuously weakens due to the effects of alcohol. In order to create a deeper understanding of the impacts that alcohol consumption has on families, Sanders uses information from sources such as medical journals with actual statistics that increase the relevance of the story. In Sanders’ essay, “Under the Influence”, the author uses references such as dictionaries, medical journals, and the

While drugs and alcohol are detrimental to so many, there are several veteran substance abuse programs available to help former service members, including VA addiction treatment and private substance abuse centers. Veterans’ families suffer tremendously as a result of dealing with addiction and mental health issues, but they also have a big role in the detection, treatment, and recovery of veterans.

The wars’ violence has rippled through the nation, affecting families and the communities where they live. A 2010 report found that child abuse in Army families was been three times higher in homes from which a parent was deployed. From 2001 through 2011, alcohol use associated with physical domestic violence in Army families increased significantly. This phenomenon could be attributed to increased alcohol consumption among military veterans suffering from combat-related wounds, injuries and illnesses.

Although all sorts of families can be devastated by addiction, but single parent units (the most common lower class structure) are the most obscured. Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches supports, “In every family unit, each person plays a role (or multiple roles) to help the family function better and to maintain a level of homeostasis, stability and balance. When substance abuse is added to this dynamic, the family roles naturally shift to adjust to the new behaviors associated with drug or alcohol use, and to continue maintaining order and balance.”4 In single parent units there is an inability of a second parent to fill the void role of the addicted parent. The National Center for Biotechnology Information states, “Frequently, children may act as surrogate spouses for the parent who abuses substances. For example, [young] children may develop elaborate systems of denial to protect themselves against that reality of the parent’s addiction. Because that option does not exist in a single‐parent household with a parent who abuses substances, children are likely to behave in a manner that is not age‐appropriate to compensate for the parental deficiency.”2 So a child growing up in a compromised family unit where addiction is present may develop altered norms and mature into an addict themselves.4

Substance abuse is a recurring problem in the military. The USA Today news article; “Ex-soldier Returns to Fight Substance Abuse in Military” talks about Frank L. Greenagel Jr., who opened up a counseling center for substance abuse. He also served in the military and agreed that there are many individuals who are dealing with substance addiction while serving the country. It is clear that these individuals need help before things could potentially become fatal.

Greetings, I am Dexter Bolding I recently earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from California State University, Dominguez Hills. Prior to this, I spent nearly two decades in the United States Marine Corps. In the Marines I had an opportunity to manage at different levels, which included the managing of a thirty-three Marine Aircraft Firefighting Section, managing a five man Marine Corps Recruiting Office, culminating in me spending the last seven years directing the Marine Corps Substance Abuse Program as the Substance Abuse Control Officer and Insructor aboard the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.

work. Over $700 billion is put forward towards the cost of substance abuse (Trends and Statistics, n.d.). Regarding the military, as of the 2013 report, which covered data from 2004 through 2011/2012, suicide rates among service members were at one time lower as compared to the civilian sector, however it noted that the suicide rates for military members began to spike 2004. In 2009, the data collected indicated that of the suicides committed, 29% of those involved alcohol or drug use, while one third of those prescription drug was involved (DrugFacts: Substance Abuse in the Military, n.d.). The numbers from theses trends were later followed up on during a USA Today investigation after the 2010 decision by the Army to place the Substance Abuse

The substance abuse of a parent has a lasting and apparent effect on all young children. There are a number of substances that can become a problem in people’s lives, including but not limited to; marijuana, alcohol, stimulants, depressants, narcotics, hallucinogens and inhalants. Drugs critically affect the individual taking them, but also affect the members of the household, especially children. Not only does the person’s addiction emotionally, mentally, and physically affect the individual lives of other members of the family, but it tears apart relationships between the families. Arguments, disagreements, violence, and stress can derive from the abuse of drugs because of the tension it puts on one’s other members of the family.

Members of the armed forces sacrifice not only their time, but also their lives serving in extreme stressful situations and remote circumstances in the world. Although these individuals are considered to be one our bravest people in this nation, they are also not immune to the substance use issues that affect the rest of society. U.S. military members are considered to use illicit drug use the least as compared to their civilian counterparts, but the popularity of heavy alcohol and tobacco, prescription drugs, and opioids are increasing in a fast pace. When left untreated these conditions often lead to criminal activity and, tragically, increasing numbers of veterans are being arrested and entering the criminal justice system

One study determined that the death of a spouse, divorce, or either a member of the family moving in or out were three of many stressful experiences that alcoholics have linked to need for consumption. • High levels of emotional abuse, parental alcoholism, constant parental conflict, feeling unwanted or unloved. • A parent/caregiver’s lack of involvement or negative involvement in the lives of their children in the formative years. • A parent’s consumption of alcohol is thought to be associated with their child’s initiation and continuation of alcohol