Military Substance Abuse Prevention Programs

Hundreds of thousands of United States veterans are not able to leave the horrors of war on the battlefield (“Forever at War: Veterans Everyday Battles with PTSD” 1). Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the reason why these courageous military service members cannot live a normal life when they are discharged. One out of every five military service members on combat tours—about 300,000 so far—return home with symptoms of PTSD or major depression. According to the Rand Study, almost half of these cases go untreated because of the disgrace that the military and civil society attach to mental disorders (McGirk 1). The general population of the world has to admit that they have had a nightmare before. Imagine not being able to sleep one

There is concern about military service members receiving stigma about getting or needing treatment in the area of mental health. Stigma occurs when individuals view others negatively because they have been labeled or identified as having a deviant behavior against societal norms; deviant behaviors such as mental illnesses or diagnoses uncommon or harmful to others. How does that impact the military? Military men and women alike are termed heroes, warriors, and survivors; this is quite the reputation to keep up. Military members go to war or deploy to hostile combat environments, which many come back with severe mental illnesses and diagnosis that need immediate care. At this point they may not feel like a hero. The terms psychological, mentally ill, PTSD, and behavioral health has gained a reputation as having or being a problem. Being labeled a problem is not what service members want. Many studies are trying to pinpoint the problem and resolve the stereotypes associated with getting treatment. Consequently, an individual’s attitude toward mental health treatment is thought to be affected by other people’s views on mental health care (Held & Owens, 2012).

The VA runs the largest substance use disorder treatment program in the world. Treatment of veterans with SUDs and co-occurring psychiatric disorders is one of the following three paradigms; parallel, sequential, and integrated. Most VA programs are parallel, where the patient receives treatment for SUD in one program and treatment for PTSD in another. Many SUD-PTSD veterans may be unable to navigate the separate systems or make sense of the disparate messages about PTSD treatment and recovery. One challenge to dissemination and implementation of EBTs is that of dual disorders, particularly SUD and PTSD. These patients use costly inpatient services, tend to have frequent relapses, and are less likely to adhere to or complete treatment.

Bennett, PhD; Hilary J. Liberty, Ph 2013 107). Prior research has evaluated the prevalence of MH concerns and opportunities for treatment at various points in the military/veteran career including post deployment, among those being treated at Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities, and in the general population) (Andrew Golub, PhD; Peter Vazan, PhD; Alexander S. Bennett, PhD; Hilary J. Liberty, Ph 2013 107). The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data indicate that a substantial portion of young veterans in the general population have substance use disorder (18%) or Serious Psychological Distress (SPD) (14%) (Andrew Golub, PhD; Peter Vazan, PhD; Alexander S. Bennett, PhD; Hilary J. Liberty, Ph 2013 111). All in all, the NSDUH proved to be an extremely valuable resource for this study, and indeed, the results of this analysis for unmet treatment needs have identified important directions for further research into reasons for not getting treatment, especially for SPD (Andrew Golub, PhD; Peter Vazan, PhD; Alexander S. Bennett, PhD; Hilary J. Liberty, Ph 2013 113). The Veterans Administration and National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) are taking steps in the right direction to help our veterans with their unmet needs with substance abuse and PTSD. Some examples of improvements are, better mental health evaluations before leaving active duty, more information about military service, and tracking trends among veterans in the general population, who are not necessarily in contact with the

1. The purpose of this paper is to identify the best method for the United States Air Force (USAF) to eliminate the stigma of mental health issues. These solutions included quarterly mental health education programs, educating Airmen on different types of mental health issues and their signs, and educating of its leaders to recognize and address mental health issues in their Airmen by gaining their trust and encouraging them to seek help at the onset of signs or symptoms.

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.

When hearing the term “drug addiction,” certain words might flash across one’s mind. Filth. Slum. Junkie. Crime. There is a dirtiness that these words seem muddled in, as if addiction dwells only in disarrayed and desolate cells in which the corrupt reside. One word that surely hasn’t gone through your head is one of alarming importance: Veterans. Veterans, who have served our country with abnegation, who have seen the worst of humanity, and who have sacrificed their livelihood to preserve others, are often entrapped in a world of drug abuse. To me, and many others, it seems tragic that a hero returns home, simply to get drawn into an addiction.It’s an issue that is often dismissed as a problem low-worth people, but this isn’t always the case;

The heroes that make up our armed forces often suffer from terrible experiences in battle, some of which severely impact their mental and physical health, including suffering from post traumatic stress disorder or PSTD. Unfortunately, this has caused many of them to turn to drugs, whether prescription or illicit, to treat these problems. In fact, recent statistics estimate that one in 10 soldiers returning from Afghanistan and Iraq suffer from a substance abuse problem.

This disorder leads the veterans to substance abuse to calm their nerves and help them feel more at ease. The substance abuse, in turn, leads the veterans to be more hostile, aggressive, and violent to those people around them, especially their families. A study found in The American Journal of Psychiatry revealed, "Increases in alcohol and substance abuse closely paralleled the increase in PTSD symptoms seen in the period during and immediately after the war. Patients reported that alcohol, heroin, marijuana, opiates, and benzodiazepines (but not cocaine) were beneficial for their symptoms of

Military Pathway (2013) concluded “Military life, especially the stress of deployments or mobilizations, can present challenges to service members and their families that are both unique and difficult”. Hence, it is not surprising that soldiers returning from a stressful war environment often suffer from a psychological condition called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. This paper provides a historical perspective of PTSD affecting soldiers, and how this illness has often been ignored. In addition, the this paper examines the cause and diagnosis of the illness, the changes of functional strengths and limitations, the overall effects this disease may have on soldiers and their families, with a conclusion of

Advocating for this health disparity requires increased of supportive power, foundation, and execution of a political strategy (Jansson, 2011). To develop policy change, a coalition of individuals and organizations to support substance use prevention strategies is essential. Members of the coalition will include clinicians and organizations whose purpose is to implement prevention strategies among military-connected youth. The Department of Veteran Affairs provides a variety of services pertaining to military families, and adolescent patients would benefit particularly from substance use prevention. The coalition will have policy makers from schools or health-care organizations consider prevention models for military service children.

When someone is caught with illegal substances, they are disciplined for their actions and given a dishonorable discharge. Everyone should be held accountable for their behaviors, but everyone makes mistakes and should be given a second chance. If someone is struggling with addiction, proper treatment should be administered instead of punishment. Kaie Witkiewitz and Armando X. Estrada (2011) have stated, “When military personnel seek treatment for mental health problems, they may have more latitude to pursue treatment than when seeking treatment for substance abuse problems. Nonetheless, seeking help for either problem carries a potential cost for one’s career, because the command is required to be informed whenever military personnel are undergoing treatment for these issues”. It is not fair for someone who risked their life during a combat deployment and be given a dishonorable discharge for using substances to cope with their emotional and physical pain. Interventions should be given instead of dishonorable discharges. This could possibly give the military a better reputation of helping its personnel. Maybe combat veterans can either be given a medical discharge instead of a dishonorable discharge,

Many challenges still remain as Iraq and Afghanistan veterans seek available access to mental health care. These challenges include the resistance and stigma to seek care, lack of

A service member’s emotional and psychological issues are not like malfunctions of a piece of equipment and must not be treated as a troubleshooting problem in a technical manual. And yet this seems to be the only way the military, as a whole, knows how to address the issue of a service members mental health. It requires a holistic approach that is not currently embraced by the military. Historically, the military has been ill-equipped to handle the shifting nature of the psychological issues created by introducing a service member to the battlefield.

Is the military doing enough to help with substance abuse issues among soldiers and vets? Addiction in the military has been prevailant throughout the history of wars with soldiers coming home pumped up full of prescription drugs, alcohol and illicit substances. One of the many causes that lead to addiction in the military is the stress of being separated from family. Another cause is extended periods of boredom on a military base and from being in combat. The government has been known to turn a blind eye when soldiers are abusing substances; that is until their addiction leads to breaking civilian