Drug Rehab for Veterans
Veterans & Drug Abuse
As a group, veterans are at a greater risk of suicide when they come back from service and are susceptible to many issues, including drug abuse and addiction.
Veterans experience high rates of PTSD and chronic pain due to their time in the military, where they may have been injured in active combat, been sexually abused, or faced some other kind of life-altering trauma. As is often the case, veterans experiencing depression, symptoms of PTSD, or other health issues may turn to drugs or alcohol in an attempt to self-medicate and find relief, which can easily spiral into an addiction.
Stress Management For Veterans
Veterans tend to have some difficulty getting used to civilian life and can benefit from learning stress management tools such as meditation, yoga, and other mindfulness techniques.
The military serves as a comfort zone for many veterans, and being back in the real world can feel overwhelming and just as if not more stressful than being on active duty. Veterans may need help with time management and creating a consistent schedule, as well as assistance with finding employment and a community they can turn to for support. Stress management tools are proven to be effective for veterans and make a real difference when it comes to navigating everyday life with greater ease and less reactivity.
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Addiction & Veterans
Veterans tend to misuse alcohol and opioid drugs more than other substances. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, veterans with PTSD and alcohol problems tend to binge drink, and 1 out of 10 veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan have some kind of substance use disorder.
While alcohol is easy enough to obtain, veterans are often given opioid medications such as Oxycontin and Vicodin for chronic pain, which can lead to physical dependency and addiction when used other than prescribed.
Veterans can also become addicted to heroin and other illicit opioids when they no longer have access to prescription opioids. Anxiety and ongoing sleep issues such as insomnia are also common among veterans, which can lead to the misuse of benzodiazepines and other sedative drugs.
Detox and In-Patient Rehab
Veterans struggling with substance use disorders often struggle with co-occurring mental health disorders and PTSD. Both disorders are treatable and the first step to healing is getting in touch with a treatment center that offers medically supervised detox and in-patient treatment.
Detox is the first step – which means going through the withdrawal process to get the substance out of your system, either by going cold turkey or by slowly tapering off the substance when necessary. An in-patient program is the ideal next step, as it provides 24/7 care in a safe environment where veterans can begin to address the underlying traumas that have led to them developing a substance use disorder.
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Government Support & Other Treatment Options
If you are a veteran and are concerned about paying for private treatment, it’s important to know that there are all sorts of resources available to you. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs offers health care to eligible service members, which covers treatment for substance use disorders.
If you don’t have or aren’t eligible for VA health care, you can still get in touch with your local VA Center and ask them to help you find a treatment center that offers payment assistance. There are also treatment centers that recognize that many people who struggle with addiction also experience financial hardship and offer payment plans or scholarships so you can get the help you need.
Causes of Drug Abuse in Veterans
It’s difficult to pinpoint one particular issue that causes drug abuse for veterans. A number of factors can all work together and create the conditions for someone to develop an addiction.
Veterans with PTSD, for example, are at a higher risk of developing a substance use disorder as a way to self-soothe. Some veterans struggle with PTSD from the military on top of underlying trauma from adverse childhood experiences and may suffer from complicated post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD).
Many veterans also struggle with poverty, a lack of support from friends or family, as well as feelings of aimlessness after returning from the military, making them more susceptible to developing a substance use disorder as a way to cope with unmanageable stress.
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Why You Should Choose Quest 2 Recovery
At Quest 2 Recovery, our holistic treatment philosophy is focused on the unique needs of the individual. Our knowledgeable and professional team members offer incredible support and guidance to everyone who attends one of our programs and also help oversee the practical details involved with attending treatment to make your path to recovery as smooth as possible.
With a trauma-based approach in a safe, family-like environment, we offer medical detox and tailored treatment plans to help people learn more about and resolve the underlying issues that cause substance abuse. Whether you are a veteran with PTSD or another co-occurring mental health diagnosis, our program offers complete privacy and provides all who attend the opportunity to begin healing in a comfortable setting with 5-star amenities. If you or someone you love is struggling with a drug or alcohol addiction, contact us today.
FAQs About Drug Treatment for Veterans
It is very common for veterans to experience some form of PTSD. 71% of female veterans have PTSD due to sexual assault or harassment, while 20% of combat veterans also develop PTSD.
Veterans with PTSD and or a substance use disorder can benefit from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Neurofeedback, and a range of experiential therapies.
After seven days of detox and residential treatment, we meet with our clients and go through the different levels of care we offer, and why it’s essential to continue to receive support once they leave our facilities and our residential program.
We will often make a referral to a nearby partial hospitalization program (PHPs) for clients that can benefit from attending one, if circumstances allow.
We will also help them research PHPs in their home state if they prefer.
If a PHP isn’t the right choice, we connect clients with a qualified therapist and/or psychologist in their area that they can meet with regularly to get continued support.
We also create a schedule of AA meetings, Smart Recovery group meetings, and other programs in their hometown that they can attend when they return.
While some veterans face a lack of resources or communal support, feelings of shame associated with addiction can also prevent veterans from getting the help they need. It’s important for veterans to know that there is compassionate, nonjudgemental support available to them.
We offer medication-assisted therapy when indicated to help our clients. Our in-patient treatment program also offers many additional therapies to support you mentally, physically, and emotionally.
