Substance use disorder and mental health issues occur much more commonly amongst the veteran population than in normal civilians. The rate of major depression among soldiers was five times as high as among civilians, and the rate of PTSD was nearly 15 times higher. Veterans with PTSD also have high psychiatric comorbidity rates.
Veterans and PTSD
Veterans and other first responders including EMTs and firefighters experience high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of surviving traumatic and violent events.
Facing combat and repetitive life-threatening military tours takes a tremendous toll and can lead to mental health issues including depression, anxiety, and PTSD amongst veterans. According to the Veterans Association, 10-20% of veterans struggle with PTSD and often turn to drugs or alcohol as a way to self-medicate, especially once they return to civilian life.
Veterans and Substance Use Disorders
70% of veterans experience chronic physical pain as a result of their military service and are more susceptible to abusing prescription medication or illicit opioids such as heroin if they don’t have access to drug-free forms of pain management. Chronic pain alone can be debilitating, often leading to addiction, disability, and mental health issues.
Veterans have also been heavily affected by the opioid crisis, with rates of veteran overdose deaths rising dramatically in the past decade, making it clear that the veteran community is in need of greater support and care.
How Can Veterans Benefit From Wellness Routines?
Because many veterans struggle with co-occurring mental health issues and substance use disorders, they can benefit from an integrative approach that addresses both issues at the same time. At Nestled Recovery, we take this approach a step further, addressing a person’s physical, mental, and spiritual needs with a combination of traditional and experiential therapies that address the roots of both disorders from a holistic perspective.
Using the Eight Dimensions of Wellness as a framework for healing, chances for long-term recovery are greatly improved as veterans learn and develop new tools for life that they can take with them once they graduate from any of our recovery programs.
The Eight Dimensions of Wellness are: Physical, Spiritual, Mental, Emotional, Social, Occupational, Financial, and Environmental. Although each dimension is important, veterans in particular can benefit from assistance with the occupational, environmental, and financial aspects of their lives. Many veterans struggle with unemployment, isolation, and civilian life in general, and may find that they require more support in these areas than their families or local VA facilities can offer.
Increasing Quality Of Life Amongst Veterans
At Nestled Recovery, we have a unique, holistic approach to addiction treatment and long-term recovery from substance use disorders. You can expect to receive professional, trauma-informed care in our beautiful, state-of-the-art facility while learning how to incorporate mindfulness into your healing journey.
Using the Eight Dimensions of Wellness, we consider the entire person: mind, body, and spirit, creating tailored treatment plans with a number of experiential therapies and psychotherapies to choose from, with sensitivity to each person’s unique background and circumstances. If you or a loved one are struggling with an alcohol abuse disorder or another substance use disorder, contact us today.
Sources:
https://americanaddictioncenters.org/blog/veterans-and-addiction-recovery
https://www.research.va.gov/pubs/docs/va_factsheets/Pain.pdf
