Healthy Living
Thank Veterans and Keep in Mind, Some Face the Challenges of Trauma and Addiction
|
For veterans, many of the toughest battles are fought after returning home from war. This Veterans Day, Mountainside treatment center in Wilton, urges people to not only give thanks to veterans for their service but also keep in mind the challenges that some of America’s heroes face in recovering from addiction and trauma.
— an announcement from Mountainside Treatment Centers
“Trauma and factors such as homelessness, divorce, chronic pain, and suicidal ideation can increase veterans’ chances of developing substance use disorders,” says Andrea Kreisz, Senior Family Wellness Clinician at Mountainside. Editor’s note: While some veterans experience mental health problems that can lead to addiction and other problems, keep in mind that the vast majority don’t. The greater prevalence of these problems among veterans is a concern — but not because most vets experience them. “Veterans may have self-medicated with drugs or alcohol in the first place to numb their emotional pain, so addressing their substance use as well as the underlying trauma is critical during treatment.”
More than ten percent of veterans have been diagnosed with alcoholism or drug addiction, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
