If you or someone you love is a military veteran experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and medicating with drugs or alcohol, know that this is not the path to recovery. However, real help is available and accessible. A veteran’s addiction treatment program will provide the unique support veterans need to treat co-occurring addictions and PTSD. There is no need to suffer in silence anymore and no need to wait for the VA.
Our team at Fort Behavioral Health in Fort Worth, TX, is experienced in dealing with the unique struggles of veterans experiencing PTSD and addiction with our veteran’s addiction treatment program. Reach out to our compassionate team today by completing our online form or calling 844.332.1807 to learn more about the connection between veterans, PTSD, and addiction.
Veterans, PTSD, and Substance Abuse
Post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse are all too common co-occurrence in military veterans. For many, the military instills a sense of needing to be strong at all costs. Even non-combat military veterans have experienced things that can be deeply traumatic. In many cases, trauma is unrecognized and untreated, but this doesn’t mean that its painful effects dissipate. Undiagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder afflicts millions of veterans in the United States. And many, not sure what else to do, turn to self-medication. Self-medication can include many things, but most often, it includes the heavy use of drugs or alcohol.
There is no amount of substance use that will cure PTSD. Eventually, this form of treatment most often evolves into a substance use disorder or substance abuse. Substance abuse is not a viable treatment plan for PTSD. Inevitably, substance abuse leads to addiction which only leads to more pain and suffering.
If you or someone you love suffers from post-traumatic stress and uses drugs or alcohol to manage the pain, then it’s time to seek support. Don’t wait for addiction to take hold.
Understanding Veterans, PTSD, and Addiction
The key to understanding the connection between veterans, PTSD, and addiction is a matter of understanding how military culture can lead veterans to suppress the pain they are experiencing as a result of traumatic events. When trauma is suppressed instead of acknowledged and healed through, it inevitably bubbles up. Many people turn to drugs or alcohol to deal with the pain of maintaining the facade of daily life. This leads to addiction which only compounds the problem.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can occur after a person withstands combat, experiences sexual assault, witnesses death, survives a natural disaster, terrorist attack, or serious accident, among other traumatic events. PTSD interferes with daily life, making it difficult or impossible to function normally.
Common symptoms of PTSD include:
- Feeling constantly “keyed-up”
- Experiencing painful flashbacks
- Avoidance of all things that trigger remembrance of the event
- Feeling numb to things that once brought joy
- Intense and lingering anxiety, or fear
- Nightmares
The experience of PTSD can feel isolating and unmanageable, especially when compounded with addiction. Reaching out for help requires greater strength than suffering alone, and it is always worth it.
Reach Out to Fort Behavioral Health for Support for Veterans, PTSD, and Addiction
At Fort Behavioral Health in Fort Worth, TX, we have a veterans addiction treatment program that addresses PTSD along with addiction to effectively help you recover your sense of self. Our team is experienced in working with veterans. We offer a full range of programs and services, from detox and residential treatment to 12-step programs. We can introduce you to a peer support group where you can relate with other veterans who are going through similar challenges. Our multi-faceted approach to healing and addiction recovery is highly effective and can help you regain your sense of self and take your life back. Don’t wait another day. Contact us today by completing our online form or calling 844.332.1807.
