Substance abuse patterns in veterans with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Khalil Gibran had once said that out of suffering had emerged the strongest souls and the most massive characters are seared with scars. Well, this may not be true with some people who have undergone major sufferings in life and are left with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). 

Especially, the military veterans who are looked upon by general citizens as personified courage, discipline, sacrifice and selflessness are human beings just like us and experience unexpressed grief when they lose something or someone that have given meaning to their life. Increasing number retired military people resorting to substance abuse and suicides mirrors the gravity of the problem. 

Amongst those with PTSD, the sufferings may be countless and may range from isolation due to marriage failures which is very common in military, loss of a depressed fellow comrade to suicide, memories of past battles, loss of limbs to loss of physical mobility due to combat which may result in inability to carryout day to day activities normally. Recent research into veteran’s grief revealed that loss of a fellow comrade to suicide is much harder to handle for them than the loss of a friend in combat because combat deaths are expected and are easier to accept. Job loss, lack of purpose or lack of positive expectations for future also may be part of veterans’ grief. But sadly, they won’t express their grief because of the stigma surrounding it.

There is another type of grief affecting military veterans i.e., complicated grief. Complicated grief is an extreme or complex type of grief that makes it difficult for them to resume daily activities on their own. Luckily it is a rare incidence. Sometimes, grief need not involve a major loss for military personnel. Transition from military to civilian life itself could mark a major grief episode for them. Some of them who struggle with transition also experience underlying post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the form of mental illness, relationship problems, or unemployment. Whatever the reason, it is understood that at least 90% of military veterans experience some type of grief that eventually manifests itself as PTSD. Among the two types of PTSD, one can be referred to as “shellshock” and later “battle fatigue,” former can be caused by witnessing/being in the warfare and the latter by undergoing significantly tragic or startling events in the battle.

 Because of the underlying PTSD, many of these people end up suffering from some kind of addiction. Some become chronic alcoholics while some turn drug addicts. This is a situation which is on the rise and needs immediate addressed. Some of them may also have co-occurring disorders, such as depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, in addition to an addiction. Veterans with PTSD are often prescribed highly addictive medications to treat anxiety. 

Veterans without substance addiction often become addicted to prescription medicines used for combat-related injuries and other mental stressors. Any reminder of the traumatic incident potentially triggers their suffering and these veterans turn to substance abuse/prescription drug abuse in an attempt to self-medicate and numb their pain. The saddest outcome of experiencing a heroic image is the stigma surrounding it that prevents veterans from reaching out for personal assistance that doesn’t allow them to share their grief or seek medication for it. For those who had been vigorously trained to be courageous, never break, be self-dependant, and help others above all else, it can be difficult.

How to break the stigma?

If you or your loved one is suffering from aggravated sense of loss or experiencing that compulsion to binge drink or abuse drugs on a daily basis, but you are unsure of whether or not you/the other person is addicted, given below is the list of symptoms for your reference.

Identifying symptoms of PTSD cum addiction in veterans

• Flashbacks that haunt
• Drinking alcohol or abusing drugs at least two times in a week.
• Binge drinking with frequent excuses of happiness or sadness
• Memory problems
• Low sense of self-worth
• Hopelessness
• Nightmares
• Relationship problems
• Aggression
• Trouble focusing
• Self-destructive behaviour (self-harm or substance abuse)

Irony is that the suffering and loss for military people is large and these symptoms may be triggered very easily. Nevertheless, there is still hope for recovery with the help of guided medical treatments that offer a comprehensive and uniquely designed treatment programs specifically for veterans, who are in need of addiction treatment at rehabs. Once you take the initiative, everything begins to fall in place.