Research from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) shows that over one in ten veterans struggle with a substance use disorder. With this, 65% of veterans who enter a treatment facility report an alcohol addiction. The trauma from combat can lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms, despite programs geared to help inactive military personnel.
Veterans make up 7% of the USA’s population (about 18 million American adults). It’s necessary to understand the benefits of a VA primary care provider to offer millions of alcohol and drug dependent veterans and American heroes suffering with mental health issues. The best PTSD treatment center for veterans understands how combat and addiction affect recovery.
Don’t go through the process of recovery alone. There are people who can help you with the struggle you’re facing. Get in touch with one today.
If you have coverage of any kind from a major insurance provider, your treatment is likely covered. We promise to keep your information confidential.
A veterans’ alcohol rehab is an addiction treatment facility that specializes in care for retired military personnel. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), alcohol serves as a coping mechanism after deployment. In one of the first studies of its kind, JAMA found that military personnel deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan dealt with alcoholism.
In short, their traumatic experiences correlated with heavy weekly drinking and binge drinking. To continue, binge drinking is when someone has five or more drinks within a day or during an event. For women, it’s four or more drinks. Binge drinking stood out as a serious issue for both genders. For example, over 53% of military personnel surveyed by veterans affairs admitted to binge drinking.
Their research produced other key findings about veterans:
Alcohol rehab for veterans understands that they face unique problems. Their experience in combat likely leads them to cover the pain with substance abuse. Therefore, a veterans alcohol rehab will deal with the underlying mental health issues to root out an alcohol abuse disorder. Otherwise, neither the trauma nor the addiction will go away fully.
Not every facility is a perfect match for veterans. In order to say one is the best PTSD treatment center for veterans means they need to be able to recognize signs of comorbidity. Comorbidity, also known as a dual diagnosis, is when a person experiences more than one health disorder at the same time. PTSD and substance use disorder are commonly found together.
A good doctor knows that a one-size-fits-all plan never works with recovering addicts. If a facility is the best PTSD treatment center for veterans they need to get their full personal history to weigh the possibilities. Other mental disorders are known to occur at the same time as post-traumatic stress disorder. This can further complicate a diagnosis when a veteran has an addiction to drugs and alcohol.
Don’t go through the process of recovery alone. There are people who can help you with the struggle you’re facing. Get in touch with one today.
If you have coverage of any kind from a major insurance provider, your treatment is likely covered. We promise to keep your information confidential.
Moreover, the best PTSD treatment center for veterans will go through a screening process. Firstly, they will make sure that the possible patient is a good match for their facility. A recovering addict who is a veteran should vet the facility in return.
New patients at an addiction treatment center should be ready to undergo psychological and physical tests. Doctors and trained staff will likely take bloodwork to determine the severity of the addiction. They might specifically look at cortisol levels to suggest any mental illnesses. Cortisol is the chemical in the body that regulates a person’s fight-or-flight instinct. The staff will also take tests to make sure there aren’t any other health issues.
Continuing, various types of therapies are offered at addiction treatment centers through a residential or an intensive outpatient treatment facility. Since they come up with a personalized plan, the type of therapy depends upon the veteran. Popular modes of therapy include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR). Treatment may also include a relapse prevention plan or sober living program. Each has its own benefits and similarities.
The thought behind cognitive-behavioral therapy is that a patient has certain behaviors and thought patterns that lead to mental illness. For instance, this kind of talk therapy may have a veteran keep a journal. They would write down what triggers their trauma and makes them feel like they have to use drugs or alcohol.
Then, they would establish mental patterns that need to be changed. Perhaps they would ask the patient to use positive self-talk. They might want them to address a situation that triggers association with trauma with a specific, positive thought.
Since CBT and DBT are forms of psychotherapy they have a similarity in helping patients heal through talk. The difference is that this form of therapy focuses more on validating feelings and teaching skills to help with PTSD symptoms. For veterans in particular, people with PTSD might find it beneficial to attend DBT in a group setting. Sessions typically last two to three hours.
DBT and CBT can last, at minimum, ten sessions. On the other hand, EMDR uses pointed external stimuli to tap into the subconscious mind. Veterans with PTSD are asked to recall painful memories. Using audio and a gesture like hand-tapping or lateral eye movement can aid the healing process more quickly than other forms of therapy.
P&T singles EMDR out among others as an effective therapy for veterans with a substance abuse disorder and PTSD. This could be because post-traumatic stress disorder acts on a subconscious level. These actions work to relieve the memory network from hidden trauma and its associations.
Our veterans are the unsung heroes of our country. While they may put on a brave face, they are plagued with the pain of combat. We consider ourselves to be the best PTSD treatment center for veterans in South Florida because we know the toughest people can have the most difficult problems. Contact us now if you or a loved one needs alcohol rehab for veterans or any other struggle with addiction.
Don’t go through the process of recovery alone. There are people who can help you with the struggle you’re facing. Get in touch with one today.
If you have coverage of any kind from a major insurance provider, your treatment is likely covered. We promise to keep your information confidential.
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