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Addiction & Veterans

The stresses of deployment and the unique culture of the military offer both risks and protective factors related to substance use among active duty personnel. Deployment is associated with smoking initiation, unhealthy drinking, drug use and risky behaviors.

Zero-tolerance policies, lack of confidentiality and mandatory random drug testing that might deter drug use can also add to stigma, and could discourage many who need treatment from seeking it. For example, half of military personnel have reported that they believe seeking help for mental health issues would negatively affect their military career.

More than one in ten veterans have been diagnosed with a substance use disorder which is slightly higher than the general population.

Reported rates of illicit drug use increase when active duty personnel leave military service because they no longer face the random drug testing and threat of damaging their military career. 









Opioid use disorders among military personnel often begin with a opioid pain prescription following an injury during deployment. However, due to the addictive nature of opioids, particularly coupled with mental health struggles experienced by some military service men and women, regular use of opioids can lead to addiction.

Many veterans have unique issues related to pain management, with two-thirds reporting they experience pain. More than 9% reported that they experience severe pain, compared to only 6.4% of non-veterans, putting them at higher risk for accidental opioid pain reliever overdoses.

There is a correlation between trauma and substance use as well as the presence of post-traumatic stress and substance use disorders. PTSD is slightly more common among Veterans than civilians. At some point in their life, 7 out of every 100 Veterans (or 7%) will have PTSD. In the general population, 6 out of every 100 adults (or 6%) will have PTSD in their lifetime. PTSD is also more common among female Veterans (13 out of 100, or 13%) versus male Veterans (6 out of 100, or 6%).