Substance Abuse in the Armed Forces

Members of our armed forces, particularly those who have been deployed in warzones, deal with many issues beyond the battlefield. Many suffer from severe post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) brought on by combat experiences. For others, merely reintegrating into society at home can be stressful and challenging. While drug use is strongly discouraged in the armed services, many veterans know that there is a general culture of acceptance of alcohol abuse. Soldiers, seamen, airmen and Marines work hard — and tend to play hard. For many vets, however, this cycle becomes an addiction and begins to affect their health and their relationships.

RehabHotline has created this infographic to inform viewers of the problems service members face with substances and also as an outreach tool to let veterans and their families know that they are not alone if they are dealing with chemical dependency problems. There is help available.