Military Addiction
Treatment Center
Many risks come with military life that can increase the likelihood of experiencing a substance use disorder or a mental health condition. It’s essential when you’re struggling that you connect with a professional military addiction treatment center or one that specializes in working with veterans.
The military tends to have a unique culture that includes both protective and risk factors for addiction. The time after someone leaves the active duty military can increase the risk factors and reduce the protective factors.
If you’re looking for a military addiction treatment center, we encourage you to learn more about Southern Sky Recovery. We are a Bluffton, South Carolina, drug rehab center that works with active-duty military personnel, retirees, and veterans.
Addiction Among Military Members
There are two scenarios to break down when discussing military addiction treatment centers.
In one situation, if an active-duty military member has certain substance use problems, they could face a dishonorable discharge and even, in some cases, criminal prosecution if they submit a positive drug test involving illegal substances.
For these reasons, the rates of addiction among military members tend to be somewhat lower than the general population, but it’s still a pressing issue for many.
Regarding retirees and veterans, substance abuse rates are higher than the general population.
Substances that are most often misused by military servicemembers and veterans include:
- Illicit drugs aren’t very common among active duty service members because of regular drug testing, but the reported use rates go up after leaving military service. Cannabis or marijuana makes up most of the illicit drug use among veterans, followed by heroin and cocaine.
- Opioids and prescription drugs can be an issue for active-duty military members and veterans. Some prescription pain medicines may be prescribed to either group legitimately, but they lead to addiction. Opioid use disorder among active duty military members often starts with an opioid prescription for an injury sustained during deployment.
- Alcohol isn’t illegal, so the rates of use and misuse are higher among active-duty military than other substances. For example, one study found that one in three servicemembers was a binge drinker. More than one in three servicemembers met the criteria for dangerous drinking habits or a possible alcohol use disorder. Veterans are also more likely than non-veterans to misuse alcohol. Around 65% of veterans who go to addiction treatment do so for alcohol.
Among military addiction treatment centers, Southern Sky Recovery provides evidence-based care for active-duty servicemembers and veterans. We understand these populations’ unique challenges in our tailored and expert-led programs. If you’re seeking addiction treatment for military members or former members, we encourage you to learn more about our programs.
Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders
It’s common, not just among people in the military or veterans, for a co-occurring mental health condition to exist along with substance use disorders.
For example, it’s estimated that 37-50% of veterans from the Afghanistan and Iraq War have a mental health diagnosis. These are strongly associated with addiction and substance use disorders.
Many mental health challenges in veterans come from transitioning out of military life and into everyday civilian life.
Environmental stressors associated with military personnel and a higher risk of addiction include deployment, exposure to combat, and reintegration challenges.
Dual diagnosis treatment may be needed when dealing with a substance use disorder along with a mental disorder.
Whether you’re looking for drug addiction treatment for active military members or veterans, we can help. Our treatment center works with both, and we can also provide treatment for co-occurring mental disorders like depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
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The team at Southern Sky Recovery is available to help you or your loved one in finding the best treatment options that work for your individual needs. Our program is rooted in a philosophy based on client-first care and personalized solutions. Call us today to start your journey to long-term healing.
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Types of Addiction Treatment for Military Members and Veterans
There are different levels of care available that can help treat addiction. Addiction treatment usually focuses on therapy and counseling in individual and group settings. A treatment plan may also include medications (medication-assisted treatment or MAT) when needed.
Outpatient detox programs include check-ins with a medical provider and medications when needed. It gives you access to treatment even if you don’t live near a major city, and it’s less disruptive to your daily life. There are also lower costs for an outpatient detox than for an inpatient medical detox.
An intensive outpatient program (IOP) isn’t residential, but it is often the next step after someone completes an inpatient program. IOPs at Southern Sky Recovery require around three hours a day of treatment, three days a week. Various activities during these times help with recovery and relapse prevention.
Partial hospitalization programs (PHPs) are tailored and structured, and they include both individual therapy as well as group counseling. The goal is developing new coping skills for daily life.
Outpatient treatment is less intensive than IOPs or PHPs, and they provide support as you maintain your sobriety and recovery in your community and at home. You’re living a sober life independently but still gaining help as you need it through outpatient treatment.
Therapeutic approaches that are used in our treatment programs include:
Dialectical behavioral therapy: DBT is a cognitive-behavioral therapy that helps incentivize abstinence from drugs and alcohol and shape attitudes and behaviors surrounding substance use.
CBT is widely used for substance use and mental health disorders. It’s built on brain science, and you work to shift thoughts and beliefs about yourself and the world around you so that you can make changes.
When someone’s struggling with an addiction, the people around them are also heavily affected. To maintain recovery, a person needs a strong support system, and family therapy can help build that and repair relationships and communication.
Individual therapy programs are one-on-one, where clients work independently with a mental health professional. The mental health professional can get to know the client deeper and understand their experiences.
Our military addiction treatment center integrates these therapies and others into treatment plans.
Why Is Southern Sky Recovery the Best Military Addiction Treatment Center?
Whether you’re a servicemember currently or a veteran, Southern Sky Recovery offers unique benefits as a treatment program:
- Our programs use evidence-based practices backed by scientific research to help get to the heart of addiction and improve personal healing and recovery outcomes.
- Southern Sky Recovery is in-network with Tricare, making treatment highly accessible if you have a military background.
- There are additional long-term support programs available, including aftercare services.
If you’d like to learn more about the treatment programs available at our Bluffton, South Carolina, rehab center, please contact us today.
Don't Let Addiction Win
Southern Sky Recovery is here to help. Our central location in Bluffton, SC allows us to service clients in the Lowcounty & Coastal Empire areas.