According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, prescription drug use and binge drinking occurs at a much higher rate among Veterans and the numbers are growing. In fact, a Department of Defense study found that prescription drug misuse occurs 2.5 times more often in Veterans than it does in civilians as reported by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. This is due, in large part, to the high rate of post-traumatic stress disorder that occurs among Veterans. Both inpatient and outpatient treatment is available at VA centers across the country. For more information, visit the VA Mental Health webpage and read the VA VAntage Point Blog.
For more on veteran benefits, visit the Military.com Benefits Center.
