Effects of alcohol and drug abuse in the military

Answer

Alcohol and drug abuse amongst US and Canadian military personnel is an emerging issue resulting in some active-duty military personnel's dishonorable discharge because of addiction. Contributing to the increasing substance use disorder in military bases are combat exposure, psychological distress, military culture of drinking, and pain medication abuse coupled with illicit drugs while on military service. Statistics suggest that with the increasing issues associated with alcohol and drug abuse, veterans have also been associated with consequences that include suicide, homelessness, domestic violence, and health issues. This paper offers scope in how each cause leads to the effects of substance use disorders while looking into preventative measures, interventions, and treatments. Findings explain that combat exposure is the leading cause of alcohol and drug abuse amongst military personnel, with alcoholism resulting in military personnel's negative outcomes. Overindulgence in pain medication while using illicit drugs affects the military personnel's physical, mental, and emotional state. Therefore, by recommending the understanding of causes leading to substance use disorder amongst military personnel, better intervention and treatment methods will be devised to help curb alcohol and drug abuse amongst military personnel in the US and Canadian armies. 

Different workplaces have different stressors that affect employees. Over the last decade, statistics show an overgrowing concern regarding substance abuse in workplaces, leading to low productivity, diseases, addiction, and death in the United States and Canada (O’Brien et al., 2013). The US and Canadian militaries are no different from other workplaces regarding alcohol and drug abuse concerns. O’Brien et al. (2013) reiterate that the data collected suggest more substance and alcohol abuse in the military than in most workplaces amongst active-duty military personnel and veterans.

Individuals enlisting in the military service have a sworn duty to protect and serve the nations they are deployed to while maintaining their integrity and loyalty to their countries while also warding off imminent attacks from foreign threats. Hartley et al. (2016) explain that military personnel encounters different deployment situations that become stressors in their line of duty during deployment. Part of these stressors is watching fellow soldiers die in the line of duty, being away from loved ones in a hostile land, and injuries during deployment (Hartley et al., 2016). During deployment, military officers go through stressors that influence their need for coping mechanisms; and what better way to cope than excessive binge drinking of alcoholic beverages and indulgence in illicit drugs like opioids and marijuana (Recovery Unplugged, 2020). After their service and returning home as veterans of honorably discharged soldiers, some military personnel come back with the same stressors and instead indulge in alcohol and drug abuse.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA), some are honorably discharged and return to communities as veterans of the active duty service military personnel. Statistics show that some veterans are seen to get addicted to alcohol and substance abuse because of trauma occurring during combat (NIDA, 2019). According to SAMHSA's 2013 research, 1.5 million veterans and active-duty military officers older than 17 were found to have substance abuse within the year. Furthering this argument are the statistics leading up to substance use effects amongst veterans and active-duty military personnel.

 Among active-duty personnel and veterans, statistics show that military personnel suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, leading to a substance use disorder. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) carried out research that concluded; amongst these personnel, over 63 % of them were found to suffer from addiction to drugs like opioids, illicit drugs, pain management drugs, and had turned to alcoholism (NIDA, 2019). Research from NIDA (2019) adds that as the addictions worsened amongst active-duty military personnel and veterans, statistics show a rise in domestic violence in veteran homes, suicidal behavior, homelessness, medical issues including mental disorders, fatigue, depression, heart diseases, headaches that became migraines, and dizziness, and insomnia.

This paper will give a brief background on the causes and effects of substance abuse in the Canadian and the United States military personnel. Following this will be a literature review highlighting the cause and effects of alcohol and drug abuse in military personnel. The paper then details a conceptual approach on the results and findings from the research conducted and the prevention, intervention, and treatment of substance abuse amongst military personnel. Lastly, the paper gives a discussion that helps understand the results and their implications while providing recommendations for future ways to cope with substance abuse disorders.

Active duty military personnel:- A person who enlists in the army and is active in the military full time and lives in the military base, and can be deployed at any time (US Department of Veterans Affairs, 2017).

Veteran: -This person has been a member of the Armed Forces of the United States or     Canadian Army, having served on active duty left military service under honorable discharge (US Department of Veterans Affairs, 2017).

Substance abuse disorder (SUD):-  This happens when a person indulges continuously in alcohol and drug abuse that leads to the person having adverse consequences                             that include health issues, domestic and marital issues, and work issues; often caused by stressors that include peer pressure, emotional distress,                                                               environmental stress, depression, or anxiety                                                                                                       (US National Library of Medicine, 2017).

Alcohol and drug abuse:- This happens when a person overindulged in alcohol and illicit drugs to the point that he or she misbehaves in public, leading up to                                  unacceptable social behavior, an impairment to set duties that one is to conduct,   problems that result in health issues, financial problems or affect personal relationships.

Alcohol and drug addiction:-  A physiological condition in which consuming drugs or alcohol          is necessary to prevent withdrawal symptoms.

Alcoholic: - A person has the illness of alcoholism. The alcoholic has lost the ability to                       the consumption of alcohol.

Alcoholism: -A progressive chronic illness characterized by habitual excessive consumption           of alcohol impairs the individual's physical and mental health, personal relations, social conduct, and job performance.