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Co-occurring disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use, is prevalent among veterans and the military community. According to the Veterans Affairs Department (VA), approximately one-third of veterans seeking treatment for substance use disorders also met the criteria for PTSD.

Veterans and service members benefit from integrated care for mental and substance use disorders. However, some veterans may not seek medical treatment for one of many reasons, including a fear of being treated differently.

To promote wellness among veterans, service members, and their families, practitioners are encouraged to collaborate with other organizations to develop a training plan in effective integrated care techniques.

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PTSD is diagnosed after a person experiences symptoms for at least one month following a traumatic event. However symptoms may not appear until several months or even years later. The disorder is characterized by three main types of symptoms:

Re-experiencing the trauma through intrusive distressing recollections of the event, flashbacks, and nightmares.

Emotional numbness and avoidance of places, people, and activities that are reminders of the trauma.

Increased arousal such as trouble sleeping and concentrating, feeling jumpy, and being easily irritated and angered.

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Symptoms of SUD include tolerance, the ability to drink or use greater quantities over time, inability to stop drinking or using in spite of negative consequences, and withdrawal, feeling sick when trying to quit drinking or using drugs. Problems with drinking or drug use may occur in response to stress, or in combination with posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, or other medical conditions.

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Vet speaks about his real life ordeal with PTSD

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Vet speaks about his real life ordeal with PTSD

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I wish I had addressed it when I first came back

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Jesse came back from Vietnam and felt like he had to hide his service. He thought others couldn't understand him, he felt depressed, and had marital problems. Years later, Jesse visited VA and found professionals to help him with his long-standing issues. Jesse knows he may always face challenges, but by accepting support, he can overcome them.

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What Veterans Who Are Homeless or At Risk of Homelessness Should do for Help

Veterans who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness are strongly encouraged to contact the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at (877) 4AID-VET (877-424-3838) for assistance. If Veterans do not have access to a phone or the internet, only then are they to visit their closest VA medical center without calling in advance. VA also urges Veterans who are not homeless or at risk of homelessness to contact their VA medical center before visiting for any reason. These steps are necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

No Veteran Should Be Without a Place to Call Home

VA is committed to ending homelessness among Veterans. Our focus is threefold:

Conducting coordinated outreach to proactively seek out Veterans in need of assistance.

Connecting homeless and at-risk Veterans with housing solutions, health care, community employment services and other required supports.

Collaborating with federal, state and local agencies; employers; housing providers, faith-based and community nonprofits; and others to expand employment and affordable housing options for Veterans exiting homelessness.

Read Older Posts Operation Reveille and Stand Down Events Outreach Tools and Resources Local Community Employment Coordinators Community by Community Access SQUARES

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Veterans who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness are strongly encouraged to contact the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at (877) 4AID-VET (877-424-3838) for assistance. If Veterans do not have access to a phone or the internet, only then are they to visit their closest VA medical center without calling in advance.

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New Jersey Vietnam Veterans ' Memorial Foundation

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Street Vets - PBS Homeless Veteran Documentary Film

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Over 100,000 United States Veterans are homeless every year. In a powerful, one-hour documentary, filmmaker Issac Goeckeritz takes viewers into the largely invisible world of homeless veterans and the difficult, but hopeful, pathways home.

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Next now, we turn to the rults of a special investigation. A B kr NBC news addresses a kind of epidemic among American here rose, returning home, only to battle addiction to prescription drugs, and drugs provided by the very system meant to help them. It's about our new series about America's fighting men and women. Coming home clb America's promise. And ABC's Byron Pitts has the story. These are probably the most difficult ones to look at. Reporter: Snapshots of a father who by his own admission was anything but. Decorated army veteran Justin Minyard. A bronze star in Iraq. Here so stoned on prescription drugs he can barely hold his 3-year-old daughter. The war hero turned addict. Had everything going for me. And like a flash, that fast, you look up and it's gone. This was my family. Reporter: He's not alone. According to the center for investigative report, at V.A. Hospitals, the number of ripgss for highly addictive painkillers surged 270% in the past 12 years a rate far above the increase in patients. In fact, more than 50,000 veterans were treated by the V.A. For pin killer addiction last year alone. My life revolved around one thing, when is my next pill? Reporter: Minyard's road to addiction started hours after 9/11. There he is -- part of the rescue effort outside the Pentagon. He injured his back pulling a woman from the debris pile. More back problems, more prescription drugs when he fell off a helicopter in Iraq. Minyard says V.A. Doctors kept prescribing more painkillers. Soon, a full-blown addict, he tried to stop three times. It's a living, seemingly never-ending nightmare. I'm angry that there were better options, more effective ways to treat my pain. The priority was seemingly, treating me with whatever was the fastest, most inexpensive way. Reporter: Tonight, V.A. Whistleblower Dr. Baslman khulsi speaks for the first time. She was a pain specialist at the VA hospital in Kansas City. I saw what I saw and I had to do something about it. Reporter: Like other V.A. Drs around the country, she told us she saw an alarming trend. More and more patients addicted to painkillers. She tried to wean them off painkillers, but some of her patients came to her taking massive dozes, as much as 1,000 milligrams of morphine a day, ten times the level she thought considered safe. These veterans have their own set of issues. And then they are given narcotics generously, and that's increased and increased and then we have a problem. Reporter: You've used the word generous. It sounds like you want to say excessive. Very excessive. If the patient continues to complain, give them more. If they continue to have pain, give them more. Reporter: That doesn't sound like medicine. That sounds like enabling someone. This is the reason why the Numbers continue to go up. Reporter: Today, we took these troubling Numbers and stories to the veterans health administration. They told us they're announcing a program called the opioid safety initiative, use many of the same recommendations pain experts have been making for years. Drug free alternatives like acupuncture and yoga, which have had great success in treating pain. These are pretty new things. These are pretty new ideas. We owe it to them to find ways to treat their pain. And we're working on that. For has been 12 years of evidence that American service members are being overprescribed pain medication. Why hasn't it changed quicker? We're draszing it as quickly as we can. This is an absolutely serious issue to the agency, to my fellow physicians, and to me personally. Reporter: Because? Because I treat patients in pain. And the ultimate goal for us as physicians as an agency as VA is to get out guys back on their feet. Reporter: Those recommendations come too late for veterans like Justin Minyard and the years with his daughter he lost to his addiction. I just hope somebody who is dealing with chronic pain hears or sees this, and if they don't make same mistakes I did, they can still read their daughter stories at night. Reporter: All sides agree our veterans have paid a high price. Their pain is real. And the V.A. Insists they have found a new plan that works. The Numbers are staggering, Byron. What evidence is there that it does work? Reporter: Diane, they point to the success of test sites. In Minneapolis, the V.A. Says the use of highly addictive pain kill earls dropped by more than 50%. We'll see if the Numbers hold up nation national Al nationally. Byron, thank you. And now, we turn to

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

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Video: Veterans Getting Hooked on Prescription Drugs

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Next now, we turn to the rults of a special investigation. A B kr NBC news addresses a kind of epidemic among American here rose, returning home, only to battle addiction to prescription drugs, and drugs provided by the very system meant to help them.

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More than 2 of 10 Veterans with PTSD also have SUD.

War Veterans with PTSD and alcohol problems tend to be binge drinkers. Binges may be in response to bad memories of combat trauma.

Almost 1 out of every 3 Veterans seeking treatment for SUD also has PTSD.

The number of Veterans who smoke (nicotine) is almost double for those with PTSD (about 6 of 10) versus those without a PTSD diagnosis (3 of 10).

In the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, about 1 in 10 returning soldiers seen in VA have a problem with alcohol or other drugs.

45% of all homeless veterans are African American or Hispanic, despite only accounting for 10.4% and 3.4% of the U.S. veteran population.

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SUD or Substance Abuse Disorder  among veterans is a growing problem in America. Vets struggling with substance abuse usually have a host of other issues they are battling and eventually end up homeless. Majority of homeless vets are men who are "single, living in urban areas and suffering from mental illness." In many situations veterans are coming back from deployment and are experiencing PSTD or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

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Veteran substance abuse is a growing problem in the USA. As military members return from deployment suffering from physical and mental health problems and disabilities due to their experiences while deployed, substance abuse becomes more prevalent. Combat today is vastly different than it was even 40-50 years ago, and the new war on terror has increased the trauma and emotional toll combat has had on our service members.

Prescription drug abuse is on the rise among veterans because many are treated with powerful narcotic pain medications for injuries. Over time, veterans can become dependent on these drugs and eventually an addiction can develop. Alcohol abuse and addiction is also more common among the military population while some other substances are used far less frequently and are far less of an issue.

Why is Veteran Substance Abuse so Common?

There are several different reasons why veteran substance abuse is so common. These service members have gone through some very tough and traumatic experiences while they were deployed, and this has left psychological or physical scars, sometimes both. Substance abuse may be an attempt to self-medicate or to deal with problematic symptoms of mental or physical disorders or injuries.

Any veteran who has issues with alcohol or drug abuse should seek proper substance abuse treatment as soon as possible. Veterans who have a substance abuse issue can contact the US Department of Veterans Affairs for treatment program options. This help can be sought in the private sector also. Substance abuse is a problem that will not just go away.

The Links between Substance Abuse, Depression, and Suicide Among Veterans

A number of studies have shown that there are links between veteran substance abuse, depression, and suicide. In one study that involved roughly 600 veterans who were deployed to either Afghanistan or Iraq, 39{787773d50040b773714487418b65c4bb8fbff3685c01a098af1ab61b21b6e057} of the vets were screened and showed positive for probable alcohol abuse. 3{787773d50040b773714487418b65c4bb8fbff3685c01a098af1ab61b21b6e057} of the vets screened were positive for probable drug use.

A larger study that involved more than 675,000 active duty personnel determined that the rate of both substance use disorders and depression has increased among active members of the military. Another study determined that the rate of suicide across all military services in the USA increased between 2005 and 2007.

The Veterans Alcohol and Drug Dependence Rehabilitation Program

The Veterans Alcohol and Drug Dependence Rehabilitation Program is a veteran substance abuse treatment and rehab program operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The program offers a variety of therapies and support services to eligible veterans who have a substance abuse disorder. Treatment services are provided at numerous VA medical centers and clinics around the country.

In order to qualify for veteran substance abuse treatment through the VA the veteran must be enrolled in the VA health care system. In addition, the veteran must have a discharge that is not dishonorable. Honorable, General, and Under Honorable discharges are usually eligible.

Why are Some Service Members Hesitant to Use the VA for Substance Abuse Treatment?

For some who need veteran substance abuse treatment the VA may not be the preferred treatment provider for a variety of reasons. The wait times at some VA locations can be extensive. There is still a stigma associated with substance abuse, and some veterans may feel that they could receive better treatment and care in the private medical sector instead.

Rural Areas May Pose Unique Challenges to Effective Substance Abuse Treatment

Another potential obstacle to proper veteran substance abuse treatment is location, and vets in rural areas may have far fewer treatment options open to them. In some cases when there is not an appropriate VA facility within a reasonable distance a veteran may be able to seek private sector care that is covered by the government.

Substance Abuse and PTSD

In many cases veteran substance abuse and PTSD or other mental health issues are co-occurring disorders, and both disorders must be treated in order for the veteran to fully recover. If the substance abuse is addressed and treated but the other mental health disorders are not then the substance abuse is far more likely to start again in the future.
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Veteran Substance Abuse - What do the Statistics Tell Us

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Veteran substance abuse is a growing problem in the USA. As military members return from deployment suffering from physical and mental health problems and disabilities due to their experiences while deployed, substance abuse becomes more prevalent.