Substance Abuse In The Military Now A Public Health Crisis

Not the first time this has been posted and sadly won't be the last.

Substance Abuse In The Military Now A Public Health Crisis (VIDEO)
Posted: 09/27/2012

HuffPost Live's Alicia Menendez explores why the Pentagon's methods for dealing with substance abuse aren't working and what soldiers need to help them in such times.

Soldiers are trained to deal with life or death situations during deployment, but many don't find relief even after they return home. Returning with bodily injuries, mental disorders, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and finding no avenue of dealing with these issues, many may turn to alcohol for comfort.

According to the Millennium Cohort Study soldiers who are deployed and exposed to combat, "are at increased risk of new-onset heavy weekly drinking, binge drinking, and other alcohol-related problems."

Don Lipsteen shared the heartbreaking story of his son, who had done two tours in Iraq with the U.S. Navy only to come home and find out he had a brain tumor.
read more here

They drink so they can get numb. They drink so they can "fall asleep" when they are passing out instead. This lesson was taught to them by the very people handing them medications and sending them off.

Got pain? Take a pill. Never mind therapy or pain management. Got bad memories? Take a pill and get numb instead of addressing what caused that memory to be there.

Can't calm down? Take a pill.

Can't get along with your family anymore? Take a pill.

The answer for all that is wrong with them is medication, so they learn that lesson well enough to just substitute all of it with what is easier for them to swallow. Drugs and alcohol.