Invisible Battles: Addiction and Mental Health Challenges Facing Veterans

They gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country – but many continue to fight their own invisible battles after returning home. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 1 in 5 veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, known as PTSD, also have a co-occurring substance use disorder, or SUD.

There are several reasons why military members are more at risk of developing a SUD than the average citizen. Let’s take a deeper look at addiction and mental health challenges they face  and resources that offer recovery support for veterans.

The Psychological Experience of Military Culture

Being part of the military goes far beyond rankings, wearing a uniform, and following your duties. It’s a psychological experience that shapes your self-perception, norms, beliefs, values, and behaviors to align with the group. Through training and shared experiences, members internalize values such as courage, honor, loyalty, and service, shaping both their identity and worldview.

These values and skills can be positive for military members, however, in practice they can be strict and pressuring. Take the Marine Corps. and Army’s ethos and core values for example:

• United States Marine Corps: “Marines don’t back down from a fight…Marines fight and win.”
• United States Army: “I will never quit…I will never accept defeat…”

For some, this tough mindset may lead to negative changes in mental health and self-esteem, especially if they are unable to complete certain tasks or assignments.

Moral Injury and Lost Sense of Self

A study conducted by The Society of Federal Health Professionals, otherwise known as AMSUS, found that some veterans struggle to differentiate their personal identity from their military identity when returning to civilian life.

This internal battle leads to moral injury, which involves psychological distress stemming from actions or experiences that violate deeply held values. It is often a contributing factor to adverse mental health outcomes among military personnel, creating feelings of:

• Guilt
• Shame
• Worthlessness
• Bitterness
• Confusion
• Distress

The weight of moral injury can be crushing, often leading veterans to seek relief in unhealthy coping mechanisms. Some veterans and military service members will excessively drink or use substances to cope – leading to addiction.

Contributors to Mental Health Challenges

Aside from moral injury, other factors certainly impact the mental health and SUD risk of veterans and active military members. These factors include:

• Military social culture
• Exposure to stressors or trauma
• Chronic pain or other physical health problems
• Sexual harassment or violence from other service members
• Existing, untreated mental health conditions
• Civilian reintegration challenges

To manage their pain or distress, veterans may turn to binge drinking or using illicit substances. Let’s look at some statistics about veteran’s mental health and SUD:

• Veterans with a SUD are 3 to 4 times more likely to be diagnosed with PTSD or depression (American Addiction Centers).
• 82 to 93% of veterans with a SUD who served in Afghanistan and Iraq had at least one co-occurring disorder (American Addiction Centers).
• 30% of Army suicides and over 45% of suicide attempts since 2003 involved alcohol or drug use (The National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIDA).
• In 2015, over 1 in 3 active military members met the criteria for hazardous drinking or possible alcohol use disorder, AUD (The National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIDA).
• A study from 2014 found that about 70% of homeless veterans have a SUD (The National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIDA).

There is a clear correlation between mental health and addiction, emphasizing the need for comprehensive treatment for our veterans and military.

Battling Stigma

Many veterans and active military members do not seek help for their pain, mental health, or substance use challenges because of both internal and external barriers.

Internal Barriers

• Fear of being perceived as weak
• Reluctance to let go of the “warrior” mindset and values like toughness, perseverance, and self-reliance

External Barriers

• Concerns about losing custody of children
• Difficulty accessing services due to long wait times, transportation issues, or living in rural areas with limited treatment options
• Mistrust of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
• Lack of insurance or affordable care
• Anxiety about how seeking treatment could affect employment

Reaching out for help is not weakness — it is one of the bravest and strongest steps a veteran can take. By redefining strength as the willingness to heal, veterans can begin their recovery journey with the support they deserve.

Hope For Healing

Although veterans and active military live through challenges that most people cannot understand, they do not have to heal from these experiences alone. Whether you are battling with mental health or SUD, there are resources that can help and provide veterans mental health treatment.

Start your recovery today at BrightView, where we treat co-occurring SUD/AUD and other disorders. Our compassionate and understanding teams are ready to help you heal without judgment. Call us today at 888-501-9865 or visit our website at brightviewhealth.com.

Other valuable resources for Military Members, Veterans, and their families can be found at:

• Veteran’s Crisis Line
• The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
  • Substance Use Disorder Treatment Resources from the VA
  • VA Veterans Suicide Prevention
• Alcohol Treatment Navigator (NIAA)
• SAMHSA Resources for the Homeless Community
• SAMHSA Technical Assistance for Veterans
• Military One Source

Sources

Center for Deployment Psychology . (2025). Military Cultural and Terminology: Enhancing Clinical Competence . deploymentpsych.org. https://deploymentpsych.org/system/files/member_resource/1-Military_Culture&Terminology.pdf

Denend, J. V., Harris, J. I., Fuehrlein, B., & Edens, E. L. (2022, September 16). Moral Injury in the Context of Substance Use Disorders: A Narrative Review. National Library of Medicine: National Center for Biotechnology Information. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

Miller, L. (2025, June 17). Statistics on Veterans and Substance Abuse. VeteranAddiction.org. https://veteranaddiction.org/resources/veteran-statistics/

National Institutes on Drug Abuse (US). (2020, April). Common comorbidities with Substance Use Disorders Research Report. National Library of Medicine: National Center for Biotechnology Information. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK571451/

United States Government. (2025). Our Core Values. America’s Navy. https://www.navy.mil/about/our-core-values/

United States Government. (2025). Warrior Ethos. U.S. Army. https://www.army.mil/values/warrior.html

United States Marines Corps. (2025). Marines TV. Marines: The Official Website of the United States Marine Corps. https://www.marines.mil/News/Marines-TV/videoid/523324/dvpTag/values/#:~:text=Honor%2C%20courage%20and%20commitment%20are,injustice%20%E2%80%93%20Marines%20fight%20and%20win.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2019, October 1). Substance Use and Military Life DrugFacts. National Institutes on Drug Abuse. https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/substance-use-military-life#:~:text=General%20Risk%20of%20Substance%20Use%20Disorders&text=The%20stresses%20of%20deployments%20and,use%20among%20active%20duty%20personnel.&text=Deployment%20is%20associated%20with%20smoking,drug%20use%20and%20risky%20behaviors

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