Substance Abuse and PTSD in Military Families
Many of the 1.8 million veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts return with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and substance abuse problems. Each problem creates independent risks: substance abuse because the user experiences loss of control, and PTSD because it causes nervous system arousal, irritability, and angry outbursts. For many returning veterans, substance abuse functions as a way of coping with their PTSD. Therefore, focusing on treatment of substance abuse – as many child welfare professionals and courts do – is likely to fail when a person has PTSD. Even when substance abuse treatment is successful, the veteran may be at increased risk for violence due to PTSD. Both must be treated simultaneously for veterans to heal and become better able to care for their children and families. This presentation will discuss what is known about PTSD and substance abuse problems in military families and what the implications are for child welfare practices, policies, and courts.