Guest Contributor – John Shea
Alcohol: The Most Commonly Abused Substance Among Veterans
Alcohol is the most commonly abused substance in the veteran population.
When people join the military branches of the United States, they are all going somewhere they have never been before, with people they have never met. It’s a fast-paced and stressful environment that puts them under a lot of pressure. So, when they get the opportunity to rest and relax, they tend to include alcohol in the mix to relieve their loneliness and stress.
Many see this as part of military culture since drinking becomes a way to connect with others in the same situation. Many bars and restaurants offer discounts to military members, reinforcing the idea that drinking is a normal part of life in the service.
The Role of Alcohol in Military Life
Most military bases around the world have enlisted and officer clubs where alcohol is readily available. Drinking has long been used as a way to release feelings of fear—fear that stems from many things, especially trauma.
For many service members, combat exposure and frequent encounters with death make alcohol seem like the easiest way to cope. The more trauma they experience, the more alcohol becomes an escape.
The Struggles Veterans Face at Home
When veterans return home from serving this great country, many struggle to associate with civilians. Our family and friends cannot understand what we experienced, and we feel distant from them. Drinking makes us feel like we fit in with them, even when, deep down, we know we don’t.
The Personal Battle: PTSD and Depression
On a personal level, I believe the reason many veterans drink is that they are silently battling depression and PTSD. Many of us don’t even realize we are suffering from these conditions. We keep our struggles to ourselves and suffer alone.
Some veterans find jobs after returning home, while others don’t. But even for those who do, there’s still the pressure to fit in. I know that, for myself, I once believed alcohol was helping me feel better. In reality, it was pushing me further into isolation and hypervigilance—constantly on edge, unable to relax, and disconnected from the world around me.
The Bigger Picture: Homelessness and Unemployment
On a larger scale, homelessness and unemployment make recovery even more difficult. If you can’t find a job, you don’t have money to secure a stable place to live. Many of us return to our childhood homes, only to realize that we no longer belong there either.
The depression deepens. Drinking becomes part of the daily routine. It ruins our lives, but we don’t see it happening.
Finding Hope in Fellowship and Support
I believe the key to change is finding abstinence through connection—whether in a friend, a fellow veteran, or a mentor. Once we realize we are not alone, we have a chance at happiness and sobriety.
There are programs out there that help soften the blow of transitioning back into civilian life. But the challenge is that, in the military, we are taught to be strong, to fight for our country, and to feel respected. Coming home and realizing that alcohol has made us weaker than ever is devastating for many veterans. That is why so many never seek help.
The Programs That Saved My Life
For me, the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and The Warrior Ranch Foundation have saved my life.
The best part about them saving mine is that I now have the ability to help the next person.
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