More than half a million veterans are addicted to opioids, including heroin, fentanyl, and drugs prescribed by doctors, such as oxycodone. The fact that over two-thirds of veterans live with chronic pain is one significant factor in the high number of veterans with opioid use disorder (OUD). There are other factors at work in veterans’ struggles with addiction post-discharge from the military. The safest way for a veteran to start recovery, as well as the one with the greatest chance of long-term success, is enrolling at a rehab that specifically offers substance abuse treatment for veterans.
UpArmor Recovery provides opioid addiction treatment in Mississippi for veterans and first responders. We specialize in treating this unique constituency, and our clinicians understand the specific challenges and hurdles veterans face. To learn more about our opioid rehab program for veterans, reach out today. Call 855.211.5537 or use our online form to connect to someone who can answer your questions.
Veterans and Opioid Abuse
Those who have served in the military are at a higher risk than the rest of the population for certain mental health conditions, alcohol and drug misuse, and certain physical ailments. Whether dealing with psychological, emotional, or physical pain, there is a tendency to self-medicate by turning to opioids. Plus, many veterans come home already using or even dependent on a prescription painkiller that has been provided by a doctor to help the individual manage pain. That dependence can lead to needing higher doses to get relief, which can lead to withdrawal symptoms if the drug is suddenly unavailable. When that happens, addiction has taken root.
Some of the reasons veterans may abuse opioids:
- Chronic pain may lead to the illicit use of a drug like heroin when the prescription amount of a drug like oxycodone no longer works due to tolerance.
- Doctors often try to ease people off pain medications if there is a risk of addiction, which can lead people to seek street drugs that are unregulated and for which there are no dosage guidelines.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is very common among veterans. With PTSD, the body and mind are almost constantly on high alert, responding to past traumas as if they were happening in the moment. Flashbacks, nightmares, insomnia, hypervigilance, concurrent anxiety, and frequent panic can be unbearable. Veterans may seek to mask these symptoms by turning to opioids.
- Housing and food insecurity, loss of relationships or jobs, and other life challenges that veterans too often face can result in opioid abuse as a form of escapism from an intolerable present.
Veterans’ opioid rehab can offer a way out of the vicious cycle of addiction.
Opioid Rehab Program for Veterans
Opioid addiction treatment for veterans is provided by people who understand veterans—what they may have experienced, the effects of military service, the effects of combat, the nature of PTSD and other post-military mental health disorders, the many challenges faced when re-entering civilian life, the effects on family, relationships, and career, and more.
In our veterans’ opioid rehab, you will experience:
- Safe, medically supervised detox to ease you through withdrawal
- Evidence-based, trauma-informed therapies
- Individualized treatment plans created with your medical, psychiatric, and addiction history in mind
- A trigger-free, secure setting where you can begin to heal
- Coordinated treatment for co-occurring disorders
- The opportunity to learn life skills geared toward veterans, enabling a secure return to post-rehab sober living
- Peer support and the opportunity to participate in a 12-step program
- Family therapy to repair and strengthen important relationships
- Aftercare programs to ease the transition from rehab to discharge
Seeking help and support as you begin recovery is not a sign of weakness, nor does it mean you are a failure. It is a sign of optimism and hope for the future. As you begin this journey and start to feel more empowered and healthy, you will realize that recovery can be yours.
UpArmor Recovery: Opioid Addiction Treatment in Mississippi
We offer evidence-based treatments for first responders and former military personnel who are struggling with an OUD and need and want a reset.
In our rehab center, we provide opioid addiction treatment for veterans that can include any or many of the following:
- Medication-assisted treatment (MAT)
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Community reinforcement and family training (CRAFT)
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
- Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
- Motivational enhancement therapy (MET)
- Motivational interviewing
In addition, we offer holistic therapies and coordinated treatment for any co-occurring mental health condition. Learn more by calling us at 855.211.5537 or using this online form to connect with us.