RSS FeedThe lives of soldiers overseas mirror the lives of people stateside in that the temptation to abuse alcohol and prescription drugs is quite prevalent. Being overseas serving in the armed forces does not lessen the access people have to prescription drugs—their own or someone else’s.
A 2008 study that surveyed 28,500 U.S. troops found that one in four soldiers and 20% of Marines abused prescription drugs. The most abused kind of prescription drugs were painkillers. In fact they found that abuse of painkiller superseded abuse of marijuana and amphetamines. The figures from the 2008 study show that abuse of prescription drugs in the military has increased since a similar survey was conducted in 2005.
Of course these prescription drugs are prescribed for very real injuries, but while managing pain, they may also allow someone to feel calmer. In stressful situations, such as being away from home and possibly involved in combat, the desire to feel calm and to be relieved of any comfort may get the way of sound thinking. Although one can comprehend just why someone in the armed forces would fall into the temptation to abuse prescription drugs, it is important to emphasize that this is not the way to improve things. This is why the Army is trying to do more to educate troops about the dangers of drug abuse, but of course they are stretched thin since they do not have infinite resources.
The United States has been involved in conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq since 2003 and during that time many troops have had to serve more than once. So whatever stress someone may have felt serving in the armed forces just once is compounded when they have to return to serve again.
One thing that we can do to help is encourage people we know personally who are serving overseas, especially during the holidays since it is very hard to be away from home at this time of the year. And if you do not personally know anyone who is serving overseas, there are various organizations that will be offering opportunities for people to send cheer, cards and even gifts to people serving in the armed forces through the New Year.
