Veterans navigate past stigma, PTSD when seeking care for substance abuse
This article is shared in its entirety as part of a conversation on addiction and pathways to recovery in our community. To read more from Changing Pathways to Recovery, a six-week series, please subscribe.
Jesse Kimmel was familiar with the VA Butler Healthcare’s inpatient active clinical rehabilitation and treatment facility when he recently sought treatment for addiction.
It is the combat Army veteran’s second time at the treatment center.
“The first time I wasn’t ready to live a life worth living,” said Kimmel, of Sharon. “I was scared to death to come back here.”
Kimmel is one of many veterans that have developed a substance abuse problem after their transition to civilian life. For many veterans, especially those that served in a combat theater, getting help can be a challenge as they face stigma, struggles with other mental disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder and not having a strong support group.
“Veterans do come with own unique issues,” said Marne Bilanich, a domiciliary nurse manager at VA Butler Healthcare. “When they are in the military everything is structured. When they become addicted to substances, that all goes out the window.”
There are 12,104 veterans that live in Butler County, according to the latest available census information, making up about 10% of the population in the county.
“Veterans have made significant sacrifices for our country, and it’s our duty to ensure they receive the necessary resources and support to transition back into civilian life successfully,” Slippery Rock Mayor Jondavid Longo said. “Veterans facing these challenges can experience significant barriers in their personal lives, employment and in their relationships with others.”
Longo, a Marine combat veteran who deployed to Afghanistan and Latvia, said he believes it is “crucial for our community” to prioritize the care and support of veterans, especially those dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or substance abuse.
“By providing access to proper treatment, counseling, and support networks, we can help alleviate these struggles and enable veterans to lead fulfilling lives,” Longo said.
The need for help is prevalent. More than one in every 10 veterans have been diagnosed with substance use disorder, according to a study cited by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The most common primary substance of abuse among veteran admissions was alcohol, according to the 2019 report.
For Kimmel, his most recent attempt at sobriety has been difficult. Within the first two weeks of arriving to the recovery facility, his aunt and best friend died. Despite the hardships that lay ahead in his road to recovery, Kimmel said being with other veterans has driven him to stay sober.
“There are two reasons I came back,” he said, “because I want recovery and because of the camaraderie here.”
One of the major obstacles preventing veterans from getting help is the stigma when it comes to asking for help.
“Guys are afraid to ask for help” said Bill Rape, an army combat veteran from Zelienople. “Guys are too ... hardheaded. They feel like it’s admitting a weakness.”
About half of post-9/11 veterans say they had emotionally traumatic or distressing experiences, according to a 2021 Pew Research Center study.
Cully Neal, who retired from the Army in July, said that until recently, it was uncommon for veterans to seek help. He is currently seeking treatment at the inpatient program at the VA Butler Healthcare.
“It was hard to come forward with the things that you were dealing with,” Neal said. “It just wasn’t in our blood.”
Kathleen Molyneaux, the VA Butler Healthcare’s Center for Behavioral Health RN manager, said that the stigma surrounding getting help is frequently seen among veterans and prevents people from seeking treatment.
It’s an issue that the VA Butler Healthcare is trying to address.
“We have a ‘No Wrong Door’ policy,” Molyneaux said. “Meaning (veterans) don’t have to schedule an appointment with behavioral health … They can just come in through primary care and let them see their primary care provider.”
Longo also said it’s important for the conversations around mental health for veterans to change.
“Fostering a supportive and understanding community helps to destigmatize these issues, encouraging more veterans to come forward and seek help without fear of judgment,” Longo said. “It’s about building a community that honors their service by ensuring they are not left to face their battles alone.”
Nearly 60% of veterans that are diagnosed with substance use disorder have PTSD, the Veteran Association of America estimates. PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that can occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event, series of events or set of circumstances.
“Of course, we have the propensity to have the rates to be higher,” Neal said. “I think our jobs are inherently more dangerous. We go to places where there are people trying to do harm to us.”
People seeking treatment for PTSD are 14 times more likely to also be diagnosed with a substance use disorder, according to the American Addiction Centers.
Dr. Leslie Yerace, physiologist at the VA Butler Healthcare said recovering from both PTSD and substance abuse disorder share similar paths.
“It’s a point of recognizing unhealthy patterns of behavior,” Yearce said. “There’s a lot of things they haven’t dealt with for a very long time that puts them in a state where it’s like perpetual avoidance.”
Treating both PTSD and substance abuse disorder is something that Dr. Christopher Noullet, clinical psychologist and local recovery coordinator at the VA Butler Healthcare said is something the organization tries to help veterans navigate.
“If there is a comorbidity of substance use disorder as well as PTSD, this does not inhibit or stand in the way of us offering either approach to treatment,” Noullet said. “Either to address predominantly PTSD or the substance abuse.”
While in the military, many service members have a stable environment, a consistent paycheck and a support network. Once they leave the military, that support system is no longer available making it harder for veterans who may be experiencing issues like substance abuse disorder.
“Veterans who suffer from PTSD or substance abuse often feel isolated and low on the list of societal priorities,” said Longo. “Making sure we are reaching out to them, offering an ear to listen and a shoulder to lean on can make a world of difference.”
Rape, who is also the Zelienople American Legion Post 474’s home association president, said having a support system is crucial for veterans.
“Having someone who’s been there before guiding you can make all the difference,” he said.
Noullet who deals with outpatient veterans at the VA Butler Healthcare said one of the goals to help with recovery is creating a network of people and resources that veterans can turn to while in or after completing treatment.
“We’re certainly looking at the veteran support network, families, friends, communities and trying to link them up as strongly as we can,” Noullet said. “That camaraderie that existed within their military unit does not immediately translate out into the civilian world, when folks transition out of the military lifestyle.
“Being able to get folks with a strong connection to their support system, that is absolutely vital.”
This article is shared in its entirety as part of a conversation on addiction and pathways to recovery in our community. To read more from Changing Pathways to Recovery, a six-week series, please subscribe.
