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New figures are emerging on alcohol abuse and dependence among US Army soldiers, as well as the US Marines. The numbers are increasing, and the most obvious reason is that stress is building among soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. While treatment is available for those still serving, it’s a good bet that many returning veterans will require quality treatment.

Alcohol treatment for veterans should always be provided as part of an integrated behavioral healthcare program. Alcohol detox must be available for those who are physically dependent on alcohol. Since many veterans are returning home with injuries, onsite medical staff is very important. It is also helpful to have staff that is well-versed in alcohol-related illness as well as HIV/AIDS.

Soldiers battling alcohol abuse and dependence during combat are quite likely to also suffer from co-occurring mental health disorders. Combat stress may not be the origin of drinking habits, but using alcohol to relieve stress only prolongs the pain. Once the alcohol has left the body these veterans are left with no defense, so mental health professionals need to be available onsite.

Tarzana Treatment Centers provides alcohol treatment for veterans as part of a broad integrated behavioral healthcare program. The program begins with a medical assessment to determine the need for alcohol detox and treatment for other physical ailments. Onsite mental health professionals are available to treat patients with co-occurring disorders. For those with HIV/AIDS, we have a highly acclaimed program staffed with specialists and very caring individuals.

The USAToday published an article detailing the issue of alcohol abuse and dependence among active duty soldiers. A portion of the article is below.

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“We’re seeing a lot of alcohol consumption,” Gen. Peter Chiarelli, the Army’s vice chief of staff, told top officers during a briefing on the Army’s growing number of suicides.

In a statement to USA TODAY, Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, expressed concern. “I’m sure there are many factors for the rising numbers (of enrollments) … but I can’t believe the stress our people are under after eight years of combat isn’t taking a toll,” he said.

Likewise, Marines who screen positive for drug or alcohol problems increased 12% from 2005 to 2008, according to Marine Corps statistics. In addition, there were 1,060 drunken-driving cases involving Marines during the first seven months of fiscal 2009, which began in October, compared with 1,430 cases in all of fiscal 2008.

— Source: http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/2009-06-18-army-alcohol-problems_N.htm —

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles makes a daily effort to find treatment news articles that we can share with our readers in the alcohol and drug treatment community. The external content was found among other articles of equal informational and educational quality.

Southern California Locations for Alcohol and Drug Treatment
Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County and Orange County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley, and in Santa Ana.