Veteran Substance Abuse

Veteran Substance Abuse | A New War on Home Soil | Arrow Passage

A Veteran living with Substance Abuse

Misleading Look of Success
At the height of his career and after 22 years of service, Teddy Lanier was at an optimal point in his professional life. Lanier had a long career in the Army Special Forces. Those with an outside perspective would see a decorated soldier and role model for young men and women looking for a career in military service.1

The War Within
Perspective is only reality to those at a distant vantage point. Lanier was experiencing a different war, one within himself. Many of his friends and colleagues were unaware of the pain and struggle that accompanied his personal life. It wasn’t until he experienced difficulty performing a simple task while working in his civilian career that he made a choice for change. Lanier sat down with those he worked for and admitted he is a veteran living with substance abuse.1

Over 1 Million Veterans Need HelpLanier’s story isn’t much different than the 1.1 million veterans struggling with substance abuse disorders. In Lanier’s case, he was struggling with addiction to pain pills and alcohol. The addiction to pain pills started with a prescription following a simple dental surgery. This type of prescribing process is similar for military personnel and often begins with an opioid medication following an injury during deployments.