Veteran Drug Rehab in Connecticut

Substance abuse is a widespread problem across the U.S., and veterans are some of the many who struggle with addiction every day. After suffering from trauma, PTSD, chronic pain, and more, many veterans may find themselves turning to drugs and alcohol to cope.

Luckily, there is a wide variety of treatment options for veterans in Connecticut. With TRICARE and VA health benefits, rehabilitation can be even more accessible.

If you or your loved one are battling substance abuse, keep reading to learn more about veterans addiction treatment in Connecticut.

Drug and alcohol addiction is a common issue among veterans. This is due to a variety of risk factors veterans face.

In the U.S., more than one in 10 veterans face substance abuse, which is higher than that of the general population.

Among those who have been diagnosed with a substance use disorder, 80% abuse alcohol and 27% abuse illicit drugs. In fact, 7% have an addiction to both.

Although alcohol is the most common substance to be abused by veterans, hydrocodone, an opioid, is the most likely to be misused by this group. However, veterans face addiction to a wide range of drugs.

While all veterans face the risk of developing drug and alcohol addiction, data have shown that male veterans are twice as likely to experience addiction as female veterans.

Alcohol and drug abuse is common among veterans throughout the U.S., and Connecticut is certainly no exception.

Statistics about veterans in Connecticut include:

• There are 167,521 veterans in Connecticut – about 5.9% of the state’s population.
• Among the veteran population in the state, there is a 4.4% unemployment rate and 5.1% live in poverty.
• Approximately 199 veterans in Connecticut are homeless.
• Over one in four veterans in the state have a disability.

As mentioned above, veterans are more likely to develop drug or alcohol addiction than the average person in the U.S. But why is this true?
There are numerous risk factors veterans face that can make substance use disorder much more likely.

Some common risk factors include:

• Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health disorders
• Sleep disturbances
• Reintegration obstacles
• Injuries and/or chronic pain
• Homelessness
• Previous alcohol or drug abuse during service or in childhood
• Trauma endured during service

In order to cope with some of these struggles, many veterans turn to alcohol or drugs, which can quickly turn into dependency or addiction.

There are countless options when it comes to addiction treatment programs for veterans. With different programs, you can find one that will be well-suited to your individual needs.

One common option for substance abuse rehabilitation is inpatient treatment, also known as residential treatment. This kind of treatment requires that the patient stays somewhere (typically a hospital or sober living facility) while they receive treatment.

On the other hand, there is also outpatient treatment. Outpatient programs only require the individual to be at the facility part of the day or not at all.

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT), such as methadone treatment, and detoxification are two other kinds of treatment. MAT is a kind of treatment that uses specific medications to help wean you off the substance you’re addicted to.

Detox is a similar treatment, but a little bit different. Detoxification focuses on helping the patient through the symptoms of withdrawal so they can start recovering from addiction.

Some treatment centers even offer special programs geared specifically toward veterans and their unique needs.

Following your initial intensive program, treatment centers may also provide aftercare, such as sober living or transitional living services to help you with your early stage of recovery.

Mental health and behavioral health issues often occur alongside addiction. These issues are called dual diagnoses or co-occurring disorders.

Some of the most common co-occurring disorders in veterans include PTSD, anxiety, depression, panic disorders, and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

In order to try to cope with the effects of these disorders, people will often rely on alcohol or drugs. Some treatment options include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR).

Because dual diagnoses are commonly the root of substance abuse issues, drug and alcohol rehab centers typically have dual diagnosis programs.

In these programs, the individual will receive treatment not only for addiction but also for mental health. The idea is to find other ways to cope with these issues and, in turn, help the person recover from addiction.

Aftercare may also be offered to help after you leave your program.

Doing a quick internet search for rehab facilities can leave you with not enough information. That’s why credible resources can make your search much easier.
Government-backed institutions and state-specific websites can be great resources when it comes to finding a reliable program. Finding treatment through these resources can help weed out less-than-satisfactory facilities.

Here are some great places to start:

• SAMHSA Treatment Locator — The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) treatment locator is a confidential and anonymous resource that can help you find treatment services or counseling centers anywhere in the country.
• VA Connecticut Health Care — The Veterans Affairs Connecticut page is a fantastic resource for anything related to health care for veterans, including addiction treatment.
• Connecticut State Department of Veterans Affairs – This state-specific page provides information about veteran resources and helplines.

From Hartford to West Haven, New Haven and beyond, there’s plenty of reliable options across the state of Connecticut when it comes to addiction recovery.

Finding the right alcohol and drug rehab center for yourself or a loved one can be overwhelming. Thankfully there are several qualities you can look for that indicate a high-quality program.

First and foremost, it’s best to look for facilities that have accreditations and certifications. For example, The Joint Commision accreditation and LegitScript certification are good ones to look for.

Other qualities that reliable centers may have include positive reviews or testimonies, a low staff-to-client ratio, and evidence-based treatment options like partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and MAT.

If you keep all of these characteristics in mind, you’ll be on the right track to finding a great drug or alcohol treatment center.

Aside from finding the right treatment facility for you, it may be stressful to think about the costs associated with addiction rehabilitation.

The good news is there are several benefits like military insurance and private insurance that can help you pay for treatment in the Connecticut healthcare system.

TRICARE is a healthcare program available to uniformed service members and their family members. TRICARE can sometimes be used in conjunction with other benefits and can help pay for a wide variety of health services.

VA health benefits are provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Each individual’s package differs in order to cater to specific needs and eligibility for certain benefits. VA health benefits can help lower the cost of addiction treatment.

Many private insurance plans will also help cover recovery center costs. You can easily find information about what programs and facilities are covered through your insurance company’s website.

Even though countless veterans face addiction, many are left without the help they need due to the barriers they may face when it comes to finding recovery services.

One barrier many service members may face is shame or embarrassment surrounding seeking out help or discussing their mental health issues. It can be difficult to open up and ask for help for some individuals.

Other barriers to care may include long wait times for addiction treatment, homelessness, and lack of awareness surrounding treatment options.

Fortunately, there are many resources which can help veterans overcome these barriers and seek the care they need to enter recovery.

There are many resources available to Connecticut veterans, but not everyone may know about these tools.

Here are a few veteran resources available to service members in Connecticut:

• Connecticut State Department of Veterans Affairs — This state specific-page provides information about veteran resources and hotlines.
• Connecticut Veterans Legal Center — The Connecticut Veterans Legal Center helps veterans dealing with homelessness and mental illness overcome legal barriers to the services they need.
• Sgt. John L. Levitow Healthcare Center — The Sgt. John L. Levitow Healthcare Center provides health care services for short-term and long-term patients who need care specialized for veterans.
• Office of Advocacy and Assistance — The Office of Advocacy and Assistance helps veterans and their families obtain benefits and other services.
• Connecticut Department of Labor — The Connecticut Department of Labor offers veterans resources to aid in re-employment.

If you or someone you love is battling substance abuse, don’t hesitate to find the treatment you need right here in Connecticut.

If you’re feeling lost in your journey toward recovery, give our helpline a call today for further guidance concerning alcohol and drug addiction.