Co-Occurring Disorders
The Silent Suffering of our Nation 's Soldiers
People with substance disorders as well as mental health disorders are diagnosed as having Co-Occurring Disorders . This is also sometimes called a dual diagnosis .
For the entire first decade of the 21st century , the United States of America has been at war as evidenced by the Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq . According to the Department of Defense , 4,487 service members were killed in this war and more than 30,000 were wounded . In all 1.5 million Americans served their nation at war and these numbers continue to rise .
Our military families are sometimes directly impacted by emotional , mental , and substance use disorders that may occur as a result of these wars . The results are common symptoms of Co-Occurring Disorders and Post Traumatic Stress Disorders . Military families must learn how to not only acknowledge problems , but they must continue to learn how to work through problems as they develop their " New Normal " or new way of adjusting to life after deployment . It is oftentimes necessary for military families to get professional treatment that includes counseling and coaching from mental health professionals to help them work through problems associated with deployment and war . " Specifically , children in military families have significantly more mental health problems including anxiety , depression , externalizing behavior problems , suicidal ideation , and substance use ( Chandra et al ., 2010 ; Creech et al ., 2014 )."
Substance Use Disorder
A substance use disorder includes
• alcohol or drug abuse
• alcohol or drug dependence
Alcohol or drug abuse is diagnosed when substance use interferes with functioning at work , at school , and in social relationships . It is also diagnosed when substance use creates or worsens a medical condition or when substance use occurs in dangerous situations .
Co Occuring Disordrs Dr . Lucy Roberts Cannon Suffering Nation ' s Soldiers Atlanta , Georgia June 2017
Alcohol or drug dependence is a more severe condition than alcohol or drug abuse . In addition to facing more negative consequences , people with dependence have failed in their attempts to abstain from or control their use of substances . In some cases , physiological dependence may also exist , which is indicated by heightened tolerance ( needing more of a substance to get the same effect ) and withdrawal ( experiencing symptoms such as tremors or nausea when substance use has stopped ).
Mental Health Disorders
" Mental illness refers to a wide range of mental health conditions - disorders that affect your mood , thinking and behavior . Examples of mental illness include depression , anxiety disorders , schizophrenia , eating disorders and addictive behaviors ." ( American Psychiatric Association , 2013 ).