Veterans Prescription Drugs

CMN 556 Unit Three Journal Unit three was quite challenging and very rewarding. So many of the patients I encountered during this unit (actually unit two because I have not had any clinical so far in unit three) have had ongoing struggles with addiction, specifically to benzodiazepines. I made it one of my goals for this unit to learn more about the proper use of benzodiazepines, and to discuss with my preceptor the many options for alternative medications and the treatment of anxiety. Benzodiazepines are not prescribed as widely as they once were, not just because of the addictive nature of this medication class, but because there is new evidence-based research that shows that there is a high risk for developing early-onset dementia with prolonged use. In the past, patients with diagnoses such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Panic Disorder were given this medication in order to reduce anxiety symptoms.

Matt Morrow Mrs. Kane English 18 October 2016 Mental Effects of War When reading All Quiet on The Western Front a major theme is the mental impact war has on each veteran. Although many people die in war, the mental disturbance when coming out alive can be brutal. “According to RAND, at least 20% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have PTSD and/or Depression.” (Veteran Statistics: PTSD, Depression, TBI, Suicide.

These people might just need a different medication or someone to help them cope through their illnes. If a physician would

For example, many family 's force their loved ones to get treatment at the VA to help make their family better. PTSD makes the memory and senses more active and sensitive, this can be very disturbing to anyone. For example, a veteran who has PTSD has many blank stares throughout the day and can cause very bad dreams about what they saw over seas. All veterans who come home from war have received a diagnosis of

This fear often creates barriers to those seeking care. Many veterans returning from war do not want to seek help from the VA or other mental health facilities for fear that others may see them as weak and helpless. Fanning & Pietrzak (2013) report that 60% of older male veterans currently have suicidal ideations and are not receiving mental health treatment. “Rural agrarian culture values, which champion a strong work ethic, independence and self-reliance, may inhibit treatment seeking behavior (McCarthy et al, 2012).

Dependence on prescription opioids can stem from treatment of chronic pain and in recent years is the cause of the increased number of opioid overdoses. Opioids are very addictive substances, having serious life threatening consequences in case of intentional or accidental overdose. The euphoria attracts recreational use, and frequent,

With PSTD there is a higher risk of having problems with substances and addictions because veterans tend to self-treat themselves

Veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) have high rates of unemployment and mental health disorders. In addition, traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a common injury among OIF/OEF veterans, often leading to cognitive impairments and post-concussive symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and difficulties with cognitive and functioning. TBI and comorbid psychiatric conditions such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) limit cognitive readiness for civilian employment and may lead to impaired job performance. These conditions all serve as potential barriers for OIF/OEF Veterans entering the workforce.

Supporters argue that there are ample programs to support our military, while opponents disagree. Mental health disorders are a byproduct of war, they both agree to this. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), acute stress, anxiety, and depression are all mental health disorders soldiers can suffer from. Tens of thousands of soldiers are diagnosed with one of these conditions, but many never come forward or seek help. Many soldiers are afraid of the stigma associated with being diagnosed with a mental illness; they do not want to be perceived as being weak physical or mentally.

Prescription drugs (opiates only) have caused over 165,000 deaths within the last 15 years and is currently on the rise. Over 2 million Americans in 2014 were addicted to Opiate prescription narcotics. The most troubling fact is listed directly on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website: “As many as 1 in 4

Soldiers receiving a draft letter for war is typically a very hard and stressful time in their lives, especially the draft for Vietnam, the only draft America has had so far. Most of the men being drafted were young and unexperienced in war, making them hate it even more. They were taken and dropped into some of the worst circumstances the U.S. military has ever seen and expected to fight alongside people they had never even met before. As the war went on, the platoon members would bond, and have to watch their new friends get injured or die right in front of them, and wonder why they didn’t die as well. The harshness of the war made the soldiers look for any kind of escape from reality or way to make war easier, and they found drugs to be

A constant watch over mental health issues of all military servicemen and women has gone under the radar in the past few years due to a lack of knowing how unrecognizable the problem just might be. The magnitude of this problem is enormous. A recent report finds that the estimates of PTSD range from 4 to 45 percent for those soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan (Cesur, Sabia & Tekin, 2012). Research suggested that other serious medical issues are likely to accompany the PTSD diagnosis, such as cardiovascular disease, and chronic pain (Frayne, et al, 2010). Compiling mental health issues, physical ailments along with family reintegration can prove overwhelming for a returning veteran.

At the V.A. department he was told some disheartening news, through the phrase "son don't you understand now. " The Veterans Administration, nowadays known as the Department of Veterans Affairs after being renamed in the 1980s, is the epitome of ineffective bureaucracy. During the Vietnam Era, one of the VA all time lows, the VA failed to offer effective medical and social services to returning soldiers struggling to integrate into civilian life following the conflict. One result was homelessness and an explosion of drug abuse among Vietnam vets.

Surfing as a form of exercise and treatment is able to break this cycle and bring the soldiers closer to a recovered mental

Some may not be too familiar with the war on drugs and the effects it has had on the society we live in. The war on drugs was started by the Nixon administration in the early seventies. Nixon deemed drug abuse “public enemy number one”. This was the commencement of the war on drugs, this war has lasted to this day and has been a failure. On average 26 million people use opioids.