During or after service, did you ever have a problem with substance abuse?

SGT Joseph Gunderson — Tue, 26 Dec 2017 20:07:27 -0500

Did you ever have an issue with drinking or drug use? Can you identify the inciting incident that drove you to use those substances? How were you able to get passed it and quit depending on the substance?

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Dec 26 at 2017 8:11 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Tue, 26 Dec 2017 20:11:49 -0500

SGT Joseph Gunderson Substance Abuse, I smoked Ciggys from 14-39 So Yeah I had a thing for Nicotine. That was a Bitch to Break that Habit. Booze, Alcohol, Substance Abuse, Yeah Considering I Doubt I was ever Completely Sober Ever during 1 Year on Adak or 1 Year on Diego Garcia. I can Drink a Lot, and I will Drink for a Long Time but Right Now I haven't Had a Drink in a Month, So I Don't Know if that would Qualify it as an Addiction.

Response by LTC Stephen Conway made Dec 26 at 2017 8:14 PM

LTC Stephen Conway — Tue, 26 Dec 2017 20:14:43 -0500

Not me but my 20 and 21 year old stepdaughters currently do have been in and out of drug, pot and alcohol abuse. They did not finish High School and they did not serve in the military They had an easy life until they were kicked out our house. My Wife belongs to AA. She had a step dad , world war 2 fighter-bomber (Mosquito) pilot and alcoholic who later sobered up and got 3 Master Degrees. He believed in AA and NA. He was a High School Principal and knew how to get kids to not be drunks and druggies.
When you talked to others who have beaten drinking for 1 year or even 25, you get the strength that you did not know you had and you get the support group. Many are veterans.

http://www.aa.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous

Response by SFC Christopher Taggart made Dec 26 at 2017 9:27 PM

SFC Christopher Taggart — Tue, 26 Dec 2017 21:27:25 -0500

In my twenty plus years in the military, never once did I ever get in trouble for alcohol, come close tho. If at all possible, I didn’t “party with the boys,” because I knew what I was capable of, regarding a temper and alcohol, so I started to keep to myself. Later, when I obtained enough rank to get my own room in the barracks, and later move off-post, my best friends came in 16 oz. cans. I was never late for formations, did my job well, was able to tolerate everyone…of course my friends were waiting in the refrigerator. I was a “functioning alcoholic.” During my years in the military, I was sent to ASAP in the early 90s, which like most alcoholics, I fought it! Before leaving the military, I was having trouble keeping my weight down, because alcohol, and beer have calories! When I left the military, deciding to QUIT was not an issue for me…my reasoning was, I wanted to lose weight and alcohol and beer cost money. The first 30 days of stopping was tough, and I lost several pounds right off the bat. I’m still fighting the battle of the bulge, but doing better.

https://www.ashwoodrecovery.com/blog/six-signs-high-functioning-alcoholic/

Six Signs That You Are a High Functioning Alcoholic

The symptoms of a high functioning alcoholic can look different than typical alcoholism. For more information on alcohol use disorder read here.

Response by SGT Russell Wickham made Dec 26 at 2017 9:55 PM

SGT Russell Wickham — Tue, 26 Dec 2017 21:55:28 -0500

Not alcohol or drugs, but I lost myself in the altered reality of video gaming. I experience the same mental withdraw from those that I experience when I quit caffeine. I started as a way of coping with military life, of losing myself in a world I could fix or just quit if it made me angry. Steam (game provider service) tracked the hours I played and I had over 2000 hours in Civilization 5 alone, and had over 30 other games on their server, and many others on disc. I quit on a promise to my kids that I would finish the games when I got off active duty. Relapsed a couple times over the next few months, as the withdraw was pretty intense. Game free for four years by the grace of God.

Response by SFC Greg Bruorton made Dec 26 at 2017 10:02 PM

SFC Greg Bruorton — Tue, 26 Dec 2017 22:02:08 -0500

I never had issues with illegal drugs but had enjoyed my beer early in my life. I had been a smoker since five years of age and I quit that in 1965. My motivation behind stopping smoking, drinking alcoholic beverages, coffee and tea was religious-based. Without getting into the doctrinal issue that compelled my stopping those vices I had gone cold-turkey. The smoking and coffee aspect was the toughest for me to stop, but the reasons behind my wanting to do so were more compelling.
My major vice today is chocolate.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 27 at 2017 9:46 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 27 Dec 2017 09:46:15 -0500

Yes I did. But luckily for me it wasn't service related. It was a situational/individual cause. And, moving away from the state I was in really helped me curb the issue.

Response by Jenn Moynihan made Dec 27 at 2017 7:49 PM

Jenn Moynihan — Wed, 27 Dec 2017 19:49:01 -0500

SGT Joseph Gunderson - ‘ello. Hooooo-boy. This is a topic that is close to my heart for many reasons.

Have I been in the military? Nope - just a daughter of a Korean-era Vet and extended family (my dad’s brother) through Vietnam. I am old enough to have friends that were Vietnam vets & have current friends from our current war(s).

I am 27 years sober. I am a substance abuse counselor (CADAC soon) who is working on a Master’s in Social Work to combine both to work with veterans. I have a friend who is a MSGT and sober 30 years.

Addiction is not an easy thing to overcome. Believe it or not, diabetics “relapse” as much as addicts & alcoholics do.

There are evidence-based reports out there that show that probably close to 33% (or more) of the 1% that go into the military already have a substance use problem.

The “biopsychosocial” is exactly that. One must look at the BIOlogical (hereditary) aspect. Grandparent, parent, aunt, uncle...anyone have a problem?

PSYCHOlogical - trauma (pre- and post-combat) could be a factor in increased use (drinking etc).

SOCIOlogical - Is the person back in their old ‘hood? Did they come from an oppressed background? Could be from any background - from a family that is taught not to talk about struggles?

So many factors, so many slippery slopes. Someone said AA or NA (if the addiction is narcotics etc). Very viable solution. They are NOT religion-based. They DO use the word “god” but many use the actual fellowship if AA or NA as their “higher power”.

Smart Recovery also works. It is based more on CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) and says we have ability to change the behavior.

1:1 counseling is a good way to go as well. I work on a 40-bed men’s unit and encourage all “my boys” to look into counseling. Most of “My boys” come from the toughest projects & streets in Boston and surrounding cities. I suggest interviewing with 4 or 5 and you then decide who you think you relate to best.

Please feel free to message me.

Jenn (Moynihan)

Response by SSG David Palomarez made Dec 29 at 2017 11:26 PM

SSG David Palomarez — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 23:26:11 -0500

I am not going to say no. But I never been to ASAP or been told to go. I ended up almost losing my family to drinking but at that time I was dealing with demon from deployments that I didn't try to get help and when my wife told me it was them or drinking it hit me hard and them I had to get help. I have a drink once in a great while but I don't let it take over likeni did before.