Alcohol addiction can ruin a person’s life and is considered by many to be a deadly disease. The U.S. Army recently decided to increase the amount of staff provided for those suffering from alcoholism by almost 30 percent, in order to assist the increasing amount of soldiers dealing with this very real problem. The army plans to hire 130 addiction experts to help in counseling soldiers with alcohol addiction to make sure that they have the best possible care and assistance in curbing their addiction.
The army has many areas where substance abuse counselors run thin and they are hoping by adding these jobs, it will address the underserved areas and improve a soldier’s quality of life. The army has said the amount of soldiers abusing alcohol has nearly doubled over the last five years. This is due to the stress of training camps, being deployed to fight in wars and readjusting to life at home, only to do it all over again a few months later.
A staggering 13,000 soldiers were treated for substance abuse last year alone. Of those 13,000, the majority were treated for alcohol addiction while roughly 1,900 were treated for abusing drugs such as marijuana and cocaine. The army is allowing some counselors already hired to work as independent contractors so that they are able to work in their established practice as well as provide assistance and counseling to soldiers in need.
All the new counselors joining the army payroll will be able to provide services to active duty troops as well as retirees, their families and some eligible civilian employees. For more information on how you can get assistance with alcohol addiction, please contact Vista Taos Renewal Center today.
