Vietnam Veterans and Drug Use: The Super Soldier

What is “The Super Soldier”?

Although being part of a war is challenging for any veteran, being part of the Vietnam War is something that presented a particularly difficult time for veterans due to the fact that they were being groomed to be a “Super Soldier”. The premise of a super soldier was developed as a way to give soldiers more stamina to stay in the battlefield longer. As a result, a variety of different drugs were used on military individuals. This is one of the leading reasons why the statistics associated with Vietnam veterans and drug use skyrocketed. 

What Drugs Did Soldiers Use in the Vietnam War?

There are several different types of drugs that soldiers used during the Vietnam War. For example, it wasn’t uncommon for Vietnam veterans and drug use to include speed, steroids and painkillers. These types of drugs would numb whatever pain the soldier may have experienced and trigger them to keep trying to fight through to see to their duties. The problem with these drugs is that taking them only a few times could very easily trigger an addiction which is not something that ended by the conclusion of the war. 

How Addiction Developed Among Vietnam Veterans

If Vietnam veterans weren’t being given these substances legally, they were able to obtain them through Vietnam’s black market. This is similar to how a person would be able to get these addictive substances today. Although there may be some Vietnam veterans who do legitimately need opioid medication or medication for a psychological issue, the reality is that when this type of consumption goes unchecked, these brave men and women are put in a potentially life threatening position. 

Vietnam Veterans and Addiction Today 

The exact number of Vietnam veterans struggling with substance abuse today is hard to determine due to the fact that addiction has changed over the years. Whereas a Vietnam vet may have once been addicted to opioids, it’s possible that their addiction may have developed into an alcohol addiction as well due to different psychological issues. Ultimately, addiction is something that can cause your life to spiral out of control. Over and above the stress and pressure that veterans may experience, it’s important that veterans reach out for help as soon as possible so that they can avoid any further serious consequences as a result of their substance abuse. 

Veteran Addiction Treatment at Quantum

At Quantum, our treatment team provides you with the personalized care and attention that you need to work through the contributing factors of your substance abuse. We can help any veteran to develop a treatment program which will help them to determine the root cause of their substance abuse and come to a better and healthier place in their life. From the moment that you reach out to us, you will see the difference in our approach to treatment. One of the types of treatment programs that we offer is an inpatient treatment program. Inpatient or residential treatment gives you the opportunity to live on our campus and take advantage of around the clock access to our recovery team. This type of treatment also gives you a wonderful chance to develop your system of support. 

If you’re unable to commit to an inpatient program, you can always get the help that you need through an outpatient program. An outpatient program is an ideal option for a person who may be working or going to school full time or part time. If you have questions or concerns regarding the types of treatment programs we offer or you have worries about a Vietnam veteran and drug use, we recommend that you reach out to our intake team today. at (609) 993-0733.