Substance Abuse and Mental Health Treatment in the Military: Lessons Learned and a Way Forward

Abstract

Articles in this issue, “Stigma as a Barrier to Treatment,” provide an excellent overview of the challenges associated with the treatment of substance abuse and mental health disorders in military settings. The issue serves to document substance abuse rates in the military; identify factors that influence and impede entry and participation in treatment, negative beliefs about treatment, and factors influencing perceived stigma; and examine the acceptability and feasibility of new substance abuse treatment models being employed at three Army installations. Two overarching conclusions can be made from the articles in this issue. First, the problems, barriers, and stigma associated with substance abuse and mental health disorders are not unique to military settings. Second, the military setting has unique characteristics that may help to destigmatize substance abuse and mental health problems, remove barriers to treatment, and facilitate access to military members to deal with substance abuse and mental health problems. In this article, we review similarities among military and civilian populations with respect to substance abuse and mental health problems; highlight strategies to reduce substance abuse among individuals in military service; and identify unique opportunities to improve substance abuse and mental health services within the military settings.