Substance Use Disorder Among Marine Veterans: Treatment & Recovery

Drug and alcohol addiction among active-duty Marines and Marine veterans is relatively common and is often associated with unique stresses of life in the armed forces.^{1, 2}

If you or a loved one are a service member or Marine veteran and are struggling with substance misuse or addiction—also known as a substance use disorder (SUD)—you should know that treatment can help. This article will help you learn about the connection between the Marines and addiction and how to find treatment.

Drug & Alcohol Use Among Marines

Drug and alcohol use among active-duty Marines and Marine veterans is a complex issue that is influenced by the unique challenges and stressors of military life.

Alcohol addiction in the military is a prevalent concern. According to a study by the Department of Defense (DOD), Marines have a disproportionately high level of heavy alcohol use and alcohol addiction compared to members of other branches of the armed forces.²

According to the 2018 Health Related Behaviors Survey (HRBS) from the DOD that works to understand the health, health-related behaviors, and well-being of service members, approximately 45% of Marines reported binge drinking while 15% reported heavy alcohol use, which was more than was reported by other service branches.³ Binge drinking was defined as having 5 or more drinks on the same occasion for men and 4 or more drinks for women at least once in the past 30 days, while heavy drinking was defined as binge drinking at least one day each week in the past 30 days.³

Prescription drug misuse and marijuana use is another concern, although less than alcohol.³ While the HRBS does not provide specific statistics for Marines, it indicates that out of all service branches, 1.4% of respondents reported misusing prescription drugs, which include prescription stimulants, sedatives, or opioid pain relievers.³

Additionally, the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) found that:⁴

• 3 million Veterans reported past month alcohol use.
• 6 million reported past month marijuana use.
• 140,000 reported past month cocaine use.
• 80,000 reported past month prescription painkiller use.

Mental health disorders and suicide are also common among Marines.² In one study, Marines reported the highest rates of anxiety and depression out of all service branches.² It’s important to note that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common among veterans and is associated with substance use disorder (SUD) with almost 3 out of 10 veterans with PTSD also having a SUD.⁵

Suicide among veterans also commonly involves substance use, with one study showing that veterans who received the highest doses of opioid pain relievers were more than twice as likely to die by suicide.¹ Furthermore, the DOD reports that in 2020, Marines had the second-highest rate of suicide among all the services, with a rate of 34 per 100,000 servicemembers.⁶

Risk Factors for Substance Use Disorder Among Marines

Substance use disorder (SUD) is common among active-duty Marines and Marine veterans, as well as among members of the Navy, Army, Air Force, and Coast Guard, for several reasons, including specific risk factors related to the nature of their work.¹ These include:^{1, 3, 5}

• A military culture supportive of alcohol use.
• Combat exposure.
• Deployment.
• Trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• Pain and the use of painkillers following an injury during deployment.
• Traumatic brain injuries.
• Reintegration into daily life.
• Sleep disturbances.
• Homelessness.

Marines Addiction Treatment Options & Resources

If you or a loved one are an active-duty Marine or Marine veteran struggling with substance misuse or addiction, you should know that there are various treatment programs and options to help veterans start the path to recovery.

Recovery looks different for everyone, and the type of treatment and setting can depend on a person’s circumstances; many rehab programs will create a customized treatment plan that considers your unique needs, including any medical, psychological, social, vocational, and legal problems you may have.⁷

As a veteran, you can receive healthcare through the VA, which can help pay for rehab services. American Addiction Centers (AAC) is a leading provider of addiction treatment with facilities throughout the U.S. and is an authorized community network care provider offering specialized programming called Salute to Recovery at several of our VA Centers of Excellence, including:

• Desert Hope Treatment Center
• Greenhouse Treatment Center
• Oxford Treatment Center
• River Oaks Treatment Center

VA Rehab for Drug & Alcohol Addiction Treatment

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers rehab for substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health conditions through the VA’s healthcare program and covers rehab for those who have signed up for VA health insurance.⁸ If you haven’t already signed up, you can visit the VA’s healthcare website to find out if you can apply and enroll. Once you’ve enrolled, you can speak to your VA healthcare provider about your condition and concerns, or, if you don’t have a VA healthcare provider, you can call the VA’s general hotline at 1-800-827-1000.⁸

The VA also covers treatment through its community care provider network, which means that eligible Veterans can utilize other treatment providers outside of the VA at no additional cost to them, but you’ll need to first receive approval from the VA.⁹ You can call the VA to learn more about this benefit.⁹

Addiction Treatment Options for Marines

There are different levels of care and types of programs that can benefit Veterans, depending on their unique needs. These include:

• Medical detox, which is sometimes the first step in the recovery process to help you through the withdrawal process as comfortably and safely as possible while under the care of medical professionals.¹⁰ Detox can involve different interventions, such as medications, monitoring, and support while your body returns to a medically stable state.¹⁰
• Inpatient drug and alcohol rehab, where you live onsite at a rehab facility during treatment and receive 24/7 care and support. Inpatient rehab can be a beneficial option for those who want to fully focus on their recovery, those with severe addictions, and those without a stable home or supportive family and friends.¹⁰
• Outpatient drug and alcohol rehab, where you can continue to live at home while you attend treatment on a regular schedule at a rehab.¹⁰ There are different levels of care within outpatient programs, including intensive outpatient programs, which are highly supportive programs that require treatment most days of the week, and standard outpatient programs that may only require you to attend treatment 1-3 times per week.¹⁰

Start Your Recovery Today

No matter how things might seem right now, there is always hope, and you can start your recovery journey today. When you’re ready to reach out, please call us at to speak to a caring and knowledgeable admissions navigator, any time of day or night. We can answer any questions you have about Marine veterans addiction treatment and help you get started with treatment.