There are a little more than 19 million veterans that reside within the United States, and many of them are suffering. Even though many active-duty service members can refrain from drug abuse, heavy drinking runs rampant in their ranks. And unfortunately, many veterans struggle with added stresses that may cause them to seriously consider substance use once they are no longer active service members.

Many veterans have come face to face with a series of traumatizing events in their military lives. As a result, many vets find it difficult to re-adjust to everyday life when they return home from deployment.

A person can become dependent on drugs or alcohol gradually or over a short period of time. Some warning signs include decreased energy, unexplained injuries, irritability, financial difficulties, poor work performance, relationship problems and poor personal hygiene.