Presentation
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PresentationPL10slides1.pptxIntervention Strategies in Military Behavioral Health and Combat Related Issues
Stigma as a barrier to substance abuse and mental health treatment
Diana Carter
University of South Carolina
Introduction
Stigma is associated
with substance abuse
Stigma prevents soldiers
from seeking help
Stigma is deeply rooted in Military traditions
Association of substance abuse with weakness
The article highlights on stigma within the military, an issue that is deeply rooted in their culture. The relationship between stigma and substance abuse is well understood as research highlights that stigma prevents the military personnel from seeking help, particularly with substance abuse issues as it is perceived a point of weakness. The development of stigma is a systemic issue that is highly evident in the military culture whereby the personnel are urged on being strong rather than show any sign of weakness (Mcfarling et.al, 2011). Therefore, soldiers are conditioned to be mentally tough and strong physical, an aspect that inhibits them from seeking help as it is perceived a sign of weakness.
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Military Policy on Substance Abuse
Policies have evolved over time
Changes resulting in
unintended consequences
Post-Vietnam era was
associated with substance abuse
Increase in Stigma associated with drug abuse
Within the military, policies regarding drug abuse have evolved over time in response to the changing situational context. Notably, this changes have often resulted in unintended consequences such as the advent of stigma when seeking for treatment (Mcfarling et.al, 2011). While the post-Vietnam era was associated with drug abuse amongst the service men, military acceptance of drug abuse ceased over time. Through this, stigma associated with drug abuse within the military personnel was created.
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Military Policy on Substance Abuse (Cont.)
Shifting attitudes towards alcohol abuse
Increased concern by army leaders on heavy drinking
Advent of Policies of compassionate treatment and deglamorization
Substance abuse behaviors used to disqualify members
Rise of stigma associated with mental health treatment
In the mid-1980s, increased alcohol consumption by the service men elicited mix reactions from the army leaders who wanted to curb this behavior. Through this, attitudes associated with alcohol consumption shifted over time (Mcfarling et.al, 2011). Significantly, Policies of compassionate treatment and deglamorization were deployed by the military to reduce heavy alcohol consumption without stigmatization of the affected personnel. However, during the post-cod war, substance abuse behaviors were used to disqualify members thereby eliciting stigmatization. With time, this mitigated the stigma associated with mental health treatment.
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Current Military Environment
Need to reduce barriers
on substance abuse treatment
Existing barriers on
mental health treatment
Prevalence of harmful drinking
Determinants of stigma for treatment
Notably, stigma is defined from different perspective to showcase the current situation within the military. Considerably, normative attitudes towards substance abuse and mental health problems has caused has increased the barriers that deter treatment amongst the military service men. Despite this, it can be acknowledged that stigma has resulted in associated problems such as prevalence of harmful drinking (Mcfarling et.al, 2011). Therefore, the determinants of the stigma should be identified to enhance the treatment approaches for mental health problems and substance abuse.
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Current Military Environment (Cont.)
A significant portion of military personnel does not seek treatment services
Increased Alcohol Abuse
Elevated levels of stress
Harmful behaviors with respect to Military status
Considerably, a significant portion of the military personnel are reluctant in seeking treatment services for both substance abuse and mental health illness. Significantly, research highlights that when the service men return from deployment, they tend to abuse alcohol for different reasons including elevated levels of stress. The prevalence of alcohol drinking in the military personnel is a form of harmful behavior that vary with respect to Military status (Mcfarling et.al, 2011).
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Addressing the Issues in the Military
Evaluating personnel at risk
of behavioral health issues
such as substance abuse
Screening of personnel
Planning for treatment resources
Evaluating personnel at risk of developing substance abuse and behavioral health issues within the military is increasingly important as this can be used for determining the effective treatment approaches (Stringer, 2012). To address this issues within the military, screening of personnel using data from Post Deployment Health Reassessment (PDHRA) records aids in determining the risk factors of developing substance abuse and behavioral health issues. Through this, the military can plan for treatment approaches and required resources.
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Use of Focus Group Interviews
Ascertaining the impact of military culture on attitudes towards mental health issues and substance abuse
Evaluating how attitudes influence treatment
Describing distinctions between
mental health issues and
alcohol abuse
Suggestion of opportunities
to address negative attitudes
Focus group interviews provide significant information that can not only be used to highlight the distinction between substance abuse and mental health issues, but also ascertaining the impact of military culture on attitudes towards the behavioral issues (Mcfarling et.al, 2011). Through the interviews structured questions facilitate the evaluation of how the attitudes influence the treatment approaches among the personnel. Additionally, different suggestions are presented n how to deal with the negative attitudes (Stringer, 2012).
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Findings
Soldiers in treatment perceive barriers to care different from their peers
Soldiers in treatment have lower perception of stigma compared to their counterparts
Perception of greater stigma due to reactions from their peers
People who need treatment the most tend to seek it.
While the research article does not offer a specific model for use, the findings are apparent in that soldiers in treatment tend to perceived barriers to care differently from their counterparts. Considerably, service men undergoing treatment are associated with lower perception of stigma compared to their peers who are yet to seek treatment (Mcfarling et.al, 2011). Alternatively, soldiers in treatment can have a greater perception of stigma based on the reactions from their counterparts.
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The Military Environment and Treatment
Attitude toward treatment
by active soldiers
Negative beliefs about
treatment by veterans.
Inability of personnel to
seek needed care
Within the military environment, there is a negative attitude towards treatment for both substance abuse and mental health problems by active service men. Additionally, there exists a negative belief regarding the different forms of treatment offered, particularly by veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan war. Therefore, this has contributed to their inability to seek needed treatment (Mcfarling et.al, 2011).
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Conclusion
Use of Conceptual theories to understand complex behavioral phenomena
Negative attitudes towards treatment.
Removal of barriers towards treatment
Changing the military culture
According to Mcfarling et.al, 2011, different conceptual theories and paradigms can be used to understand the complex behavioral phenomena within the military. For instance, theory of planned behavior can be used to understand different factors that contribute to negative attitude towards treatment. Implicitly, the model highlights that a negative attitude towards treatment is enhanced by perceptions of how other soldiers will respond to their status. This call for the removal of such barriers towards treatment which will also entail change of the military culture.
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References
Mcfarling, L., D'angelo, M., Drain, M., Gibbs, D. A., & Rae Olmsted, K. L. (2011). Stigma As A Barrier To Substance Abuse And Mental Health Treatment. Military Psychology, 23(1), 1.
Stringer, K. L. (2012). Stigma As A Barrier To Formal Treatment For Substance Use: A Gendered Analysis. The University Of Alabama At Birmingham.
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