Research on the lives of soldiers shows that they encounter a lot of challenges because of the nature of their work. Most of them are forced to stay away from their families for a long duration. They either remain in their camps or might be sent to other countries to keep the peace. Besides, they put their lives in danger while trying to defend their lands against external aggression. As a result, most of them find themselves in a state of depression hence, resorting to alcoholism and drug abuse to relieve their stress. In an attempt to demonstrate how drug abuse affects the soldiers’ lives, Laura Nott (2013) suggested that spouses of the service people might be forced to take new roles such as managing finances and caring for the kids at home. The partner at home can also suffer from depression and loneliness. It can influence one to start consuming alcohol and commence taking drugs. Military members may also experience challenges after returning home from duty. Instead of reuniting with their families, they might go to a drinking joint to relax their mind because of the trauma they usually face in their line of duty. It is a common problem that faces many military families across the globe. Some of these challenges at times threaten to disintegrate the military families through separation.

Similar outcomes were also reported by Butler Center for research (2018) when investigating how the lives of military officers sway them into drug and alcohol abuse. It was noted that the soldiers and their spouses are at high risk of abusing drugs because of the difficulties they usually experience in their lives. In this discussion, it is evident that the work environment of the military people is one of the contributors to drug abuse in their life. The author further revealed that the soldiers who were deployed in violence-prone areas such as Iraq were diagnosed with drug abuse. The situation is contrary to the civilians who had not consumed a lot of drugs. This creates a lot of worries because the work of a solder requires people to uphold discipline. Also, their job is sensitive, and they might end up making the wrong decisions if they continue to consume drugs.

Moreover, Butler Center for research (2018) conducted additional research on why a majority of the service people is taking drugs. The center found out that apart from traumatic events and combat deployment, several other factors influence the military people to abuse drugs. One of these factors is the available treatment for various illnesses associated with drug abuse and depression. These therapies have impacted the public to continue taking alcohol and multiple substances. It is also evident that there are cheap alcoholic products at military camps. Therefore, most soldiers consume more alcohol in the barracks because most of those drinks are sold at a higher price in other social places. Workplace culture is not conducive for the military members. There are high cases of stigma and discrimination in these camps. Therefore, most of the people are discouraged from seeking help when they need it. Thus, the majority of these individuals turn to drugs as a way of solving the problems facing them.

In contrast, both Laura Nott (2013) and Butler Center for research (2018) failed to conduct any research on the characteristics of a good soldier. This is a person who may be described as disciplined and always follows the law. Therefore, this kind of officer is unlikely to consume drugs irrespective of the difficulties that a person may encounter. Besides, a good soldier will be able to control his or her emotions and endure hardships. Moreover, the officers should always think about their families even though a more considerable distance separates them. Therefore, soldiers should reunite with their families whenever they are given a chance by their commanders to visit their families. These features are essential for the offers as it can help them to live a life free from stress. However, very few soldiers have these characteristics.

Despite this omission, Both Laura Nott (2013) and Butler Center for research (2018) have their point of convergence. For instance, both of them agree that soldiers work under very harsh conditions. Besides, they recognize that these officers have little time to spend with their families. It is the reason why most of these people are addicted to drugs. Consequently, they agree that there is a need to use intervention measures to eliminate this menace in society. Some of the actions that should be taken include guidance and counseling sessions for the soldiers and their families. Other intervention measures include the use of therapies to reduce the effects of depression. The families should also be coached on how to control anger and manage the impact of stress. Finally, chances of drug abuse are higher among the soldiers than other members of the public. Therefore, the issue of drug abuse should be incorporated into their training in the future.

References

Butler Center for Research | May 2018. Substance Use Disorders Among Military Populations

Laura Nott (2013), Substance Abuse, Addiction Take Heavy Toll on Military Families.