For those who served

Veteran Substance Abuse Program

Specialized treatment for former military personnel struggling with drugs and alcohol — built around the trauma, transitions, and co-occurring conditions that come with service.

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About this program

Veteran substance abuse program

Ambrosia’s veteran substance abuse program was created in response to the high rates of addiction among veterans. Many who served experienced trauma — physical and emotional — that can lead to substance use as a coping mechanism, and effective treatment has to address that history, not just the substance.

Veterans face distinct risk factors: the physical toll of service, exposure to traumatic events, the difficulty of adjusting back to civilian life, and mental health conditions that often go untreated. Care here comes from professionals experienced with this population, who understand the complexities of military service and tailor treatment accordingly.

Trauma-focused care is a key component of the program: by addressing and processing traumatic experiences, veterans build healthier coping mechanisms and reduce their reliance on drugs or alcohol. Families are educated and involved throughout, because recovery is easier in an environment that understands it.

Why veterans are more vulnerable

Trauma exposure
Combat, witnessing death or injury, sexual assault or harassment, and other high-stress experiences raise the risk of PTSD, depression, and anxiety — and of self-medicating them.
Family history
Genetics plays a significant role in addiction. Having a parent with an alcohol use disorder increases a person’s own risk roughly fourfold.
Untreated mental health conditions
PTSD, depression, and anxiety make substances tempting as a temporary escape — and without treatment, the conditions and the substance use worsen each other in a cycle.
The transition to civilian life
Finding work, forming new relationships, and adapting to a different lifestyle bring stress and isolation that increase the pull toward substances.

Veterans and substance use, by the numbers

About 11% of veterans visiting VA facilities have a substance use disorder
Alcohol is the most commonly misused substance among veterans with a substance use disorder
Veterans are more likely to misuse prescription opioids, often beginning with chronic pain management
Per the VA, 20% of veterans with PTSD also have a substance use disorder
Roughly 14–16% of service members deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq have been affected by PTSD or depression
Florida is home to more than 1.5 million veterans — the third-largest veteran population in the country

How we treat veterans

Medication-assisted treatment
Medication combined with therapy to manage withdrawal symptoms and prevent relapse in opioid and alcohol use disorders.
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Identifying and changing the negative thought patterns and behaviors tied to substance use.
EMDR
A specialized trauma therapy — particularly for PTSD — that uses guided eye movements to help process traumatic memories.
Dual-diagnosis care
Integrated treatment for substance use and co-occurring conditions like PTSD, depression, and anxiety — treating both at once, because each worsens the other when ignored.
Support groups
Groups designed for veterans, offering a community of peers who understand the experience of service.
Family therapy
Education and involvement for loved ones, plus relapse prevention and aftercare planning built into every treatment plan.