Supporting Veterans Through Addiction and Recovery.
For many veterans, the battle doesn’t end after service. Life after the military can feel disorienting and stripped of structure, identity and purpose.
Many veterans who identify as a marginalised gender have experienced gender-based violence, gender based discrimination or gender based trauma. Women veterans who have experienced trauma are more likely to use drugs and alcohol following military service.
In the search of relief, some turn to drugs or alcohol as a way to cope with physical and psychological trauma linked to military service. But substance use often hides deeper pain, masking trauma that goes untreated and creating a cycle that makes reaching out for help even harder.
Women-Centred support
WithYou, is a drug, alcohol, and mental health charity that has received a grant under the Armed Forces Covenant Fund’s Fulfilling Futures programme for their pilot initiative: The Rebuild Project.
This women-centred pilot is designed specifically to support female veterans who are navigating the complex challenges of substance use while also carrying the weight of unaddressed trauma from their time in the armed forces.
Laura Tapp, a Royal Air Force veteran and previous client of WithYou, said:
“The military taught me discipline and resilience, but it also normalised heavy drinking. Nights in the bar were part of the culture, and for me, alcohol became more than just a social lubricant; it became a way of coping, of quieting the restlessness in my mind.”
For many of these women, the path to recovery is about being seen, heard, and understood in spaces where their unique experiences are recognised.
Reconnect, rebuild and heal
The Rebuild Project aims to provide tailored, trauma-informed care in a safe and supportive environment– helping women reconnect with themselves, rebuild trust, and begin the process of healing.
Each veteran will receive one course of clinical therapy, consisting of 12 sessions over 16 weeks, with the individualised intensive care jointly addressing co-occurring substance use and mental health.
Trust and Statutory Manager, Reina Edmiston explains more about the course and the kind of support participants can expect:
“We know that veterans who identify as a marginalised gender are sadly more likely to struggle with drugs and alcohol. Thanks to this funding, we’re pleased to offer specialist trauma-focused psychological therapy to women veterans aged 18 years and over who have struggled with substances.
“Our veterans are heroes who deserve to recover and thrive. I’m very grateful to the Armed Forces Covenant Fund for supporting us to get them the help and treatment they need.”
Find out more
Read about more of the projects we have supported through the Fulfilling Futures programme here
Learn more about WithYou for the Armed Forces Community and The Rebuild Project