If you served and now find yourself drinking more than you should, you’re not alone. For many veterans, alcohol becomes a way to manage what combat, transition, or trauma left behind. Getting the right treatment means addressing both the drinking and what’s driving it. iRely’s care is built for exactly that.
Alcohol Rehab for Veterans: Treating AUD and Combat Trauma Together
Call (818) 806-0933 · Available 24/7 · Private and confidential · No VA referral required
About 1 in 3veterans in SUD treatment have AUD (SAMHSA)
20%of veterans with PTSD also have co-occurring AUD
PrivateHIPAA-protected, no military record impact
24/7Admissions support
Medically reviewed by Vinsent Franke, MBA, AMFT, CADC-II, RALast updated June 2026Sources: SAMHSA · NIAAA · VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guidelines
Why Alcohol Use Disorder Hits Veterans Differently
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) affects anyone, but service members and veterans carry specific risk factors that civilians don’t. Combat exposure, moral injury, traumatic brain injury (TBI), military sexual trauma (MST), and the jarring transition back to civilian life all put veterans at higher risk. According to SAMHSA, about one in three veterans entering substance use treatment has AUD as the primary diagnosis.
The bigger problem is the overlap between AUD and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Research consistently shows that about 20 percent of veterans with PTSD also have co-occurring AUD. The two conditions reinforce each other: drinking dampens hypervigilance and nightmares in the short term, but disrupts sleep and worsens anxiety over time, which drives the drinking higher. Breaking that cycle requires treating both at the same time, not one and then the other.
For many veterans, the hardest part isn’t deciding to get help. It’s finding a program that actually understands the military experience and treats the whole picture.
VA Programs vs. Private Rehab: What’s the Difference?
The VA does excellent work, and for many veterans it’s the right choice. But private residential treatment fills gaps that VA care sometimes can’t: faster access, full privacy, simultaneous PTSD and AUD treatment in one plan, and a smaller, more personal setting. The table below lays out the key differences so you can make an informed decision.
| Factor | VA Programs | iRely Recovery (Private) |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy & records | Part of your VA health record, accessible within the VA system. | 100% private under HIPAA. No impact on your military record, discharge status, or security clearance. |
| Wait time | Residential programs often have waitlists of weeks to months, depending on location and eligibility. | Initial assessment typically within 24 hours. Most clients begin residential care within a few days. |
| PTSD + AUD together | VA offers evidence-based PTSD treatment (PE, CPT) and separate substance use programs. Coordination varies by facility. | PTSD and AUD are treated simultaneously in one integrated plan, not sequentially in separate programs. |
| Setting | Clinical and institutional. Effective, but not designed for privacy or luxury. | 11-bed boutique facility in Los Angeles. Chef-prepared meals, outdoor programming. |
| Family involvement | Limited family programming in most VA residential settings. | Full family therapy program integrated throughout treatment. |
| Using VA benefits | Required for VA care. Eligibility depends on service history and VA enrollment status. | VA MISSION Act community care may cover some private rehab costs. Most private insurance also accepted. We verify for you. |
If you're eligible for VA benefits, you may be able to use the VA MISSION Act community care program to access private treatment. Our admissions team can help you understand your options and will verify your coverage.
10 Signs a Veteran May Need Alcohol Treatment
These signs are specific to how AUD often shows up in veterans. You don’t need to check every box. If several of these feel familiar, that’s enough reason for a confidential conversation.
1
Drinking has increased since deployment, discharge, or a traumatic event during service.
2
You use alcohol to sleep through nightmares or to quiet a racing, hypervigilant mind.
3
Without a drink, you feel more irritable, anxious, on edge, or emotionally numb.
4
You've pulled away from family or friends, and alcohol fills the space.
5
Legal, financial, or relationship problems have followed you since leaving the military, linked to drinking.
6
You've avoided getting help because you're concerned about your records, benefits, or clearance.
7
A fellow veteran, partner, or family member has told you your drinking worries them.
8
Every attempt to cut back or take a break has fallen apart within days.
9
Alcohol feels like the only reliable way to turn off the hypervigilance and get through the day.
10
Isolation has grown as the drinking has increased, and neither gets better on its own.
Recognize any of these? A confidential call costs nothing and commits you to nothing.
PTSD and Alcohol: The Co-Occurring Challenge
PTSD and AUD feed each other in a loop that’s difficult to break without specialized care. Alcohol provides short-term relief from hypervigilance, intrusive memories, and sleep disruption. But it also prevents the nervous system from processing trauma, deepens depression, and worsens anxiety the next day. The need to drink to manage PTSD symptoms increases, and the PTSD symptoms themselves become harder to treat as the drinking escalates.
Treating AUD alone without addressing the underlying PTSD rarely works for veterans. The trauma keeps driving the drinking. Addressing both simultaneously, in an integrated treatment plan, is what the research supports and what iRely is built to do.
Military sexual trauma (MST) is another significant driver. The VA reports that about 1 in 4 women and 1 in 100 men who use VA health care report MST. MST survivors are at elevated risk for both PTSD and substance use disorders, and the shame and stigma around it often prevent veterans from disclosing it in a general treatment setting. A trauma-informed, private environment is essential.
For more on how we address co-occurring conditions, see our PTSD treatment program and dual-diagnosis care.
How iRely Treats Veteran Alcohol Use Disorder
iRely Recovery is a small, private, 11-bed residential facility in Los Angeles. Every person who comes through our doors gets a fully individualized plan built around their history, not a one-size protocol. For veterans, that plan is designed to address AUD and trauma together, in a confidential setting with no connection to any VA, DoD, or military record system.
Treatment may include:
Privacy is not optional. Your treatment at iRely is protected by HIPAA the same as any other medical care. It does not appear in your VA records unless you choose to share it, and it has no bearing on your discharge status, security clearance, or VA disability rating.
Questions about what to expect in treatment? Read what to expect in alcohol rehab or cost and insurance. Our full alcohol rehab program is built around whole-person recovery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is alcohol rehab covered for veterans?
It depends on your situation. VA health care covers alcohol treatment for eligible veterans through VA residential rehab programs and outpatient services. If you want private care, most major health insurance plans (including plans purchased through the marketplace or through an employer) cover substance use treatment under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. VA MISSION Act community care may also allow eligible veterans to access private rehab using VA funding. Our admissions team will verify your coverage before you make any decision.
Does going to rehab affect my VA benefits, discharge status, or security clearance?
Going to treatment at iRely does not. Because we are a private facility operating under HIPAA, your care is not reported to the VA, Department of Defense, or any military system unless you explicitly authorize it. It has no bearing on your VA disability rating, discharge status, or active security clearance. The federal Americans with Disabilities Act and the Anti-Discrimination provisions of the ADA also protect individuals in recovery from being penalized for seeking treatment.
Do I need a VA referral to get help at iRely?
No referral is required. You can contact iRely directly by phone or through our website, and our admissions team will walk you through the process. If you want to use VA MISSION Act community care to fund private treatment, there is a referral process through your VA provider, but we can help you navigate that conversation too.
How does iRely treat PTSD and AUD at the same time?
Rather than treating one condition and then the other, we build a single integrated plan that addresses both simultaneously. Clinically, this means trauma-focused therapies such as trauma-informed CBT, EMDR, and somatic experiencing run alongside the medical and behavioral treatment for alcohol use disorder. The goal is to reduce the trauma symptoms that are driving the drinking at the same time that we address the physical dependence and behavioral patterns of AUD.
What makes veteran alcohol rehab different from standard rehab?
The most important difference is trauma context. Veterans often carry specific experiences that standard programs aren’t trained to work with: combat exposure, moral injury, MST, TBI, and the identity shift of leaving service. An effective program for veterans uses trauma-informed modalities, understands military culture, and addresses co-occurring PTSD alongside the AUD. Privacy from military and VA record systems is also a critical factor that many veterans worry about, and one that private care like iRely is well-positioned to provide.
You Served. You Deserve Real Help.
Recovery that works for veterans addresses both the drinking and what’s behind it. One confidential call is all it takes to learn what that looks like for you. No pressure, no commitment, and nothing leaves the call.
Available 24/7 · Private and confidential · No VA referral required
Sources & References
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Behavioral Health Trends in the United States: Results from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Alcohol use disorder and comorbid conditions.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs / Department of Defense (VA/DoD). Clinical Practice Guideline for Management of Substance Use Disorders and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Jacobsen, L.K. et al. (2001). Substance use disorders in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Military Sexual Trauma (MST) information and resources.
