Alcohol misuse is more common in the armed forces than post-traumatic stress disorder
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Daniel Leightley, King's College London; Jo-Anne Puddephatt, University of Liverpool; Laura Goodwin, University of Liverpool, and Nicola Fear, King's College London
Alcohol has historically been used in the UK armed forces to encourage bonding and to deal with difficult experiences. And while alcohol use is now on the decline, harmful drinking in the forces is still double that of the general population.
To put this in to perspective, about 11% of men and 5% of women in the UK armed forces meet the criteria for alcohol misuse. This means they are drinking at a level that is likely to be harmful to their health.
Compare this with about 4% of men and 2% of women in the general population. Yet many of those drinking at a harmful level in the armed forces do not recognise they have a problem.
A common problem
People serving in the forces drink alcohol for a range of reasons – for pleasure, due to social pressures and to cope with either day-to-day stresses or with mental...
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