Greater Than Myself | Veteran Mental Health: Addressing Trauma, Moral Injury, and Community in Recovery
Michael O’Connor, an 82nd Airborne Infantry veteran, shares his personal transformation after transitioning to civilian life. Having struggled with trauma, moral injury, and a deep sense of loss following his military service, he turned to addiction as a coping mechanism. Michael, who is also a Military Sexual Trauma survivor and a veteran outreach advocate for Miracles Asia in Thailand, now stresses the critical role of community in a veteran’s sobriety and recovery. Peer support reawakened his sense of purpose and duty, resulting in a drive to help more veterans find the same.
If you’re a veteran currently struggling with addiction, remember you are not alone. Join Michael in finding brotherhood and hope in recovery.
I joined the Army to be a part of the noblest cause— a sense of duty, honor, country. I sought purpose, structure, and the challenge of being a warrior. Serving in the 82nd Airborne Division fulfilled that calling. As an Airborne Infantryman, I discovered the kind of brotherhood forged only through sweat, sacrifice, and shared hardship. The trust we placed in each other during airborne operations and deployments to foreign countries wasn’t just about tactics. We forged unbreakable bonds.
“No man is an island unto himself; we are waves of the same sea, leaves of the same tree, breath of the same spirit.”
In the airborne community, it was more than wearing the same uniform; we shared the same spirit of adventure in service to our country. We trained and fought under the most challenging conditions. We endured, not just for ourselves, but for each other. That spirit made even the hardest days feel meaningful.
In the 82nd, our actions were geared toward the mission, the unit, and the man to our left and right.
Military Transition: Moral Injury and Veteran Addiction
82nd Airborne veteran Michael O'Connor shares his powerful story of Military Transition, Moral Injury, and Veteran Addiction.
But the mission doesn’t last forever. Transitioning to civilian life was disorienting. The structure vanished. The sense of purpose blurred. The brotherhood faded into the rearview. I was left with echoes—memories of camaraderie and adrenaline, but no roadmap for peace. I struggled to find where I belonged. The war may have ended, but the battle within had just begun. Trauma and moral injury haunted me.
Promising relief, addiction took root in that void. Instead, it delivered destruction in a way no battlefield ever could. Yet even in my darkest moments, something inside me remembered who I was: a warrior. Not one without wounds, but one who could still stand.
Veteran Community: Sobriety and Accountability
Surrender is not a Ranger word, but I found that in my new mission of sobriety, I achieve victory through surrender, a day at a time. In the rooms and online communities of recovery, I saw something familiar: shared stories, mutual accountability, and deep bonds formed in the trenches of struggle. Helping others rise from the depths of addiction reawakened my sense of duty. Serving those with trauma and substance use disorders, especially veterans, became a sacred calling.
Seneca wrote, “Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness.” And I’ve learned that through kindness, service, and empathy, we rebuild the very brotherhood we thought we had lost. The esprit de corps that once lived in barracks and battlefields now lives in communities I serve, one veteran helping another.
Veteran Outreach: Trauma and Substance Use Disorder Support
“I recover out loud so that others don’t have to suffer in silence. ”
Today, I serve my community and country in a different uniform - not one stitched from camouflage, but from courage and compassion. My weapon is no longer a rifle but a message of hope. The mission hasn’t ended; it’s evolved. And I stand shoulder-to-shoulder with a new platoon of men and women walking the path of recovery, fighting for their lives, and rediscovering their worth.
As Marcus Aurelius said, “Let your one delight and refreshment be to pass from one act of service to the community to another, with God ever in mind.”
I have found purpose again. And for that purpose, I have found peace.
Frequently Asked Questions
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The transition to civilian life removes protective influences of military structure, which can make substance use and other mental health issues a greater concern [1]. The period of readjustment and reintegration presents unique mental health challenges [1]. Environmental stressors specific to military personnel, including deployment, combat exposure, and post-deployment reintegration challenges, are directly linked to an increased risk of Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) [1]. Veterans with SUDs are also 3 to 4 times more likely to receive a PTSD or depression diagnosis, indicating a strong co-occurring mental health component [1].
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The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides comprehensive services for substance use problems, including [2]:
Crisis Support: The Veterans Crisis Line (Call 988 and select 1, Text 838255, or confidential chat) is available 24/7.
Medical Treatment: Medically managed detoxification, drug substitution therapies (like methadone and buprenorphine for opiate addiction), and nicotine replacement options.
Counseling and Therapy: Short-term outpatient counseling, intensive outpatient treatment, residential (live-in) care, and continuing care/relapse prevention.
Specialized Programs: Support is available for co-occurring conditions like PTSD and depression. Combat Veterans can also receive free, private counseling at over 300 community Vet Centers [2].
International Outreach: The post mentions that Michael O'Connor serves as a veteran outreach advocate for Miracles Asia in Thailand, a facility that offers trauma-informed recovery programs and services, including [5]:
Individualized Care: Programs are limited to a maximum of 15 guests for focused attention.
Therapy Structure: Guests receive two 1-hour individual therapy sessions with a therapist each week.
Experienced Team: Most of the team members are in long-term, active recovery.
Aftercare: Guests receive 60 days of one-on-one support from the Clinical Team via an Aftercare program.
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Regaining a sense of camaraderie and support is one of the biggest hurdles during transition. Finding a community helps veterans by [3]:
Providing Support: Sharing experiences with others eases negative emotions and can aid in recovery from trauma.
Creating Connection: Getting involved in local community activities, like sports, volunteering, or mentorships, helps combat social withdrawal and isolation.
Serving Others: Veterans are encouraged to find a way to serve others and share their important stories and skills, which benefits peers and co-workers and can foster a new sense of mission [3].
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Finding a new purpose is key to overcoming the disorienting feeling of a lost mission and routine [3]. You can find a new sense of structure by [3]:
Recognizing the Issue: Awareness is the first step toward overcoming barriers.
Rekindling Your Passion: Build new habits based on enjoyable activities or commit to mastering a new skill, which can be a huge source of fulfillment and instill a sense of purpose into your daily routine.
Finding a New Mission: Veterans who successfully transition often find a new mission in saving lives, such as by becoming psychiatric nurses, or otherwise serving the community [3].
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Moral injury is the psychological aftermath of events that contradict deeply held moral beliefs, often resulting in feelings of intense guilt, shame, disgust, or anger [4]. Specific treatments are available to address these core concerns [4]:
Trauma-Focused Therapies: Treatments for PTSD, such as Prolonged Exposure (PE) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), have been shown to be effective for patients with moral injury by helping process guilt, shame, and beliefs about betrayal [4].
Specialized Treatments: Other treatments specifically targeting moral injury include Adaptive Disclosure, Trauma Informed Guilt Reduction Therapy (TrIGR), and Building Spiritual Strength [4].