The GuardianMostly Factual13d ago
‘I was fighting two wars’: Ukraine’s soldiers confront their addiction struggles
Troops frequently use substances to help cope with untreated PTSD and anxiety, producing a negative spiral
Seven years clean, Oleksandr believed he had left addiction behind. Then, a year into fighting Russia, the Ukrainian soldier was prescribed painkillers for a shoulder injury. Under the strain of war, he relapsed and quickly began using stronger illicit opioids.
“From that moment, I was fighting two wars – one inside myself and one with Russia,” he said, speaking at a rehabilitation faci...
By Pjotr Sauer in Kyiv Photographs by Julia Kochetova
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