Top 5 Preventable Conditions Affecting Veterans— And How to Stop Them in Their Tracks

06-01-2025

By Dr. Howard Friedman MD | Veteran | U.S. Army Medical Corps | Internal Medicine | HHOM LLC

Healing starts with awareness—and action. This emblem represents the strength, sacrifice, and resilience of veterans, shielded by proactive care. At HHOM LLC, prevention isn't just a practice—it's a promise.

Through war torn days and nights of woe.

They carried weight we’ll never know.

Now silent wounds still scream inside.

While pain and breath and fears collide.

But healing lives in acts we choose.

Prevent the fall and fewer lose.

---Dr. Howard Friedman MD

Veterans are a population shaped by service, sacrifice, and exposure—physical, emotional, and environmental. While many conditions disproportionately affect them compared to non-veterans—including amyloidosis, brucellosis, coronary artery disease, diabetes, stroke, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, prostate and respiratory cancers, depression, and even ALS—there are five conditions where prevention can make the greatest impact.

This blog is not just a list. It’s a call to action. These are conditions we can get ahead of, and in doing so, we don’t just treat illness—we save lives.

1. Mental Health Disorders (PTSD, Depression, Anxiety, and Suicide)

Mental health is the frontline of veteran healthcare. Suicide remains a national crisis. In 2022, the suicide rate among veterans was 34.7 per 100,000—double that of nonveterans. Roughly 75% of these deaths involved firearms.

Risk factors are many: PTSD, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, military sexual trauma (MST), recent discharge, and other-than-honorable separation. While the VA is working to reach these veterans, more must be done. Prevention here literally saves lives. There is no one-size-fits-all treatment, but consistent mental health follow-up is key—especially with therapists trained in trauma and military experience. Preventative care in mental health also reduces internal inflammation, the hidden thread tying many of these conditions together.

2. Chronic Pain

Veterans may have endured intense physical demands—airborne landings, heavy rucksacks, injuries in combat zones. Chronic pain often lives on long after service ends. Pain frequently walks hand-in-hand with PTSD and depression, compounding suffering and disability. Early pain management, physical therapy, and non-addictive treatment approaches are essential to keeping pain from becoming a lifelong prison.

3. Substance Abuse

Substance abuse often begins as an escape—an effort to dull the sting of trauma, pain, or mental anguish. But what starts as distraction can spiral into dependence. Alcohol, opioids, tobacco, and other substances become crutches, then cages. Because it intersects with both mental health and pain, substance abuse must be addressed in a unified, compassionate, and trauma-informed framework. The brain chemistry changes caused by trauma and stress require support, not stigma.

4. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Tobacco abuse, often a self-soothing tool in high-stress environments, is a major contributor to COPD. While the body has remarkable healing capacity—lungs can improve with smoking cessation—untreated, this condition worsens over time. Early screening, education, and support programs for quitting can make the difference between chronic disease and recovery

5. Cancers Linked to Military Toxins

Veterans have faced exposures few civilians ever encounter: Agent Orange, burn pits, oil well fires, radiation, industrial solvents—to name just a few. These exposures have been linked to a long list of cancers, many of which now appear on VA registries. While we cannot erase past exposures, we can identify veterans at risk, screen early, and ensure they’re informed and supported. Prevention here is also about advocacy—making sure veterans get the disability benefits and care they earned.

The Bigger Picture: Inflammation and Prevention

At Howard’s House of Medicine, we believe that the underlying thread to many of these conditions is inflammation—the body’s internal alarm system that can smolder quietly for years. Preventative health aims to dampen that flame.

How? With the fundamentals:

• Balanced nutrition

• Movement and physical activity

• Restorative sleep

• Stress reduction and resilience

  
  

These aren’t abstract ideals—they are daily practices. And they work.

A Final Word

This blog isn’t just a checklist. It’s a mission. Veterans kept us safe. It’s time we step up and keep them well.

At HHOM LLC, we advocate, we educate, and we listen. Whether it’s filing for disability benefits, offering medical insight, or empowering healthier lives—we’re here to serve those who served us.

—Dr. Howard Friedman MD

Board-Certified | Internal Medicine | Veteran | U.S. Army Medical Corps

Founder of Howard’s House of Medicine (HHOM LLC)

https://www.hhomllc.com

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: What is the most urgent health condition veterans face today—and how can it be prevented?

A: Mental health disorders, especially PTSD, depression, and suicide, remain the most urgent crisis among veterans. Suicide rates are nearly double that of civilians, often tied to untreated trauma, substance use, and firearm access. Prevention begins with open dialogue, trauma-informed therapy, consistent follow-up, and reducing stigma. Timely mental health care can literally save lives—and should be as routine as managing blood pressure or diabetes.

Q: How are chronic pain, substance abuse, and PTSD connected—and what can be done about it?

A: These conditions often overlap and amplify one another. Veterans with chronic pain may turn to substances to cope, while untreated PTSD fuels both physical and emotional suffering. The key is to treat them as interconnected, not separate. Early intervention, physical therapy, non-opioid pain strategies, and mental health support form a unified approach to stop this cycle before it becomes a lifelong struggle.

Q: What steps can veterans take today to reduce their long-term health risks?

A: Prevention is powerful—and possible. Veterans can reduce risk by focusing on daily fundamentals: eat a balanced, anti-inflammatory diet; stay physically active; prioritize quality sleep; and seek help early for stress or emotional challenges. Tobacco cessation, regular cancer screenings, and staying informed about toxin-related exposures also make a major difference. Prevention isn’t just medical—it’s a lifestyle rooted in resilience.