This is easy to believe-MrT5, who was retired Army worked at the VA as a benefits counselor until his untimely death-which had nothing to do with the VA-he came home with stories of zombified vets all the time. He said some of them came to his office carrying plastic grocery bags with as many as a dozen bottles of prescribed drugs, and that painkillers and psychotropic meds dominated.
He sent most of them to see the chief pharmacist, because the MD’s had not explained any of the interactions or side effects of those drugs to them, and he had to walk some of them over there because they were so zoned they didn’t know whether they were afoot or on horseback. The powers that be just wanted them to shut up and either die or go away, I guess-nice way to treat our vets, ass****s...
I belong to a Vets group on Facebook where many current/younger soldiers hang out with the old salts for support. Too many of these guys are on numerous drugs prescribed by the VA. I always make myself available to talk to guys who are getting too far out on the ledge. A few say they want to get themselves out of their heads and understand how so many turn to a bullet to do just that.