Abstract:
Military veterans experience disproportionately high rates of substance use disorders, yet traditional explanations often emphasize psychological pathology while overlooking the deeper existential wounds that underlie addictive behaviors. This presentation introduces the concept of Soul Injury as a framework for understanding addiction among veterans as an attempt to escape profound inner suffering rather than simply a manifestation of disease or maladaptive behavior. Soul Injury refers to the disruption of one's deepest sense of identity, meaning, connectedness, and humanity that can result from exposure to combat, moral conflict, traumatic loss, betrayal, and the cumulative burdens of military service.
While psychological trauma and moral injury describe important dimensions of combat-related suffering, Soul Injury extends beyond symptomatology to address the existential consequences of war, including profound shame, grief, spiritual disconnection, loss of identity, and the inability to reconcile lived experiences with deeply held values. Within this framework, addiction is understood not merely as a chronic brain disease or maladaptive coping strategy, but as an attempt to anesthetize unbearable inner pain and restore a fractured sense of self.
Drawing from interdisciplinary perspectives in psychology, neuroscience, spirituality, and trauma studies, this presentation explores how unresolved Soul Injury can contribute to the use of alcohol and other substances as a means of numbing shame, guilt, grief, alienation, and existential despair. The discussion distinguishes Soul Injury from related constructs such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Moral Injury (MI), arguing that while these conditions often coexist, Soul Injury addresses the deeper erosion of purpose, hope, and the capacity for authentic connection that many veterans experience.
The presenter will examine the limitations of symptom-focused models of addiction and consider a more holistic, trauma-informed approach that integrates evidence-based addiction treatment with interventions that foster meaning-making, self-forgiveness, reconciliation, community, and spiritual restoration. By moving beyond diagnosis to address the deeper wounds of military service, the Soul Injury paradigm offers clinicians, researchers, and veteran advocates a transformative framework for understanding addiction and promoting enduring recovery among those who have borne the invisible costs of war.
Biography:
Dr. Conforti-Brown is the Director of International Studies for the Assisi Institute: The International Center for the Study of Archetypal Patterns located in Mystic, Connecticut. She is a certified Archetypal Pattern Analyst and holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from New York University and a PhD in Existential-Humanistic Psychology from Saybrook University. Dr. Conforti-Brown spent 17 years as Assistant Professor of Clinical Instruction at the University of South Florida, School of Social Work. During her tenure with the University, she received the Social Work Educator of the Year award from the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) for outstanding teaching and mentorship. As a clinical supervisor for both international and U.S. based professionals, Dr. Conforti-Brown specializes in helping clinicians work with unconscious communication in the therapeutic environment. She is an expert in traumatology, and lectures on topics related to the integration of spirituality into clinical practice. She is currently in private practice in the Tampa area of Florida.
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