During the height of Covid the Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Chang Mai Thailand had one of it’s members struggling, this Veteran was in the midst of serious addiction and needed help. They got on the phone to one of the best treatment facilities in the world, Miracles Asia in Phuket. The first issue is and always will be in the world: Money, Money Money because 5 Star Recovery Retreats ain’t cheap.

The VFW let Miracles Asia know about how they get their general healthcare here in Thailand, the Foreign Medical Program of the Veterans Administration. Miracles Asia discovered the full addiction and mental health program could be covered with no out of pocket cost to the Veteran. The VFW put this Vet on a plane, he got detoxed, sober, pulled back from the brink and saved.

Veteran Addiction

I write about Veterans abroad because of two main reasons. The first was because what moving abroad did for my mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health. The second reason is because nobody else was and a lot of Veterans had no clue that we can get our Military Benefits outside the United States, get healthcare, use the G.I. Bill and live better lives at half the cost.

“This is a lifesaving resource for American Veterans. The obstacle is that it’s a few thousand miles away but if you want addiction recovery….If you really want it – It’s here for you”

I was contacted by a fellow Veteran about her experience and treatment at Miracles Asia and wanted to find out more. I’ve struggled with addiction and I know plenty of Veterans are out there battling that demon every hour of every day. It’s commonplace to turn to drugs and alcohol as a coping mechanism for Military PTSD.

More than 1 in 5 Veterans with PTSD also deal with substance abuse disorders with alcoholism being the biggest culprit. I probably don’t need to tell you this but Veterans are more likely to suffer from alcoholism and prescription drug abuse than your average Joe civilian. Shocker right?

The military doesn’t take it easy on the mind, body, or soul. Often when we exit the military, that’s when our battles truly begin. I started first abusing the pills the VA gave me when I was struggling with PTSD, then I started washing them down with whiskey and things went downhill from there.

Veteran addiction is something that contributes to the 20+ Veterans that kill themselves every day. Many of our brothers and sisters who lost that battle sought treatment that didn’t work. I believe firmly that retreat based therapy, where you can separate yourself from your environment and really reflect, process, heal and grow is the best option.

It’s important that I let service-connected addicted Veterans know that you can come over here and do a 30, 60 or even 90 day treatment program for little to nothing out of pocket other than the plane ticket to Phuket, Thailand.

My Visit

The Miracles Asia campus feels more like a small resort than a treatment center. I’ve done addiction and PTSD treatment in the United States. Over here Veterans are getting the type of celebrity, five star treatment we deserve. This is how Veterans should be treated, given top-notch medical care – the best the world has to offer. Miracles Asia has the highest success rate of all addiction centers in Asia and 85% of long-term guests remain in active recovery. They treat addictions to alcohol, drugs, gambling, porn and more alongside mental health treatments all in a beautiful, natural, healing environment.

“Miracles Asia is the only place in the entire world, to my knowledge that offers this level of care, in a 5 Star Addiction Resort setting for Veterans at no cost to the Veteran. If coming to Thailand to you to work on your addiction sounds crazy, then good. Maybe you need crazy.”

An Average Monday at Miracles Asia

• Yoga Or Beach Walk: 0630-0730
• Breakfast: 0730-0815
• Morning Check In/Meeting: 0830-0900
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: 1030-1115
• Holistic Therapy: 1140-1230
• Lunch
• Afternoon: Massage Trip or Free Time or Gym
• Dinner 1800-1845
• Evening Miracles Meeting 1900-2000
  

A Veteran Addiction Story (Mike)

My alcoholism and drug addiction nearly killed me; I experienced very clear suicidal ideation on a daily basis and felt no hope of finding joy in any area of my life.

During one of my hospital visits, I found myself in the Intensive Care Unit talking with a member of the VFW support network who was the 1st person to introduce me to Miracles Asia.

At the time, it felt like a mistake when they explained I qualified to receive in-patient care for substance use disorders related to PTSD, for which I have a service-connected disability rating.

“Within a few days, I was on a plane, flying to Thailand for my 90-day program at Miracles Asia, and those three months saved my life. There is no other way to say it.”

During my stay, I received holistic, professional care from experts in treating addiction and underlying mental health disorders like PTSD.

I learned invaluable information and skills that have become built-in habits, which I’ve been able to take home to America. These are all practical, realistic things I use daily to keep me mentally, physically, and spiritually fit. (Read Michael’s Full Story and Watch His YouTube Interview)

John’s Thoughts

My first honest thought is that if you’re a Veteran struggling with addiction, look into this. Be willing to look for options outside of your comfort zone. Especially if you’ve done other treatments and those treatments maybe fell short, or you weren’t ready for sobriety, or whatever you did just didn’t take.

• You get your own private room and every room has a beautiful pool right outside.
• The food at the facility is included and amazing, three great meals a day.
• Laundry is on site and the wi-fi works really well.
• Every room has a flatscreen smart TV.
• The treatment staff is mainly Europeans – The facility staff and hospitality team are Thai. Everything is done in English, so no language barriers.
• There is a small gym on site but three days a week they go to Thanyapura which is an absolute world class sport facility where Olympians train. They have all the gym equipment a fitness person could need, saunas, cold plunge, free weights, tracks, pools, classes, etc.
  
  

Check out their Veteran Section of their website, contact them and if it works out…get your ass on a plane to Thailand. I was fortunate to stay three days, interview the staff, sit in on meetings, do yoga, and even do an outing to an amazing island with the most beautiful waters you could imagine. Here they are treating addiction holistically and importantly, seriously. This is a place to come if you’re committed to sobriety.

Thailand is an absolutely beautiful place, it’s a spiritual place. I’ve always felt Veteran addiction and PTSD are as much spiritual battles as they are mental health ones. The Thai people are extremely kind, welcoming and prioritize respect. Which I think is one reason why so many Veterans live here.

I realized I don’t think that Veterans should only be around other Veterans in recovery and treatment programs. Maybe if you want serious treatment for Combat Related PTSD, but addiction is universal. I really enjoyed the group dynamics of individuals from Ireland, Burma, UAE, Minnesota, Wales, Oklahoma, England, Thailand and more. We can’t only be around our fellow Veterans, there’s no staying in those bubbles forever. The conversations were enlightening and some of the individuals here were sober for thirty years and some barely thirty minutes. But they were all striving together, supporting one another and battling side by side. Addiction is a bitch.

Contacts and Resources

You can see Miracles on Instagram and Facebook as well as their website. Check out the stories, look at yourself in the mirror and put some serious thought into your recovery for yourself, your family and your fellow Veterans. If you have any questions from a Veteran perspective, the center admissions manager (Ryan) can put you in contact with Veterans who have been through the treatment program. During my visit there were three other American Veterans here working on their addictions and PTSD.

If you’re a fellow Veteran interested in moving abroad, read my full Veterans Guide To Moving Abroad and check out my reel on Instagram and TikTok about Miracles Asia. Never stop fighting for the life you deserve.

Subscribe to my new Veteran Affirmation Channel on YouTube. Upcoming next month an affirmation video on Veteran Addiction.