The Canadian Forces are struggling to help the drastically rising number of soldiers seeking treatment for drug addictions as their combat mission in Afghanistan continues.

Spending cuts in the 1990s decimated part of the military's internal mental-health program, and now the Department of National Defence says it's in the process of rebuilding it.

Already, bases across the country have seen significant increases in drug addiction. CFB Edmonton has experienced a 250 to 300 per cent increase in the number of soldiers referred for addiction treatment this year compared with last, Maj. Christine Wells said.

But the base lacks the resources to deal with the high number of referrals, in part because it is short at least one drug and alcohol counsellor.

"It's always a challenge to find good, qualified counsellors to treat our soldiers," Wells said.

It's a problem the military fears could worsen over the next year.

"We realize the whole health-care system is under strain," said retired Lt.-Col. James Jamieson, who is in charge of addiction services for the forces.

The military is not always able to keep up with the needs of soldiers, but it is trying to fix the problem, he said.

"We have been moving heaven and earth to try and increase the number of mental health professionals."

In the past two years, roughly 2,500 Canadian Forces members have been treated for addictions, with the majority seen on an outpatient basis at military clinics across the country.

Those who require lengthier treatment at inpatient programs such as a rehabilitation centre must go to one of the 20 private clinics contracted by the military.

The military shut down all of its inpatient clinics in the 1990s because of spending cuts. Six treatment clinics still exist but are for outpatients only.

Some civilian addiction centres are at capacity and turning down the military's request to set up programs for soldiers.

John Borody, executive director of the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba, said his centre declined the military's request because most of its facilities are running at 80 to 90 per cent full.

"It became very clear when we looked at our capacity as an organization we just didn't have the space," Borody said.

About 2,500 soldiers currently serve in Afghanistan with the combat mission that began in 2002 and that is scheduled to expire in February 2009.