Think about drug and alcohol addictions, and you're probably more likely to picture a younger person than someone the age of your parents or grandparents. You'd have been right to think younger folks are addicted to substances in higher numbers than older people until recently, but that's now changing.
Why are more older adults now struggling with substance addictions?
There is indeed evidence that older adults have been abusing drugs and alcohol, and becoming addicted to them, in higher numbers than doctors have been paying attention to for many decades. The rising numbers of confirmed addictions aren't only due to previous under-diagnosis, however.
Current senior citizens grew up during a time when attitudes towards drugs and substance use in general were went through huge changes, and many will have experimented with substances when they were younger. While alcohol is still the most-abused substance among older generations, those using drugs mainly choose marijuana. Fewer than a million Americans admitted to using other drugs like cocaine, LSD, or amphetamine in a 2012 study. The numbers of older drug users are still significant, with other data showing that 132,000 older people engaged in cannabis use on any given "average day", along with 4,300 who chose cocaine.
Many also misuse prescription drugs like opioids or benzodiazepines, and this kind of drug abuse accounts for the majority of the over 2,000 ER visits older adults make because of drug use.
Which older adults are most likely to be addicted to drugs and alcohol?
Risk factors for substance abuse among senior citizens are different than those for younger people. They include:
- Being male
- Being Caucasian
- Being wealthier
- Suffering from chronic pain, having a physical disability, or general poor health
- A personal history of substance abuse (no surprise there)
- Mental health struggles
- A recent bereavement
- Loneliness
Why is drug use especially dangerous in older adults?
Some things you'll definitely want to know include:
- Alcohol addiction poses a special concern among senior citizens because the liver is no longer able to process alcohol as well, and because the person's body weight and water content both go down. An older person will be more effected by the same amount of alcohol.
- Marijuana use comes with potential side effects, whether a person is using it recreationally or medicinally. It causes a spike in blood pressure, a more rapid heart beat, and potential short-term memory issues. All this is more of a concern among the older population, as they're already more likely to be suffering from both cardiovascular conditions and cognitive decline.
- Benzodiazepines and opioid painkillers are absorbed differently when you're older, making it necessary to prescribe them with special caution.
- The combination of alcohol and other drugs is especially problematic, accounting for a large number of drug-related emergency room visits among senior citizens. This is true whether the "other drug" is a street drug, one prescribed by a doctor, or even an over-the-counter drug.
What are the signs an older adult is using drugs or abusing alcohol — and what treatment is available?
If you had the perception that older adults are much less likely than younger people to be addicted to a substance, you're not the only one — medical professionals apparently share this view. They screen senior citizens for substance abuse in much lower numbers, you see. Physical symptoms or consequences of an addiction are likely to be attributed to other medical conditions or the aging process, too. Older adults suffering from addictions are more likely to fly under the radar and to hide their addictions, in other words.
This will hopefully change with a growing awareness of the extent of drug and alcohol abuse among elderly people, with some guidelines suggesting that healthcare providers routinely ask their older patients questions to screen them, like "Have you ever felt guilty about your drinking?", and "Have you ever used drugs or alcohol after waking up to steady your nerves?"
Senior citizens aren't very likely to seek treatment for substance addictions. Research has shown that older people have a higher chance of responding to concerns about their wellbeing if you approach the person in a non-confrontational and respectful manner, without stigmatizing them for their substance use. Relatives can, for instance, point out that marijuana can impair memory or that alcohol can interact with a prescription drug they are on in a dangerous way, rather than simply dismissing the substance use as bad or morally flawed.
Helping someone achieve remission from an addiction isn't easy, and there's no one-size-fits-all approach, but cognitive behavioral therapy, community support, peer-support groups (like Alcoholics Anonymous), and even inpatient rehab are all options that can also benefit senior citizens struggling with a substance addiction.
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