When you think of a drug addict does the image of an octogenarian come to mind? Probably not. But this is becoming more common all of the time.
For older adults, drinking too much and misusing medications are the major substance use problems, affecting as many as 20 percent of them. They are particularly vulnerable to the mental and physical effects of alcohol and drugs because of physiological and cognitive changes that take place with age. And, even if they are not addicted to alcohol or illegal substances, they are at risk for serious problems including:
- Adverse drug reactions, including fatal overdoses,
- Accidents -- including falls and traffic accidents,
- Exacerbation of health problems,
- Social isolation,
- Sleep disturbances,
- Inactivity,
- Loss of cognitive capacity and
- Suicide -- which is more likely among older adults than any other age group.
In general, substance abuse and misuse vastly limit the potential to live well in old age.
During the elder boom there will be tremendous growth of the number of older adults with substance use problems, in part because of the growth of the population of older adults, but also because baby boomers use substances -- including illegal substances -- much more commonly than their parents' generation.
For example, a study done by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) projects the growth of people 60 or over who need substance abuse treatment from about 700,000 in 2000 to about 2,300,000 in 2020 (2). Recent surveys (3) confirm that this is already happening, with marked growth of the use of marijuana.
In addition, the CDC recently released a report projecting a vast increase in addiction to prescription painkillers and in deaths due to overdoses, which already kill more Americans than heroin and cocaine combined (4).
Will you, a member of your family, or a close friend be among the older adults with serious substance use problems? Here are a few signs that should cause concern (5).
- Getting unusually high without an increase in use
- Use of alcohol or drugs to sleep and then finding it difficult to get going in the morning
- Reliance on opiates to manage pain in doses that exceed a doctor's prescription
- Going from doctor to doctor to get additional prescriptions
- Using over-the-counter drugs in amounts or in combinations of medicines that are not recommended
- Cognitive or memory impairments, difficulty concentrating, or confusion
- Slurred speech
- Increased isolation
- Difficulty participating in ordinary activities
- Weight loss and/or poor nutrition
- Increased fatigue and/or weakness
- Poor personal hygiene
- Unusual restlessness or agitation
- Persistent irritability or altered mood
- Balance problems and/or frequent falls
These symptoms can, of course, have causes other than substance abuse or misuse, but if a person is using alcohol or other drugs and has these symptoms, substance use may be a major cause. I would recommend a good online drug class.