Senior Citizens and Drug and Alcohol Addiction
Remember the ’80s and the “War on Drugs”? The big focus back then was the teenager and the choices that young people were making about getting high. It seemed that if we could save just one young adult, then we were winning the war on drugs.
Unfortunately, there is a large segment of the population well over the age of 18 that is highly prone to alcohol and drug addiction: senior citizens.
Why Seniors Turn to Drugs and Alcohol
There are a number of reasons why someone over the age of 65 might begin to use drugs and alcohol on a consistent basis even if they’ve never struggled with addiction in their lives. These may include any combination of the following:
- Loss of a spouse and/ or good friends
- Financial problems
- Access to addictive prescription drugs
- Low self esteem
- Loneliness
- Retirement boredom
All of these issues can affect any of us at any age, but for those who are older and feel that they are suddenly losing control of their lives, these issues can be particularly depressing if not devastating. Age limits options and it’s difficult to start again when a relationship ends, to rebuild finances, to fight off the loneliness and boredom that can come with retirement.
Age also brings health problems and with health problems comes pain and with pain comes… prescription painkillers. Highly addictive and a problem across every age group, prescription painkillers often look like a good way to drown out difficult emotions. Continued access means that prescription painkiller addiction is often the result for seniors.
Seniors and Drug and Alcohol Addiction Treatment
It is rare for seniors to get the medical help they need for drug and alcohol addiction treatment. For many, there simply isn’t anyone paying attention enough to recognize the symptoms and point them out. In general, older people simply don’t talk about the underlying issues that lead them to abuse drugs and alcohol. Certainly if they feel uncomfortable talking about those issues, they are hardly forthcoming when it comes to admitting that they have a problem with drug and alcohol addiction. Just like the problems are difficult to deal with later in life after a lifetime of taking everything in stride, it can be embarrassing to admit that drugs or alcohol have become a problem when they never have been before.
How do you think we can address the issue of senior drug addiction and abuse effectively and make treatment accessible to seniors who need it?
