Addiction in seniors is a significant public health issue. It often goes unnoticed or misdiagnosed due to several factors. But it’s essential to realize that addiction doesn’t discriminate by age and can impact people from all walks of life. It can often feel taboo to talk about seniors and addiction, but keeping the phenomenon secret can drive the problem further into the shadows.
Understanding the unique challenges and common addictions senior citizens face becomes more and more important as the overall population ages. There is specific, targeted addiction treatment available for seniors struggling with addiction at Lennox CMHC.
Common Addictions in Seniors
Illicit drug use usually declines after young adulthood. But nearly one million adults 65 and older are living with a substance use disorder (SUD). Any addiction can affect older adults, but these are the most prevalent:
Alcohol
AUD is often overlooked and can be worsened by other medications. About 65% of people 65 and older report high-risk drinking, making alcohol the most used drug among older people.
Prescription Drugs
Chronic health problems tend to develop as people age, and older adults are frequently prescribed more medications than other age groups. This can lead to a higher use rate of potentially addictive medicines, especially opioids, sedatives, and benzodiazepines.
Nicotine Addiction
While many people smoke tobacco as a lifelong habit, quitting is beneficial at any age. A CDC study indicated that the rate of nicotine use is lower than that for younger adults, but older people who don’t quit smoking have a higher risk of becoming physically frail.
Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medications
Most older adults aren’t familiar with the appropriate dose of OTC medications or how they interact with other medications. Many health providers don’t ask about or don’t know which OTC medications their patients are taking. This can lead to common misuse of cough syrups, laxatives, and other OTC medications.
Signs of Addiction in Older Adults
Recognizing the signs of seniors and addiction can be difficult because they may mimic other age-related conditions and may be explained as normal effects of aging.
Behavioral changes that may indicate addiction in an older adults include:
- Increased secrecy
- Onset of agitation or irritability
- Mood swings
- Personal hygiene neglect
- Withdrawing from social contact
Physical signs of addiction may include:
- Tremors
- Increased falls
- Episodes of confusion
- Memory problems
- Slurred speech
- Unexplained changes in sleep patterns or appetite
- Empty bottles (or other debris from drug use) in the garbage, or hidden from view
Financial problems that may result from addiction include:
- Missing money
- Unexplained debt
- Frequently asking for money
Health changes may indicate a burgeoning addiction, including:
- New emerging health issues
- Worsening of existing conditions
- Frequent visits to the doctor to fill or obtain prescriptions, or changing doctors to get multiple prescriptions (doctor shopping)
Causes of Addiction in Seniors
Causes of addiction in seniors often come from a combination of physical, psychological, and social factors. Not all may be true for each individual. But aging brings many unique challenges that can instigate addiction if individuals don’t plan or account for them happening.
Chronic Pain
Many older adults have chronic pain from conditions like neuropathy or arthritis. Constant physical pain can cause increased reliance on prescription pain medications and OTC drugs. This can escalate into addiction to substances the older person uses to control the pain.
Reduced Mobility and Physical Disabilities
This can cause inactivity, isolation, and a dependence on substances to help cope with limitations.
Medication Misuse
Older adults frequently take multiple prescription and OTC medications and may not be aware of possible interactions or side effects. This can lead to accidental misuse, dependence, and drug interactions that may increase the risk of addiction
Underlying Mental Health Problems
Anxiety disorders, depression disorders, and other mental health issues can co-occur with addiction. This often goes untreated in older adults. In addition, aging can contribute to cognitive decline, making it harder for individuals to follow prescriptions and care for themself in general.
Grief and Loss
Experiencing the loss of a spouse, friends, or their health can trigger emotional distress that can lead to substance abuse to cope.
Retirement and Loss of Purpose and Identity
Transitioning to retirement can lead to a loss of purpose and routine, which can be difficult for some older adults. This change can lead to a feeling of emptiness or loss of identity that they may fill with substance use.
Loneliness and Social Isolation
The loss of loved ones, mobility issues, and decreased social interaction (especially after retirement) can lead to feelings of loneliness. Some seniors will attempt to self-medicate these feelings.
Lack of Support
Some older adults may not have a strong support system of friends and family. This makes it hard to deal with the challenges of life, potentially leading to substance use.
Shame and Stigma
Seniors may hesitate to seek help for addiction because of the stigma linked to drug use, particularly in older generations born around or before America’s “war on drugs” in the 1970s.
Economic Worries
Retirement and financial concerns can be notable stressors for some older adults, and may lead to substance use.
Family History
A history of addiction in the family can increase the risk of substance abuse in older people.
Early Use of Substances
A history of addiction earlier in life may make a person more susceptible to relapse or continuing use later in life. This is especially true if the person perceives there to be fewer or less intense consequences due to advanced age.
Lack of Awareness and Education
Having limited knowledge about the risks of substance use can contribute to addiction in older adults. This is especially true of prescription drug addiction, which can be triggered unknowingly by someone using medication they perceive as safe to use without limitations.
Addiction Treatment Options for Seniors
Older adults struggling with addiction face unique struggles, such as co-occurring health conditions, increased isolation, and more. Individuals may not be using drugs to get high, but to reduce physical pain or cope with emotional problems. So it’s important to take these factors into account.
Treatment options for addicted seniors include:
- Medical Detox: Patients are monitored and stabilized through the withdrawal process, with the intent being to alleviate potential long-term physical effects of withdrawal.
- Residential Program: Individuals live at the treatment facility, where there is constant monitoring, a structured routine, and 24-hour access to treatment staff.
- Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP): Although this is technically an outpatient program, the intensity and structure of a PHP rehab more closely resemble a residential program. Treatment sessions take place at the facility, and the patients go home each evening.
- Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP): IOP treatment requires fewer hours at the treatment facility, while still being an effective option for individuals who still need support.
- Outpatient Program (OP): Standard outpatient programs are a good way to continue treatment after completing a higher level of care.
- Dual Diagnosis Treatment: When a co-occurring mental illness is also present, a dual diagnosis program is essential for long-term sobriety. Both conditions must be treated simultaneously, so that relapse does not take place due to unhealthy coping mechanisms.
- Treatment-Focused Therapy: Behavioral therapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) have been proven to be effective in treating SUDs in older adults.
- Medication-Assisted Treatment: Depending on the addiction, there are pharmacological options for providing someone relief from the physical aspects of addiction (including cravings).
Barriers to Seeking Treatment
Older adults may feel resistant to entering treatment for addiction. They may have ideas or attitudes about treatment that are no longer relevant in today’s world. It’s important to be aware of these attitudes and be prepared to answer them for the sake of accuracy and supporting their recovery.
- Perceived Stigma of Addiction: Some families and caregivers don’t feel comfortable talking about substance misuse because of their negative views of SUDs. They may also think that asking about the issue would intrude on the senior’s life or independence.
- Denial: Family and friends can ignore or accept older adults’ substance use as unchangeable if it’s been going on for a while.
- Accepting Attitudes: Some older adults live in settings where peers, family, and caregivers are accepting of heavy alcohol and drug use in older adults, perhaps because they perceive it as their “one last pleasure.”
- Lack of Knowledge: Friends and family may not realize that older adults go through physiological changes that make the effects of substances more dangerous.
- Misinformation about Treatment: Some individuals have the false belief that older adults don’t need to seek treatment for addiction because it’s “too late.” However, evidence shows that treatment for older adults has positive outcomes and can improve health and quality of life.
Receive Help for Seniors with Addiction at Lennox CMHC
If you or a senior in your life is struggling with addiction, there is help at Lennox CMHC in Van Nuys, CA. We provide outpatient treatment options, including PHP, IOP, and a dual diagnosis treatment program. If you aren’t able to come in person for treatment, we can come to you through our Telehealth program.
Older adults deserve to enjoy their retirement years, not struggle with a substance use disorder. There is no time to wait. Contact us today and learn more about how older people can heal from addiction.
