Aging can alter the body’s response to drugs and alcohol due to changes in metabolism, liver and kidney function, and body composition. Older adults may experience increased sensitivity to substances, leading to a heightened risk of adverse effects and drug interactions, even with lower doses. Additionally, aging can impair the body’s ability to metabolize and eliminate substances efficiently, prolonging their effects substance abuse in older adults and increasing the risk of toxicity. Referral to mental health services is appropriate if the severity or type of mental illness is beyond what you can treat.

Alcohol Screening

It is estimated that the number of geriatric persons, adults aged 65 or older, in the United States will be approximately 72.1 million by 2030 2. As larger cohorts of adults continue to age, increasing concern regarding the unique healthcare needs of the geriatric population must be addressed. Substance use disorders (SUDs) among the geriatric population are one of the fastest growing public health concerns in the United States 1.

Looking for Treatment?

This review provides updated information on epidemiology, special considerations, and management of substance use disorders in older adults. As substance use disorders become more prevalent in older adults, primary care physicians must be prepared to recognize and diagnose substance use disorders as well as collaborate with and refer patients to geriatric medicine, geriatric psychiatry, and addiction medicine. Individuals ages 65 and older have lower odds of perceived treatment need than younger individuals, and often report a lack of readiness to stop using substances as one of their primary reasons to not seek treatment (Choi et al., 2014). As a result, older adults are more likely to be referred to SUD treatment from other sources such as community social service providers than from healthcare providers (Sahker et al., 2015). Older adults have lower prevalence of substance use than younger adults, which may lead clinicians to think that older adults do not use psychoactive substances or develop SUD.

Inpatient Treatment

By contrast, having had previous treatment contact for SUD tends to increase the probability of seeking treatment for another SUD. You may have recently found yourself asking if you, or someone you know, is drinking too much. If you’ve asked yourself these questions or something similar, you’re not alone. It can be challenging to know where use “crossing the line” especially as our bodies ability to process substances changes as we age. Let’s start with some definitions to better understand the impact of substances on our bodies.

Screening for Multiple Substances

If that doesn’t work, consider asking their doctor, minister, or a longtime friend to approach them instead. Treatment for depression should also be integrated with the treatment for SUD, as both conditions can influence each other and Alcoholics Anonymous their treatment outcomes. Another concern is that today’s available strains of cannabis have much higher levels of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, than did those of past strains. The higher THC levels mean users receive higher doses, making the potential for dependency more likely. Potential signs of cannabis dependency may include consistently bloodshot eyes, challenges with coordination, lethargy and lack of motivation, memory loss, and frequent daily use or use multiple times a day.

If rehab programs lack appropriate accommodations, they may prevent older adults with disabilities from receiving treatment. Group therapy can mitigate these feelings of loneliness, but older adults may have fewer opportunities to participate in addiction groups. Addiction is an isolating disorder, and feelings of isolation can trigger alcohol and drug use. When used appropriately, these replacement opioids do not cause euphoria, but they do reduce or eliminate https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/should-i-go-back-to-rehab/ withdrawal symptoms.

• Understanding these factors can aid in recognizing the signs of substance abuse in older adults.
• You can find more information about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on the CDC’s website (/violenceprevention​/childabuseandneglect​/acestudy/index.html).
• A case manager who can check in with an elderly person regularly after leaving rehab, or a community-centered program, may be helpful to watch for signs of relapse.
• The National Institute on Aging (NIA), under the umbrella of the National Institute of Health (NIH), also has information on aging and Alzheimer’s research that can be beneficial to therapists working with older adults suffering with substance use disorders.
• Chapter 3 will be useful across settings in which these workers encounter older adults.

Cognitive Effects

Although preventing and treating MH/SU problems among millions of older adults are huge tasks, the time is ripe for capitalizing on knowledge about and experience with evidence-based practices. Alleviating suffering among older adults with MH/SU problems is an ethical imperative. Older adults should not suffer from preventable or treatable mental health and substance use problems. Taking steps now will also help prepare for the growing numbers of older adults who will need MH/SU services in the future.

• A common challenge in counseling these clients is the embarrassment and stigma that older populations face when being asked to acknowledge and confront substance use issues later in life.
• Although addiction may be more difficult to recognize in this demographic, it’s important to pay attention to any unusual signs your elderly loved one displays.
• In addition, older adults are more than likely prescribed medications that can cause dangerous interactions.
• Nurses or occupational therapists, rather than behavioral health service providers, usually give assessments of ADLs and fall risk.

Furthermore, drug use may worsen the effects of age-related health concerns. For instance, impaired judgment may increase the risk of accidents and falls in people who already struggle with stability and balance. NIDA further explains that misusing opioids and benzodiazepine drugs increases suicidal thoughts among people aged 50 and older. Though more research is needed on drug metabolism and substance misuse, the longer half-life of substances may alter the impact of drugs on older bodies.