Alcohol Abuse Advice

Most people think of alcohol and substance abuse as a problem that mostly afflicts younger individuals with a reckless bent, but addiction does not discriminate. In fact, statistics show that alcoholism rates are actually higher among people 65 and older than among the general population. Meanwhile, the explosion of prescription medications for treating all kinds of pains and afflictions has led to a rise in non-alcohol-related addiction in the elderly.There are two main categories of alcohol and substance abuse among the elderly. First, there are people who have been addicted either consistently or on-and-off through their whole lives. In this case, elderly addiction is just a continuation of a longstanding pattern. Second, there are people who come to addiction later in life. This often happens as a result of chronic pain or other medical conditions, or as a reaction to the loss of a spouse, boredom, or isolation.

Drug and alcohol recovery for elderly patients comes with a unique set of issues. For one thing, elderly people who have been abusing for decades often think of themselves as beyond recovery, and it can be difficult for family members to penetrate this stubbornness and convince them that seeking treatment is the best path. And there are good arguments why being clean is indeed better. Elderly people mired in alcohol and substance abuse are more likely to have health problems, their quality of life is lower, and they are more likely to need more and more help as they continue to age.

In recovery, elderly patients often need closer, more careful medical attention than younger patients, but this should not be a barrier to treatment. If you have an elderly addict in your family and are considering ways to get them into treatment, call around to a few local recovery facilities, and you will likely find that some of them are equipped to handle patients of all ages.

Not sure if your elderly relative is engaging in substance and alcohol abuse? Here are a few signs that you can look for:

Growing mood problems, including depression and anxiety.
Rapidly accelerating mental decline that cannot be traced to any other medical causes.
Lack of interest in activities that the person used to enjoy.
A decline in the amount of contact with family and other loved ones.
Unexplained injuries, aches, or bruises.
Excessive irritability, which may take the form of hostility or an unusual amount of complaining.
Poor hygiene.
An excessive focus on medication.

Many elderly people are reluctant to address these concerns, but do not be afraid to raise the issue if you think it is getting bad. First, however, you may want to do your research so that you enter the situation with a full grasp of the treatment options that are available.

Studies of Substance Abuse with Interventions for the Youth of Native American …
Filed under: alcoholism rate

Of the 10 leading causes of death for American Indian youth, at least 3 are related to heavy use of alcohol: accidents, suicide, and homicide (Indian Health Service, Office of Public Health, Program Statistics Team, 1999). In addition, the alcoholism …
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Drunk on power
Filed under: alcoholism rate

The push — which has council member Ken Wilson and City Attorney Tom Carr written all over it — ostensibly comes from worries about alcohol abuse among CU students, who apparently engage in excessive drinking at a rate higher than the national …
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