When people think about the hippies of the 1960s, a phrase that might come to mind is, “sex, drugs, and rock and roll”. That same generation of flower children who were smoking pot and dropping acid at Woodstock are now entering their golden years. While we might not think of today’s baby boomers as heavy drug users, it is important to remember that addiction can happen at any age and that the older generation might be more open to substance use than their children and grandchildren realize. More than a million adults over the age of 65 are estimated to have a substance use disorder. At Safe Harbor Recovery Center in Portsmouth, Virginia, we treat substance use disorder among a wide range of ages.

My Doctor, My Dealer

Seniors have a lot more medical appointments than the rest of us. They may see a number of specialists, in addition to their primary care doctor. If their doctors aren’t communicating and their pharmacy isn’t keeping track, it would be easy for an older person to acquire a lot of medications. A lot of people who end up taking illicit substances start out with prescriptions from their doctors. The opioid epidemic is a great example of how doctors unwittingly became the first dealers for a lot of people who developed drug addictions.

Alcohol and Seniors

Alcohol is the most widely used drug among adults over 50. Because alcohol is legal and more socially acceptable, it’s more likely that you know if your older relative drinks, which is good news. Unfortunately, there is a lot more bad news than good news, as it pertains to seniors and alcohol:

  • Older adults are more likely to be on medications that interact poorly with alcohol, increasing their risk for medical emergencies. Other seniors may choose to skip their medically necessary prescriptions, in favor of drinking, so that they can avoid interactions with their medications, but then experience adverse health consequences as a result of not treating their medical conditions. 
  • Tolerance for alcohol can decrease over time, causing heavy drinkers to be unable to handle the amount they used to drink regularly.
  • Seniors who have a history of drinking heavily may develop liver problems.
  • Brain functioning, which can decline with aging regardless of substance use, is far more likely to suffer among people who drink heavily.
  • Drinking can impair balance and motor functioning, which can lead to an increased risk for falls. Because our bones and other parts of our body can become more fragile with age, these calls become more dangerous than when we were young.

Other Drugs Misused by Seniors

It may seem odd to imagine a gray-haired grandparent using illegal substances or taking prescriptions to get high, but there are some older adults who do. Around 470,000 older adults who were surveyed reported recently using illicit drugs, including cocaine, marijuana, heroin, hallucinogens and inhalants, as well as misusing prescription pain relievers, tranquilizers, and sedatives. Just as a person’s tolerance for alcohol can decrease over time and their medications can have interactions with alcohol, the same can happen with other drugs. 

Not all drug misuse is intentional. Seniors may have memory issues that make it difficult for them to remember if they have already taken their pills. This can lead to accidental overdoses.

Signs of Substance Misuse

If something seems off with an older loved one, it is important to consider the possibility that they could be struggling with substance use. Some red flags could include:

  • Physical signs: Increased injuries, higher medication tolerance, blacking out, and cognitive decline
  • Psychiatric signs: Trouble sleeping, anxiety, depression, or mood swings
  • Social signs: Money problems, legal issues, withdrawing from friends and family, needing extra supplies of medications, or struggling because of a recent loss

How Seniors Recover Differently

Older adults might find it uncomfortable to sit in a room with people half their age for a recovery meeting or treatment and discuss their struggles openly. The casual profanity acceptable to younger people may be offensive and distracting to an older person. They are also more likely to require spaces that accommodate mobility barriers, with speakers who talk louder and slower. 

It may also be more difficult for seniors to discuss mental health. Boomers are from a generation that considered mental health to be a private matter and attached considerable stigma to mental illness. It may feel safer for them to begin discussing this topic in a room with people closer to their own age.

At Safe Harbor Recovery Center, we take a whole-person, evidence-based approach to treatment. We believe in meeting each patient where they are and building a recovery plan that addresses their unique needs.