Why Prescription Drug Addiction Among the Elderly Continues to Rise
As a person ages they face different health challenges in each stage of life. As older people face weakening health and undergo more medical
treatments and procedures compared to younger individuals, they often take more medications. As these medications increase, they are increasingly becoming ensnared in prescription drug addiction.
The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) reports that while deaths from prescription painkillers, known as opioids, have leveled off in every other age bracket, there has been a six-fold rise in opioid overdose deaths among those 55-74 years old. How can this be and how is it that prescription drug addiction can be going unnoticed in this age group?
One reason may be that some symptoms of addiction may be mistaken for signs of aging. Other times, doctors may be overprescribing to older patients with chronic or terminal illness. It’s also easier for an elderly body to overuse simply because it doesn’t metabolize drugs as efficiently as a younger body.
The fact that there are 75 million aging baby boomers in this country means that this problem could easily escalate if it is not addressed soon. However, even when family members recognize addiction or the individual is prepared to ask for help, treatment is not always successful in traditional group settings. Experience is showing that older rehab patients may need to be treated separately from younger patients in order to get the best results.
At Family Guidance Center we can help you when you have an elderly loved one who is abusing prescription drugs. We have experience helping family members of all ages to overcome dependence on substances. Call us soon.
