Baby Boomers at Risk: An Epidemic of Prescription Drug Abuse in the Elderly
We would never expect to hear that our parents and even our grandparents might be abusing drugs. But according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the fastest growing population of prescription drug abusers is the elderly.
People 65 and older make up one-third of the demographic who routinely take multiple, long-term prescription medications, many of which have serious abuse potential. In elderly patients seeking emergency care at medical facilities, 12-15% were found to have more than recommended dosages of prescription drugs in their systems.
As people grow older, we are subject to many life changes. Retirement, the death of a spouse or of close friends, having to move in with family members, a general fear of aging, or debilitating medical conditions, are all potential factors for prescription drug abuse. Anxiety, pain, and insomnia can be relieved and controlled with medications such as benzodiazepines, opiate pain relievers, and skeletal muscle relaxants. But benzodiazepines slow brain activity, and opioids and muscle relaxants can produce euphoria, indirectly boosting dopamine levels, which can cause imbalances in an aging patient's metabolism. With age, the liver is less efficient in removing toxins from the blood, so there can be a buildup of those medications that are subject to overuse and abuse.
Most physicians are very aware of their patients' medical records, of course, but seniors who abuse their prescription drugs often “doctor shop” in order to access more of the drugs that make the pain or anxiety or sleepless nights go away. They use multiple pharmacies, paying out of pocket at pharmacies that have no records of their insurance coverage or of medications filled elsewhere. They make frequent emergency room visits hoping to be given a prescription because they've run out of their medications more quickly than they should. Elderly patients who take addictive prescription drugs sometimes use expired medications or “borrow” pills from friends or family. In some cases, they report that their pills have been stolen or lost.
Prescription drug abuse is difficult to detect in seniors because the signs can be mirrored by many of the conditions of aging, such as memory loss, disorientation, lack of balance, and slower reactions. Though mood swings and depression are often present in aging, these issues can also be signs of prescription drug abuse. People who are abusing their prescription medications often seem to be over-sedated or impaired. They are sometimes physically unsteady or unbalanced. Their appearance and hygiene suffer, and they show poor appetite. Other negative effects are mood swings, loss of motivation, and isolation.
It can be hard to imagine that a parent who has raised us, provided for us, encouraged us and stood beside us in tough times, might be addicted to drugs. But with old age often comes physical, emotional, and mental hardships. The reasons for seniors who fall prey to the struggle with addictive prescription drugs are as varied and unique as their lives have been.
Thankfully, addiction recovery is just as viable for the elderly as for younger addicts, and older adults have been found to respond to substance abuse therapy just as well. Treatment and management of medications, psychiatric counseling, and family involvement and intervention are important in helping the elderly addict get off the dangerous path of addiction.
If you think an elderly family member is addicted to prescription drugs, or if you're a caretaker for a senior who shows signs of prescription drug addiction, and you want to help, call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration at 1-800-662-4357.