Watch Out! Granny Is On Crack!

Elderly individuals are usually known for sitting at home knitting, drinking coffee, and going out once a week to play bingo at the Senior Citizens Club, however, according to recent studies, there has been a rise in the elderly population who has been diagnosed with a Substance Abuse Disorder. Research suggests nearly 11% of the elderly population suffer with a Substance Abuse Disorder. The most commonly abused substances in elderly people are alcohol and opiates, but the drugs the cause the most inpatient admission are cocaine, marijuana, and stimulant abuse. It is very common for doctors to misdiagnose an elderly individual who is suffering from a substance abuse disorder due to his/her age; most doctors will examine an elderly individual and assume his/her symptoms are coming from a different disorder. For example, a very confused elderly man may be admitted into the emergency room and the doctors will probably assume he is either suffering from dementia or a stroke, but really he has just taken a hand full of pills and is out of his mind. Many elderly individuals will deny having any substance abuse problem, which also makes it harder to diagnose without the use of further testing. There are several different treatment options such as Psychotherapy, Psychopharmacology, and AA groups that elderly individuals can participate in and learn to overcome their addiction.

There are many health issues that can occur in elderly individuals who are substance abusers such as liver damage; immune system impairment; and cardiovascular, GI, and endocrinological problems. Elderly individuals, even more so than adolescents, should be very cautious when it comes to using drugs because they are already at a higher risk for having problems in these same areas. 

So, the next time you see an elderly individual reach for a pill bottle, just know that those pills may not be Aspirin to relieve his/her arthritis pain.

Abstract

Bogunovic, MD, O. (2012). Substance Abuse in Aging and Elderly Adults. Psychiatric Times, 29(8), 39-40. (2012, August 1).