Baby Boomers and Drugs: How Are They Related?

Overlooking a Growing Dilemma

Substance abuse, particularly of alcohol and prescription drugs, among baby boomers, is one of the fastest-growing health issues facing our country. Yet, even as the number of older adults suffering from these disorders increases, the situation remains relatively hidden from the public’s eye. While substance abuse among the young is surveyed, categorized, and analyzed, the addiction problems of the parents and grandparents of these youths are virtually ignored. One thing is for certain. There is a correlation between baby boomers, drugs, and substance abuse.

“Addiction problems of the parents and grandparents of these youths are virtually ignored.”

The reasons for this oversight can be due to a lack of knowledge, limited available research statistics, or even hurried doctor visits that overlook symptoms or attribute them to other health issues. As people age, medical issues, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, dementia, and others, can present symptoms that mirror the ones associated with the chronic disease of addiction. However, a better assessment of the problems associated with substance abuse among baby boomers, who are those born between 1946 and 1964, is needed.

The Numbers Are Rising

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, practically 1 million people over the age of 65 reported to be living with a substance use disorder in 2018.¹ Between 2015 and 2016, 9% of adults between the ages of 50 and 64 reported using marijuana.¹It is also reported that alcohol is the most commonly abused drug by people 65 or older, with a whopping 65% reporting heavy drinking at least once a week during the past year.¹

An additional study by SAMHSA revealed a number of interesting facts about those from older generations. This included facts about some boomers, drugs, and substance abuse, including:²

As people enter middle age and pass through young adulthood, their use of illicit drugs tends to decrease.
In 2014, more than 1 million people 65 and older had a substance use disorder (SUD).
In 2014, there were 161,000 cases of illicit drug use disorder and 978,000 cases of alcohol use disorder among older persons.
Compared to prior generations, the baby boomer generation (those born between 1946 and 1964) has relatively higher drug use rates.
Using drugs is a growing public health concern amongst people 65 and older.
Older persons who use substances may experience problems with their physical and emotional well-being, social and familial concerns, engagement with the criminal justice system, and even death from a drug overdose.
The negative impacts of substance use may be made more difficult because older persons are more likely than people in other age groups to have chronic health conditions and take prescription medicines.

These numbers highlight the very real risks of combining drugs and aging individuals. While it may seem like a fun pastime, it could actually be causing more damage that becomes harder to address with time.

Possible Reasons for Addiction Among Baby Boomers

It is possible that the generation who grew up in the “Age of Sex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll” often sees drugs as a way to combat loneliness and depression. Long-term recreational drug users, such as marijuana smokers, may now be facing increasing physiological problems associated with aging and drug use. Extended periods of isolation from retirement, having an empty nest (all their kids have moved out), or reduced interpersonal interactions tend to escalate substance use.

Elements that contribute to higher alcohol use among older adults include significant changes in life, such as retirement, loss of family and friends, and a decline in mental or physical health. Additional factors that make older individuals more vulnerable to inappropriate alcohol use include insomnia, a family history of substance abuse, chronic pain, and psychiatric illnesses, such as depression or anxiety.

Misconceptions About Addiction

According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory, and related circuitry. It is characterized by biological, psychological, social, and spiritual symptoms.³ Addiction, like Alzheimer’s disease, is a disorder of the brain that can affect both young and old. The lack of attention to this problem in older individuals may stem from the false belief that addiction results from a lack of willpower. So, this could result in a “shame” associated with substance abuse, which then leads to a reluctance to seek professional help and attempt to handle the issue privately and discreetly. Their relatives, especially adult children, are often embarrassed by the problem and purposely choose to ignore it.

Ageism can also contribute to the silence associated with substance abuse in baby boomers. Young people often assign a different set of standards to older individuals. However, it is the belief that substance abuse can be overlooked in older individuals because of far-fetched reasons, such as: “It doesn’t make a difference since they are near the end of their lives anyway,” or “Grandma needs her ‘Happy Juice’ because she is so much easier to manage after she has it.” These attitudes are not only callous, but they also rely on false perceptions. Somehow, it has become acceptable to ignore addiction problems with baby boomers. The same disorder that would have a family rallying around and staging an intervention for a teenager does not elicit the same sense of urgency when it is a grandparent.

Small Amounts, Big Effects

The reality is that the misuse and abuse of alcohol and drugs take a greater toll on baby boomers than on younger individuals. As people age, the way that their bodies metabolize alcohol and other substances slows. According to Harvard medical school, an older person who drinks the same amount of alcohol as a younger individual is more likely to have a higher blood alcohol concentration, primarily due to a lesser volume of water in the body and slower rates of substance elimination. Thus, they remain in the body longer, and even a small amount can have a strong effect.⁴ Some of the risks include an increased number of falls, greater levels of confusion, and a higher potential for interactions with other medications.

If a person is in the midst of active addiction and fears that symptoms of withdrawal may be too much, our BHOPB detox center can manage the process safely and effectively.

Telling Mom and Dad That They Need Help

It is a difficult situation when a child has to tell Mom or Dad that they need help with a substance problem.

Increased mood swings, difficulties making decisions, disorientation and just not seeming like themselves can be symptoms of a substance abuse problem and not just general characteristics of the aging process. However, it is a difficult situation when a child, who has always relied on his or her parents to make wise choices, now has to tell Mom or Dad that they need help for a substance problem.

Unfortunately, our society does not fully recognize the seriousness and extent of substance misuse in older adults. As the number of older individuals with addiction problems grows, better methods for early identification of the signs are needed.

Some of the steps include:

Improving the quality of care, including training and broadening dissemination of effective practices.
Integrating substance abuse, health, mental health, and aging services to provide comprehensive care tailored to the needs of the individual consumer who presents with co-occurring, multiple needs.
Building a clinically and culturally competent workforce through education and training of providers, increasing the supply of competent providers, especially those who are bilingual and culturally competent, and using older adults in peer-to-peer service roles more extensively.
Increasing support for family caregivers, including education about medication management and signs of alcohol and drug abuse.
Providing public education to address ageism, stigma, ignorance, and fears about treatment and its effectiveness.
Improving research on effective prevention, intervention, and recovery support strategies.
Developing governmental and private sector readiness, including leadership, planning, and program development.

Too Much Time on Your Hands

The generation that grew up in an era that romanticized drug use and rebellion is now preparing to retire. Uninhibited by work responsibilities and parental duties, many of the baby boomers are using the extra time to relive their youth and return to a favorite pastime. If you are concerned about an older friend or family member, Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches is ready to help. With nearly 20 years of experience, the doctors at our Lake Worth drug rehab can develop an addiction recovery plan via our levels of care that encompasses baby boomers’ needs.

If you or a loved one needs addiction treatment in Lake Worth, don’t hesitate to reach out. When you are ready to get back those good feelings without misusing alcohol and drugs, call us at 561-220-3981.

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