Drugs and alcohol addiction is very common with the older people these days, quick solution is needed
One of the treasures of life is growing old or simply old age no wonder the saying “old is gold.” Everyone would like to live and see their third and even fourth generation. Therefore as we get older, our bodies begin to react differently to alcohol and medications than when we were younger. Older people having lived that long are for sure taken many different medications, these medications may sometimes not mix well with each other or with alcoholic drinks.
Many at times if older people do not adjust for these changes in their bodies and do not use medications safely they may ignorantly experience problems with substance misuse (without even knowing it). Some physical and mental problems that people think are just a normal part of aging or the result of an illness may actually be caused by drinking too much, incorrect use of medications, or mixing medications and alcohol unsafely.
Talking with doctors, pharmacists, and other health professionals can help an older person and family members stop problems with alcohol and medications before they start. Being aware of the possible dangers and warning signs is important too. Those needing help with alcohol or other drug problems should talk with their doctor or nurse. Help is available, and older adults often recover from substance abuse problems better than younger people. By changing the way they use medications and drink alcohol, many older people feel better physically and mentally, and have less illness and disability.
Drugs and alcohol problems for older people-Substance misuse
Substance misuse and abuse for older adults can mean many things. It may include the use of drugs that can change your mood, such as alcohol, tranquilizers, or illegal drugs. Substance misuse also includes “risky drinking” or unsafe use of medications. Any substance misuse or abuse can cause serious health problems and problems with family and friends, finances and even with the laws of the land and authorities.
Risky drinking
Risky drinking is when someone drinks alcohol in ways that may not have caused problems yet, but may cause problems if the same drinking pattern is kept up. For some older people, this can mean drinking more than the recommended amounts. For some older adults with certain health problems or who take certain medications, this can mean drinking any alcohol.
Medication misuse
Using any prescription or over-the-counter drug without following the prescription is drug misuse. This includes using too much or too little, or not taking it on the schedule the doctor recommended. With over-the-counter drugs, like cough syrup or aspirin, medication misuse can mean taking more than the package says or taking it too often.
Some medications don’t mix well with alcohol or with other medications. For example, it is unsafe to drink alcohol when you are taking medications for sleeping, pain, anxiety or depression. Because many medications remain in your body for many hours, even if you take a medication in the morning, but have a drink with dinner, the alcohol-drug mix may cause problems. Over-the-counter medications or herbal drugs can also cause problems when taken with other medications or alcohol.
Drugs and alcohol problems for older people-Dangers of substance misuse
A large number of older adults misuse alcohol, prescription drugs, or other substances, and this number is growing bigger. Almost one in every five older people drinks alcohol or use medications unsafely. You don’t have to drink first thing in the morning or drink every day to have problems caused by drinking. For some older people, any alcohol use can be a problem. It all depends on how your body responds to alcohol, the medications you may be taking, your current health, and what else is going on in your life.
Drugs and alcohol problems for older people-Why are the dangers different for older people?
Getting older causes changes in your body that can make you respond differently to alcohol and medications. These changes mean that there are differences between the way older adults and younger adults’ bodies can handle alcohol. For example, the same “couple of beers” you may have been drinking for years can affect you differently as you get older. The same amount of alcohol or number of drinks that had hardly any effect before can now makes someone feel drunk.
This means that as people get older, they can feel the effects with less alcohol (increased sensitivity) and they can’t drink as much as they used to hence the need to decrease tolerance to alcohol. Also, alcohol is processed by the body (metabolized) more slowly in older bodies, so blood alcohol levels are higher for a longer amount of time after drinking. This may mean increased danger of accidents, falls, and injuries for older adults even many hours after they drink alcohol.
Statistics indicate that older people are more likely to have at least one chronic illness. Many chronic illnesses can make people more likely to have bad reactions to alcohol. Drinking problems can also be more hidden among older people as they are more likely to drink at home, don’t have to show up at work the day after drinking, drive less after drinking, and may see friends or other people less frequently.
People of 65 years and above take more prescription and over-the-counter medications than any other age group in the today’s society. Prescription drug misuse and abuse is common among old these group because more drugs are prescribed to them and also because getting older makes the body more likely to feel the effects of drugs (just like with alcohol). Many older adults have problems because some medications don’t combine well with other medications. Drinking alcohol with some medications also causes problems for many older adults.
Drinking alcohol or using medications unsafely can make many physical and mental health problems worse. Some of the physical conditions that are made worse by drinking alcohol are liver disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, ulcers and other gastrointestinal problems, and sleep problems. Alcohol consumption can also slow healing and recovery from injuries and surgeries. Alcohol can also make it harder for doctors to correctly diagnosis some medical conditions. Therefore when you have a physical or mental health condition then you must not mix the medication with alcohol.
To avoid old age alcohol addiction, we must identify the roots. It will be healthy to educate young people on the effect of alcohol abuse so that the number of young people drinking is reduced and eventually the old latter on.
The company you keep can influence you to alcohol addiction. It is therefore necessary that you desire only to associate with sober people and shun the drinking friends.
Keen observation of the warning signs of alcohol related problem and when noticed an immediate medical attention is sought.
Keep to the sober environment, living near and around entertainment sports like bars, clubs may bring negative influence. A voiding such environment will helps the temptations and influence.
