Substance Use Among Older Adults: Recognizing the Signs
Community Service Board of Middle Georgia
Aging brings changes that can affect emotional, physical, and mental well-being. Retirement, the loss of loved ones, chronic illness, and social isolation can create challenges that sometimes contribute to substance misuse among older adults.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA, 2020), age-related physiological changes can increase sensitivity to alcohol and medications, raising the risk of adverse health outcomes. Older adults may also take multiple prescription medications, increasing the potential for harmful interactions.
When Warning Signs Are Overlooked
Substance use disorders among older adults can be difficult to recognize because symptoms may resemble common age-related health concerns. Confusion, unexplained falls, sleep disturbances, mood changes, and withdrawal from social activities may indicate an underlying problem (Kuerbis et al., 2014).
These symptoms do not necessarily indicate addiction, but they should encourage families and healthcare providers to ask questions and seek appropriate medical evaluations.
Understanding the Emotional Factors
For some older adults, substance misuse develops alongside grief, loneliness, chronic pain, or the loss of independence. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA, 2020) emphasizes the importance of recognizing these unique risk factors when addressing substance use disorders in aging populations.
Approaching these conversations with compassion rather than judgment can encourage individuals to seek assistance without feeling ashamed.
At Community Service Board of Middle Georgia, we recognize that awareness and early intervention are essential to supporting healthier communities.
Growing older should never mean that someone struggles in silence. Recognizing the signs may be the first step toward recovery.
Learn more about behavioral health and substance use services at www.csbmg.com.
References
Kuerbis, A., Sacco, P., Blazer, D. G., & Moore, A. A. (2014). Substance abuse among older adults. Clinics in Geriatric Medicine, 30(3), 629–654. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cger.2014.04.008
National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2020). Substance use in older adults drugfacts. National Institutes of Health. https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/substance-use-in-older-adults-drugfacts
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2020). Treating substance use disorder in older adults (Treatment Improvement Protocol [TIP] Series 26; Publication No. PEP20-02-01-011). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://store.samhsa.gov/product/tip-26-treating-substance-use-disorder-older-adults/PEP20-02-01-011