Recently, a study revealed that the instances of fatal drug overdoses among senior citizens has gone up dramatically over the past twenty years. The research included both intentional and accidental overdoses of all types, and found that the number had increased by four times where the number had been in the past.
The number of elderly folk that had a fatal overdose in 2002 was 1,060–about 3 out of 1,000 seniors. In 2021, that number rose to 6,702–about 12 out of 1,000.
This information comes from a study that was recently published in the journal, JAMA Psychiatry. The team was based out of the University of California, Los Angeles. The hope is that studies like this one are better able to bring this issue to the public mainstream. The more people that are aware of the need for better mental health and substance abuse treatment across the age groups, the more likely we are going to be able to see more people get the care and attention that they deserve.
Additionally, this highlights a growing need for more focus on the mental health needs of the elderly. This is a population that has long been overlooked in this area for a number of reasons. However, regardless of the reason why seniors have been overlooked when it comes to mental health needs, this study reinforces the fact that mental health struggles and substance abuse tend to be a growing concern. We need more professionals in this field, devoting their time to helping those in need.
We also need to acknowledge that this is a systemic issue and that it requires a systemic approach. We need awareness of drug abuse to grow so that more medical professionals are assisting in this area, but we also need the structures that support those in need, such as through the insurance companies that work with seniors–primarily Medicare and Medicaid. There’s not enough attention given to this issue at this time. That was one of the main conclusions that researchers made during this study–insurance companies need to be more proactive when it comes to seniors and drug abuse treatment.
Drug abuse at any age can have serious and deadly consequences. However, there are extra difficulties that can arise as someone gets older. For someone that has struggled with addiction for a long time, quitting and making healthy choices afterwards can be much harder than for someone who has not struggled with addiction in the same way. Additionally, as someone gets older, there are changes that occur within the body and the brain and this can make drug misuse, even accidental misuse, all the more dangerous. Seniors that are dealing with this issue can find themselves fighting a very difficult battle.
Addiction and drug abuse tend to be lifelong struggles. However, not all professionals are thinking about it this way yet.
If drug misuse is a concern, please get in touch with a professional in this field. If you’re unsure of where to start, SAMHSA has a national hotline that you can call: 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
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