Substance Abuse in the Elderly
The increase in substance abuse among people over 60 years of age is understandable from several perspectives. The boomer generation grew up in a society that was experimenting with controlled substances, and in -- or on the margins of -- a culture that viewed the use of drugs as normative. Indeed, much of the rhetoric about drugs and alcohol was that these substances could enhance life experiences, provide deeper insights into one's life -- transcendence, if you will -- and ease the suffering brought about by life transitions and quotidian pressures. This generation found self-medicating for personal angst and genuine disorders such as depression or post-traumatic syndrome was acceptable.
While many life challenges are universal and do not occur in higher percentages according to particular demographics, other challenges are linked to demographics. People in their 60s and beyond do experience an uptick of physical and emotional challenges, and often also must deal with diminished resources with which to address those challenges. In addition to age-related problems, significant life transitions may result in emotional shifts with the potential to influence the ability of elderly people to cope with stress. Depression, loneliness, social isolation, and diminished cognitive capacity...
In particular, a substantive rise in the excessive consumption of alcohol to deaden the experience of actual or psychological is now observed in elderly people. The three legs of this "perfect storm" of alcohol abuse in the elderly -- although certainly more complex than this brief model -- can be conceptualized for purposes of discussion in this manner: 1) General acceptance of the use of alcohol (and other controlled substances) by the boomer generation; 2) physical symptoms of aging that cannot be mitigated to acceptable levels by mainstream medical treatments or healthcare; and, 3) emotional symptoms of aging that appear to be an amalgamation of life cycle situations, cultural influence, and overall social factors.
New research using a version of cognitive therapy referred to as Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) has been shown to assist patients at risk for opioid misuse to redirect their attention toward natural rewards (Garland, et al., 2014). For example, the study participants in the MORE intervention were taught to use mindfulness meditation to direct attention to the sensory features of a pleasant experience, image, or object. The study participants using the MORE approach showed greater attention to the natural, emotionally salient…
