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Treatment for addiction takes many forms and depends on the needs of the
individual. In accordance with the American Society of Addiction Medicine, we offer
information on outcome-oriented treatment that adheres to an established continuum of
care. In this section, you will find information and resources related to evidence-based
treatment models, counseling and therapy and payment and insurance options.
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A recent study by New York University suggests that alcohol use is increasing among older adults in the United States.
Researchers drew data from each National Survey on Drug Use and Health report from 2005 to 2014 to examine past-month alcohol use among adults aged 50 and older. During those years, self-reported past-month binge drinking and the prevalence of alcohol use disorders increased among older adults.
“Health care providers need to be made aware of this increasing trend of unhealthy alcohol use, particularly among older females, and ensure that screening for unhealthy alcohol use is part of regular medical care for this population,” Dr. Benjamin Han, lead author of the study, said in a press release.
The study, published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, showed a 19.2 percent increase in past-month binge drinking and a 23.3 percent increase in alcohol addiction among older adults from 2005–2006 to 2013–2014.
Being Hispanic, male and a smoker or illicit drug user was associated with binge alcohol use. Being male, a smoker, an illicit drug user, or reporting past-year depression or mental health treatment was associated with alcoholism.
Men had a higher prevalence of binge drinking and alcohol use disorders compared with women, but women also showed significant increases in both categories. In fact, the rate of binge drinking increased more rapidly among women than men from 2005 to 2006.
Han said the physiological changes women experience while aging makes them more vulnerable than men to the consequences associated with alcohol use, including chronic disease.
However, health problems are not the only consequences associated with drinking.
Dr. Joseph Palamar, an author of the study, said that women drinkers are at high risk for exhibiting regretful behavior.
The study’s authors wrote that health care providers and policymakers should be aware of these trends to combat unhealthy drinking among older Americans.
Marijuana Use among Baby Boomers Also on the Rise
In an earlier study, Han and a team of researchers found increases in marijuana use among older Americans in recent years.
The study, published in the journal Addiction, used data from each National Survey on Drug Use and Health report from 2006 to 2013 to examine trends in the prevalence of past-year cannabis use among adults aged 50 and older.
More than 47,100 people aged 50 and older responded to the survey. The results showed that past-year cannabis use among this age group increased by 71 percent from 2006 to 2013. During this time, past-year marijuana use increased by 250 percent among adults aged 65 and older.
When combining data from 2006 to 2013, nearly 7 percent of older marijuana users met the criteria for cannabis abuse or dependence.
More than 85 percent of older adults perceived no risk or slight risk associated with monthly cannabis use. Seventy-nine percent of these individuals perceived no risk or slight risk associated with weekly marijuana use.
Among people aged 50 and older, white and black people smoke marijuana at the same rate, the study found. Older adults with less than a high school education or with less than $20,000 in income use marijuana more than average.
Senior Substance Abuse Statistics
Older Americans have had problems with drugs and alcohol in recent years.
People aged 65 and older comprise 13 percent of the United States population. But they account for nearly 30 percent of all medications prescribed in the country, according to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence.
In 2015, the organization reported 2.5 million older adults have an alcohol or drug problem. Widowers over the age of 75 had the highest rate of alcoholism in the United States.
Older adults receive nearly 17 million prescriptions for tranquilizers each year. The most commonly misused prescription drugs among older adults are benzodiazepines.
Medical Disclaimer: DrugRehab.com aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling with a substance use or mental health disorder with fact-based content about the nature of behavioral health conditions, treatment options and their related outcomes. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider.
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Han, B.H. et al. (2016, December 5). Demographic trends among older cannabis users in the United States, 2006–13.
Han, B.H. et al. (2016, December 12). Demographic trends of binge alcohol use and alcohol use disorders among older adults in the United States, 2005–2014.
Ingraham, C. (2016, December 18). Aging baby boomers increasingly embrace marijuana, heavy alcohol use.
National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. (2015, June 26). Alcohol, Drug Dependence And Seniors. Retrieved from #
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