{"id":6511,"date":"2021-07-07T20:13:34","date_gmt":"2021-07-07T20:13:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.americasrehabcampuses.com\/?p=6511"},"modified":"2023-04-12T12:36:05","modified_gmt":"2023-04-12T12:36:05","slug":"what-is-the-most-commonly-abused-drug-by-older-adults","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.americasrehabcampuses.com\/addiction\/what-is-the-most-commonly-abused-drug-by-older-adults\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is The Most Commonly Abused Drug By Older Adults?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Heroin<\/p>\n

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Drug abuse problems can affect your health, emotional well-being, and social relations. Worse still, continuous abuse can result in severe illnesses and increased medical costs if not controlled. Unfortunately, drug use among older adults is unrecognized as a significant issue.<\/p>\n

Though illicit drug use declines as people age, almost\u00a01 million older adults<\/a>\u00a0( aged 65 or older) suffer substance use disorder (SUD), according to 2018 data. SUD has become a major public health concern among older adults, and it is an indicator of increased drug abuse among the baby boom generation (those born between 1946 and 1964).<\/p>\n

Most Commonly Abused Drug by Older Adults<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Despite the increasing rates of prescription drug misuse among older adults, alcohol remains the most commonly abused drug by people aged 65 and older. About\u00a065% of older people<\/a>\u00a0are involved in high-risk drinking, and a tenth of them binge drink.\u00a0Binge drinking<\/a>\u00a0is drinking five or more drinks on the same occasion or within some hours for men, and four or more drinks on the same period by women.<\/p>\n

Alcohol is one of the common addictions, with most admissions to substance use treatment relating to it. Luckily, recovery is possible when you get treatment with\u00a0America’s Rehab Campuses.<\/a>\u00a0Alcohol use disorder affects many older people and puts them at higher risk for many health problems.<\/p>\n

Health Issues among Older People Related to Alcohol<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Older adults can suffer from various alcohol drinking problems, especially those on other medications, have underlying health issues, or drink heavily. Some of the health facing seniors who drink include:<\/p>\n

Dehydration<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Consumption of alcohol affects how the body reabsorbs water. Alcohol lowers the amount of water the body reabsorbs than it would without alcohol in the system. Older people are more susceptible to dehydration due to alcohol, and many people in this age group already suffer some dehydration. Many senior citizens face dehydration due to inadequate intake of fluids.<\/p>\n

Increased Sensitivity to Alcohol<\/strong><\/h3>\n

As people age, the body’s tolerance to alcohol becomes low, making drinking riskier for the elderly. Aging causes the body to be less efficient at breaking down alcohol, causing the alcohol to remain in the system for a longer time. This increases the risk for car crashes, falls, and other unintentional injuries.<\/p>\n

Other Health Issues<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Some health problems are common among older people. Heavy drinking can increase the threat of many illnesses that the elderly are already at risk of contracting because of their age. Some of the\u00a0alcohol-related health problems<\/a>\u00a0encountered by senior citizens include:<\/p>\n