Senior Citizens And Prescription Drugs -- Aging Addicts

In our current society prescription medication has become a way of life for millions of Americans. For may older Americans (55 and up) it's part of their daily routine. But unfortunately some older adults develop a dependence or addiction to prescription medication. What's even more unfortunate is that their addiction may go unnoticed leading to more issues and in some instances, a situation that cannot be remedied. Current statistics say that about 17 percent of Americans over the age of 60 abuse prescription medication.  At Mark Houston Recovery we deal with several types of addiction and understand having an addiction as an older adult. For some it's harder to come to terms with or even asking for help. We're committed to helping you get through this addiction because we understand the difficulties involved.

Prescription Drug Addiction And Senior Citizens -- The Invisible Addiction

According to a recent report by the National Institute On Drug Abuse, as many as 1,800,000 Americans over the age of 65 may be dependent on Medicare-provided prescription drugs. The problem is two-fold. This category of drug users get prescribed a slew of medications and often get over prescribed which means the have a surplus of medicine at their disposal. Additionally, not having to deal with issues like a large amount of commuting, raising children or going to work , they can easily become addicted without anyone noticing. Their behavior is then discounted as depression or old age or some other disease that is not related to drug use. The problem is that often times the drug use is the last thing anyone wants to suggest.  No child wants to see an older parent or grandparent deteriorate much less become addicted to drugs. On the plus side older individuals are more receptive to recovery methods and this makes the challenge of freeing them off their addiction much easier. Our goal at Mark Houston Recovery is to help this process through our effective recovery methods and continued care plans. We're prepared to take on the challenge.

Trying To Make A Change In Senior Citizen Drug Addiction

More and more  public education materials are being developed because there is an overall shared goal to communicate accurate health information on the proper use of prescription medications. Local and state agencies have recognized this growing problem in the senior population and are making efforts to get the message out on the dangers of over medicating or taking medications. One of the public campaigns called,  "Do The Right Dose"  includes print ads, a  television public service announcement, radio public service announcements, posters, and an update of a brochure called "As You Age." The campaign as SAMSHA (Substance Abuse And Mental Health Services Administration) states, will strive to educate older adults that prescription pain medications are safe and effective when used correctly, but if misused, could lead to addiction or other problems. It's one of the many things that are being done to help combat this national issue. Mark Houston is here to help as well, by doing what we can to get older adults on the road to recovery.