While illegal drugs or substances use usually declines after adulthood, nearly one million older individuals aged 65 and up live with drug use disorder, as reported by 2018 data. While the number of drug use disorder admissions to treatment centers between 2000 and 2012 varied slightly, the proportions of older adult admissions increased slightly, from 3.4% to at least 7%.
Are older individuals impacted differently by drugs and alcohol? The aging process could lead to physical and social changes that can increase their vulnerability to substance abuse. Little is known about the effects of alcohol and illegal substances on the aging brain.
To know more about the effects of illegal substances in the body, click here for information.
But oldies usually metabolize illegal substances more slowly compared to young adults, and their brains can be pretty sensitive to illicit drugs. One study shows that individuals addicted to cocaine when they … Read more