Seniors are often prescribed medications appropriately for pain or anxiety.  Sometimes, for various reasons, individuals will become addicted to the medication and begin mis-using it. 

Abuse of these types of drugs is caused primarily by the fact that some drugs are habit forming for anyone. For seniors, they can become even more habit forming if there are common emotional issues like isolation, depression and/or lonliness or chronic physical pain.

The two most common types of drugs being abused are tranquilizers and pain killers.

Tranquilizers have a general effect of sedation or sleepiness and are often prescribed because they reduce anxiety and then abused because they are highly addictive. The largest type of tranquilizer is a group of medicines called “benzodiazepines.”

Since these drugs also are central nervous system depressants, they reduce heart and breathing rate which can have serious consequences when combined with heart medications or an underlying heart disorder. In addition, dangerous interactions can occur if these drugs are combined with alcohol or over-the-counter sleeping drugs. Other side effects of tranquilizers are memory loss, inability to concentrate, a “floating” sensation, and disorientation - all of which logically could lead to falls - which are of particular concern for seniors taking these medications.

While not usually life-threatening, the withdrawal (or discontinuing) from benzodiazepines can be very difficult and should be done under the supervision of a doctor.

A List of Commonly Prescribed/Abused Tranquilizers:
Xanax (alprazolam)
Valium (Diazepam)
Klonopin (clonazepam)
Ativan (lorazepam)

Pain Killers are common in the medicine chests of older adults. We have more pain as we age and this is normal. However, opiate pain killers have a strong potential for addiction and abuse - often even more than tranquilizers. Side effects can include nausea and digestion problems, blurred vision, dizziness, drowsiness, and muscle weakness. Signs of addiction are:  going to different doctors to get the medication, mood and behavior changes, strong shifts in energy levels (either really low or really manic), and irritability. 

The reason these drugs are so addictive is that once they are used regularly for some period of time (even as little as one month), the body goes into a painful withdrawal when the person no longer has the drug. The withdrawal can even be physically dangerous and includes: anxiety and panic attacks, muscle spasms and pain, vomiting, and chills. In some cases, it can cause heart damage and seizures. So, it is important to not “quit” cold turkey but to seek out medical help if someone wants to stop taking these drugs. Below are commonly prescribed pain killers that can have this addictive effect:

A List of Commonly Prescribed/Abused Pain Killers (opiates):
Vicodin (hydrocodone)
Lortab (hydrocodone)
Lorcet (hydrocodene)
Oramorph (Morphine)
Avinza (Morphine)
Fiorinal (Codeine)
Tylenol with Codeine
OxyContin (oxycodone)
Percocet (oxycodone)
Percodan (oxycodone)

Seek out the advice of your doctor if you think you or a loved one may have an addictive use of these drugs.  Again, withdrawal can be dangerous if the drugs are discontinued abruptly, so do not simply remove the pills from someone. 

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