1- In the latest issue of NAMI Wisconsin's newsletter, The Iris, I write about how increasing use of alcohol, cannabis, and other substances threatens the mental health of older adults. Full text follows ... #geronsky #medsky - ThreadSky

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walaszek.medsky.social • 30 days ago

1- In the latest issue of NAMI Wisconsin's newsletter, The Iris, I write about how increasing use of alcohol, cannabis, and other substances threatens the mental health of older adults.

Full text follows ...

#geronsky #medsky

Comments

walaszek.medsky.social•30 days ago

2- The population of Wisconsin & the U.S. is aging. There are around 1.1 million older adults (65 years old or older) in Wisconsin and nearly 60 million in the U.S. Many older adults suffer from mental illness –

walaszek.medsky.social•30 days ago

3- fortunately, treatments like psychotherapy and medications work just as well for older adults as younger adults. Less stigma about mental illness means that more older adults are seeking help for depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric conditions.

walaszek.medsky.social•30 days ago

4- At the same time, substance use is rising among older adults. Despite decades of public health warnings about the dangers of tobacco, smoking has actually increased in older adults – currently, 14% use tobacco in some form, up from 12%.

walaszek.medsky.social•30 days ago

5- Binge drinking (4-5+ drinks on same occasion at least once in the last month) has been climbing rapidly: last year, 1 out of 8 older adults were binge drinking. Cannabis use has skyrocketed: in 2006, 1 in 250 older adults had used cannabis in the last year; in 2023, that number was up to 1 in 10.

walaszek.medsky.social•30 days ago

6- We all know about the negative health effects of tobacco. But many people do not appreciate that drinking alcohol and using cannabis can be bad for older adults’ mood, memory, and physical health.

walaszek.medsky.social•30 days ago

7- Because of changes that go along with aging (like shrinking of the brain and decreased function of the kidneys and liver), older adults who drink alcohol and use cannabis are more likely to have mental and physical consequences.

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