Baby Boomer Epidemic
A BABY BOOMER EPIDEMIC – Did we party too hearty?
10,000 baby boomers turn 65 each day. Today there are 3.2 million baby boomers needing treatment for excessive alcohol use. Of those less than 2% will be diagnosed as opposed to 4.3 % of the general population because of denial.
Party hearty ! Rallying cry of the 60’s and 70’s. Alcohol use was widely available and socially acceptable. This carried over from college drinking to middle age and now into the years of “baby boomer” aging. Why is the problem increasing for the baby boomer generation? Alcohol consumption has become a way to cope with grief, anxiety, stress, and depression. Couple this with a generation with more pre-existing alcohol habits and the numbers soar.
So what’s the problem? The problem is our bodies are changing as we age. -as much as we hate to admit it. As our metabolism slows down we metabolize alcohol (long with everything else !) more slowly. The effects hit harder and last longer. Drinking the same amount in an evening as we drank in our 20’s can produce higher blood alcohol concentrations now, leading to increased impairment from an amount we used to tolerate.
AND this is where the denial comes in. Many more in the boomer generation are in seemingly good health for their age than any generation before. Because of the denial that their drinking is a problem or effecting them adversely, fewer excessive drinkers over the age of 65 seek help. Problems from impaired judgment and decreased reaction time/coordination, caused by what is now for the body excessive alcohol consumption, contributes to serious injury or death from falls, household accidents and car crashes. 31 % of all patients seen in the ER and 50% severely injured trauma patients in the United States screen positive for alcohol involvement ! Denial increases, especially in upper income women (now more numerous than any time in the past) and men and women over 70.
Add to this the statistic that 20-30% of adults over 70 take 4-9 prescription medications daily on average. Alcohol and medication do not mix ! Couple this with the statistic for those now considered problem drinkers in denial, and our generation has an epidemic on it’s hands.
Is this article making you uncomfortable? Are you saying you don’t have a problem or know anyone who does? Chances are you DO know someone who needs help. We all heard it said an alcoholic will not get help until he is ready…… that may be true but have you done your part as a friendor relative to increase awareness? Did you know that a binge drinker is a male who consumes 5 or more drinks in a 24 hour period (3 for a woman) and binge drinking crosses the line into something even more serious if it occurs “regularly” or several times a week. The amount of alcohol to obtain or sustain the same feeling increases as tolerance increases. The “desire” for alcohol becomes a craving or need without the drinker being aware he is becoming dependent. Alcohol abuse can easily cross into dependency.
Alcoholism can run in families. More research is showing genetics playing a role in some tendencies to develop alcohol related problems. However- don’t stop reading here – environmental, societal and peer influences can also cause alcohol dependence syndrome.
How do we handle this epidemic?
- Increase awareness
- Talk about it
- Seek help
- Be informed – the internet is full of excellent material related to this topic. Just type in “baby boomer alcohol consumption” The statistics are in!
- Be honest about the amount of alcohol you or a loved one is really consuming
- Take a short quiz. Talk to your doctor if you answer yes to three or more questions.
Screening Quiz #1
- Have you lost time from work because of your drinking
- Is your drinking effecting your home life
- Do you drink because you feel shy around people
- Is your drinking becoming part of your reputation
- Have you felt remorse after drinking
- Do you crave a drink at a certain time of day
- Do you drink to “escape” or “unwind”
- Do you drink alone
- Do you experience memory loss
- Do you feel more confident after drinking
- Do you drink more than 3 drinks in a 24 hr period more than twice a week
- Do you deny how much alcohol you consume to your doctor. or a loved one
- Do you” hide” your drinking
Screening Quiz #2 (CAGE)
- Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking?
- Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
- Have you ever felt guilty about drinking
- EYE OPENER – Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to “steady your nerves” or get over a hangover?
Two positive answers indicate a need for further evaluation.
Good self assessment is available at www.ncadd.org , the website for the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency or visit www.alcoholscreening.org.
Think about it !