Addictions in the Elderly – Review Article

Abstract Background Society in Poland and other developed countries is aging at an increasing rate, which is also reflected in the frequency of addiction among older people. This has social, health and economic implications, as older people are still active in the labor force today. Objectives The aim of this study is to review information on the problem of addiction to drugs, nicotine, alcohol and gambling in the elderly and to present the related difficulties in medical practice. Material and methods Review of publications on addiction among seniors included in the PubMed and Google Scholar database. The publications were collected between 2011–2021. Conclusions Addictions in older people are slightly different from addictions in younger age groups, so they should be considered separately. The elderly are particularly vulnerable to drug addiction. Seniors suffer from many chronic diseases; polypharmacy is often used to treat them. In addition, older people often struggle with insomnia and pain, which can lead to addiction to benzodiazepines and opioids. The physician plays a key role in the diagnosis and treatment of addiction in elderly patients, regardless of the type of addiction. In all cases of addiction, factors that predispose seniors to addiction should be taken into account. These are often modifiable factors, such as loneliness, a sense of rejection or inappropriate treatment of chronic diseases.