Elderly male with late-onset heroin dependence
Substance use disorders usually have their onset during the adolescent period. However, in rare cases environmental and psychosocial factors can contribute toward a later onset. We describe a case of an elderly male who initiated his heroin use for the first time at 65 years of age and eventually de...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Geriatric Mental Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.jgmh.org/article.asp?issn=2348-9995;year=2021;volume=8;issue=1;spage=51;epage=53;aulast=Bhardwaj |
| _version_ | 1819148093091741696 |
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| author | Akansha Bhardwaj Sidharth Arya Sunila Rathee Rajiv Gupta |
| author_facet | Akansha Bhardwaj Sidharth Arya Sunila Rathee Rajiv Gupta |
| author_sort | Akansha Bhardwaj |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Substance use disorders usually have their onset during the adolescent period. However, in rare cases environmental and psychosocial factors can contribute toward a later onset. We describe a case of an elderly male who initiated his heroin use for the first time at 65 years of age and eventually developed dependence. This late-onset of heroin use was mediated by contextual factors such as loneliness, boredom, and easy access to heroin while craving and withdrawal symptoms served as maintaining factors. He responded well to a combination of opioid antagonist and nonpharmacological approaches focusing on activity scheduling and social support. As the demographic transition and societal changes take place, the elderly population with substance use problems will increase. There is an urgent need to upgrade substance abuse treatment services to meet the specific needs of the elderly using supportive and nonconfrontational approaches with special focus on improving social support access. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T13:40:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2704acebfcd34ca29ea8a05c1ec41203 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2348-9995 2395-3322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T13:40:14Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Geriatric Mental Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-2704acebfcd34ca29ea8a05c1ec412032022-12-21T18:23:57ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Geriatric Mental Health2348-99952395-33222021-01-0181515310.4103/jgmh.jgmh_12_21Elderly male with late-onset heroin dependenceAkansha BhardwajSidharth AryaSunila RatheeRajiv GuptaSubstance use disorders usually have their onset during the adolescent period. However, in rare cases environmental and psychosocial factors can contribute toward a later onset. We describe a case of an elderly male who initiated his heroin use for the first time at 65 years of age and eventually developed dependence. This late-onset of heroin use was mediated by contextual factors such as loneliness, boredom, and easy access to heroin while craving and withdrawal symptoms served as maintaining factors. He responded well to a combination of opioid antagonist and nonpharmacological approaches focusing on activity scheduling and social support. As the demographic transition and societal changes take place, the elderly population with substance use problems will increase. There is an urgent need to upgrade substance abuse treatment services to meet the specific needs of the elderly using supportive and nonconfrontational approaches with special focus on improving social support access.http://www.jgmh.org/article.asp?issn=2348-9995;year=2021;volume=8;issue=1;spage=51;epage=53;aulast=Bhardwajelderlylate-onset dependencelonelinessopioid dependencesubstance use |
| spellingShingle | Akansha Bhardwaj Sidharth Arya Sunila Rathee Rajiv Gupta Elderly male with late-onset heroin dependence Journal of Geriatric Mental Health elderly late-onset dependence loneliness opioid dependence substance use |
| title | Elderly male with late-onset heroin dependence |
| title_full | Elderly male with late-onset heroin dependence |
| title_fullStr | Elderly male with late-onset heroin dependence |
| title_full_unstemmed | Elderly male with late-onset heroin dependence |
| title_short | Elderly male with late-onset heroin dependence |
| title_sort | elderly male with late onset heroin dependence |
| topic | elderly late-onset dependence loneliness opioid dependence substance use |
| url | http://www.jgmh.org/article.asp?issn=2348-9995;year=2021;volume=8;issue=1;spage=51;epage=53;aulast=Bhardwaj |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT akanshabhardwaj elderlymalewithlateonsetheroindependence AT sidhartharya elderlymalewithlateonsetheroindependence AT sunilarathee elderlymalewithlateonsetheroindependence AT rajivgupta elderlymalewithlateonsetheroindependence |