Most people have heard the phrase, “Age is just a number.” Well, there is perhaps no place where this phrase is more pertinent than in the realm of recovery. It is never too early or too late to get help. This includes individuals past the age of 50.
It’s Never Too Late to Get Help
No one should ever feel like they are too young or too old to get help. It is important to remember that addiction doesn’t discriminate based on age, so why should age matter when it comes to recovery?
Many people feel like they are too old to recover because they have gone past the “point of no return.” The reality is there is no such thing. Yes, there may be some specific dynamics that have to be dealt with, but these all pale in comparison to continuing to live a life of hopelessness and loneliness in active addiction.
Many people over 50 also feel it is too late to get help because they have already established themselves too much in their lives. Fears pop up like what will happen to my established career and what will my now older children think. The truth is that the career will most likely benefit and the older children will be proud.
Getting Help When You Are Past 50
Many people over 50 also feel like they might not have a problem. Also, many people over 50 may tell themselves, “I’ve made it this far with my alcohol and substance use, it must not be that bad.” However, when they compare the consequences that they have experienced over the years they would most likely agree that life would be better without drugs and/or alcohol.
The statistics back up these sentiments. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “In 2021, 94% of people aged 12 or older with a substance use disorder did not receive any treatment. Nearly all people with a substance use disorder who did not get treatment at a specialty facility did not think they needed treatment.” These are individuals who would benefit from the notion that they need to “put their recovery first.”
Putting Your Recovery First
Many people over 50 avoid going into recovery because they worry about how their absence while in recovery is going to affect their loved ones. The fact of the matter is that active addiction is most likely affecting them much more negatively than some time away in treatment ever would.
Also, it is important to remember that addiction is a family disease, and as a family disease everyone is affected and everyone needs to recover. So when an individual over 50 gets help, it gives the entire family a chance to get help as well.
There is a saying in recovery that goes, “Everything that you put above your recovery you’re going to eventually lose.” While this may seem drastic, it makes a lot of logistical sense. Sobriety and being in recovery often bring many things back into a person’s life, so when that sobriety goes away it is only logical that the other benefits will slowly slip away as well. This fact is especially important when it comes to maintaining long-term recovery.
Maintaining Long-Term Recovery
Recovery is about both the short and the long game. This means that it is important to live “one day at a time” in recovery but to also build a strong foundation that is going to make that recovery last. Also, this is true for everyone including those over 50 who get help.
To maintain long-term recovery, people over 50 should not feel like they have to do anything different than any other age group. They should stay accountable and engaged with their recovery plan. Connect and stay connected to a recovery community. Also, work to help other people who have less time in recovery than them.
There are also specific recovery meetings for people who are past 50. These meetings are usually inclusive to all but only people over 50 are allowed to run the meeting and are the first people to share. Also, these meetings are a great way for older people to see other people like them recover as well as feel “seen” themselves.
Healing at Any Age With Lantana Recovery
Here at Lantana Recovery, we know that there is no age requirement for recovery. We have helped both young and old alike recover and not only get their lives back but attain lives that they once thought impossible.
Recovery is a journey, and it doesn’t matter what age it starts at. The only thing that matters is it starts, and there is no better place to make that start than right here at Lantana Recovery.
It is never too late to recover. There tend to be more responsibilities and hesitancy when someone is thinking about recovery later in life, but this should never hold someone back from getting the help that they need. Recovery is possible at any age to achieve an “easier, softer” way of life. If you feel like you or a loved one are struggling with issues of mental health, addiction, or both, we can help get you on the positive path toward long-term recovery right away. You don’t have to go through this alone. For more information about recovery past the age of 50, please reach out to Lantana Recovery today at (866) 997-2870.