Addiction on the Rise Among Baby Boomers

Who would have thought that addiction would be affecting baby boomers at this stage of their lives? But it has. Approximately four million Americans nearing retirement age have a substance abuse problem. How did this happen?

Boomers, who have responsibilities caring for their elderly parents, are also dealing with their own health issues, perhaps raising teens, experiencing the empty nest, divorce or other losses and are feeling so overwhelmed that their lives have spiraled out of control.

Can a little drink or two be so bad? It can if it becomes something you depend on to get you through the night. Or have you become addicted to your prescribed medication for pain or anxiety?

Many boomers take medications because they are so readily available, but it has caused them to become chemically dependent. Along with these and other addictions, like gambling and eating disorders, the future of many baby boomers is a cause for concern.

Boomers are more vulnerable to severe side effects of drugs and/or alcohol use. As you age, your body can't handle the drugs as it would if you were younger. Many are likely to be physically and psychologically fragile. Recovery from addiction could take longer and use more medical resources, like private care and longer counseling services.

The Hanley Center, a nonprofit residential treatment center in West Palm Beach, FL has launched one of the first programs geared specifically for this population. According to the professionals, boomers are not as prepared to accept the aging process or their physical limitations, so they instead look for the quick fix - which can be Xanax, marijuana, alcohol or Oxycodone. These challenges are addressed to help in the recovery process for this aging population.

What do you need to do? Boomers need to assess how healthy their coping skills are and whether their behavior moves them towards or away from creating strong relationships, a good work ethic and optimum health and well-being. If it is determined that the behavior is harmful, there are many options available.

Certainly if you or someone you know has a problem, seek help. It is never too late to ask for support, since treatment is available. The wisest thing to consider is that the discomforts of life can be dealt with without medicating yourself into oblivion. It is possible to cope with your life issues in a healthy, constructive and positive way and give yourself a new lease on life. The choice is yours!

Amy Sherman, LMHC, is a licensed mental health counselor and coach. She is the author of "Distress-Free Aging: A Boomer's Guide to Creating a Fulfilled and Purposeful Life" and Joy of Optimism 10 Lesson eCourse. For more information, go to http://www.yourbabyboomersnetwork.com/.

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Addiction To Getting Things Done

There are many addictive ways that most of us have learned to avoid our painful feelings, and focusing on getting things done is often one of these ways.

It's not that there is anything wrong with getting things done. Most of us have a lot that we need to do and we may feel stressed when we don't get done what we need to do. It is certainly not addictive to make lists and be self-disciplined enough to follow through on our lists.

Whether or not it is addictive depends on your intent. If your intent is to be a responsible self-disciplined adult, then getting things done is healthy, loving action toward yourself. But when your intent is to use your list and obsessively getting things done as a way to avoid responsibility for your feelings, then it becomes addictive.

Ryan was addicted to getting things done. Each morning he would make his list and then obsessively focus on crossing everything off. If his children needed something from him - too bad. He was busy. If his wife needed help - well she would have to find it elsewhere. He was too busy. If he felt alone, sad, empty inside or lonely, focusing on his list was the way he avoided these difficult feelings.

At the end of the day, Ryan wondered why he didn't feel fulfilled - why he felt so empty inside. As we explored his addiction to getting things done in our Skype session, Ryan said, "My lists make me feel safe from feelings."

Safe from feelings. Why did Ryan need to feel safe from feelings? What was so unsafe about feeling his feelings?

Actually, I understood why his feelings felt unsafe. When I was growing up in my family, painful feelings were avoided at all costs. Because my parents had no healthy ways of managing their painful feelings, they also could not handle mine. I was rejected if I felt anything but happy. My mother managed her painful feelings with anger at me and my father, while my father managed his painful feelings by shutting down.

Ryan had a similar experience as he was growing up. His mother managed her painful feelings with incessant self-judgment, while his father numbed out, shutting down his feelings. Of course, Ryan learned to do the same things - judging his feelings and shutting down to them. However, because he didn't want to end up poor like his parents, he also learned to use lists and getting things done as a way of avoiding his feelings. While this worked for him to create a successful business, it did not work to create inner peace, joy or successful relationships with his wife and children.

Anything can become an addiction - depending on your intent. When your intent is to avoid responsibility for your feelings - rather than learn Inner Bonding and practice learning from your feelings rather than avoiding them - you will find many addictive ways of avoiding.

Learning to compassionately embrace all painful feelings, with acceptance toward them and the intent to learn from them, is what you need to do to move beyond being addicted to getting things done or to any other addictive way of avoiding your feelings.

Start today by practicing being compassionately present in your body with your feelings, embracing all feelings as informational. Imagine your feelings as a child within who needs compassionate acceptance rather than judgment.

Instead of rejecting that child, welcome him or her as valuable to you, a source of inner guidance regarding whether you are being loving or unloving toward yourself, whether others are being loving or unloving with you, or whether a situation is safe or unsafe for you. If you practice this consistently, you will find your addiction to getting things done, as well as many other addictions, falling away.

Margaret Paul, Ph.D. is the best-selling author and co-author of eight books, including "Do I Have To Give Up Me To Be Loved By You?" and "Healing Your Aloneness." She is the co-creator of the powerful Inner Bonding® healing process. Learn Inner Bonding now! Visit her web site for a FREE Inner Bonding course: http://www.innerbonding.com/ or email her at margaret@innerbonding.com. Phone sessions available.

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