As You Age...A Guide to Aging, Medicines and Alcohol As You Age...A Guide to Aging, Medicines and Alcohol  
 

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As we age, the need to take more and different kinds of medications tends to increase. Also, growing older means our bodies respond differently to alcohol and medications than when we were younger.

image of lady with prescription bottle

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) launched a public education campaign to warn older adults about the dangers of misusing medications or mixing them with alcohol.

Medicine and alcohol misuse can happen unintentionally, but often will cause harmful interactions and create symptoms that masquerade as mental disorders. Guard against potential problems by being knowledgeable about your medications and how they make you feel.