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Motivation Behind Travel Is Key To Satisfaction; Alcohol Abuse In The Elderly

Dr. Joyce Brothers

Dear Dr. Brothers: I love to travel and move around, and I'm worried that there's something wrong with this. I know there's sort of a stigma associated with people who aren't grounded in one place, and I wondered if this was because of a real problem with always traveling. I've lived in a lot of different places, but I always feel compelled to move on and try something new after a few years. Is there something wrong with this travel bug I seem to have caught? -- D.S.

Dear D.S.: For some people, a constantly changing environment can lead to personal growth and self-discovery through new social work and cultural learning experiences. Coming into contact with new and unfamiliar situations, and challenging yourself with these situations, really can make you feel exhilarated and alive, and give you a deeper understanding of yourself and the world. Does this sound like you? You can begin by thinking about your feelings toward your traveling, and what this movable life means to you.

It's also possible that you're traveling more to escape from yourself than the place where you live. If you feel dissatisfied with anyplace you go, and you're always unhappy with your life no matter where you go, your problem probably isn't geographical. You may discover that the locations you visit aren't as worthwhile to you as the problems you're trying to escape. Many people, especially historically, did look down on "wanderers" who didn't put down roots in any one place. Social norms dictate that we should settle down with some land and a family, and someone who bucks this trend can be seen as lazy, fearing commitment, irresponsible or even untrustworthy. Whether you fit this picture has little to do with your travel bug, and everything to do with your personality and motivations in life.

Dear Dr. Brothers: My dad -- who lives with me and my wife and kids -- drinks at least a six-pack of beer basically every night. I never really thought this was unusual until I caught my 17-year-old son drinking, and I started to reconsider alcohol issues in our family. I know that that much alcohol intake can't be healthy for someone getting on in years, but is there any point to trying to get him to cut down? How can I open up that conversation without sounding ridiculous? -- J.N.

Dear J.N.: Binge drinking has always been thought of as a problem in teenagers and young adults, but unfortunately this phenomenon is not actually limited to younger age groups. Although it manifests differently in older generations, the problem can be similar. Duke University researchers analyzed data from nearly 11,000 middle-age and elderly people a few years ago, and show in a report in the American Journal of Psychiatry that more of this age group engages in binge-drinking behavior than previously thought.

This usually goes unnoticed because older people rarely tell anyone how much they drink, and usually they are drinking at home, where no one is monitoring their intake. There is no age restriction on being an alcoholic, and it sounds like your father may fit into this growing population of older adults who drink too much. The reasons that substance abuse by our senior citizens goes undetected are varied, but most have to do with the fact that seniors are no longer active in mainstream society and there is simply no one around to notice. Most drinkers at this age are affected by social isolation, grief and/or mental or physical health problems. The good news is that alcohol problems can be successfully treated, even in later years, and your dad certainly may benefit from a treatment program. Start by asking him to help set an example for your son.

(c) 2009 by King Features Syndicate

Copyright: (c) 2009 by King Features Syndicate

This news arrived on: 10/31/2009

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