A government report released earlier this year predicts that by 2020 the number of adults over age 50 in need of substance abuse treatment will double from the current annual average of 2.8 million to an estimated 5.7 million per year. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) also reports that treatment admissions doubled in adults age 50 and over between 1992 and 2008.

Unlike teenagers and young adults who may abuse drugs and alcohol because they are seeking adventure, one of the leading causes of substance abuse for older adults is depression. According to the Administration on Aging, many of the changes that are associated with growing older in America can lead to depression. These changes involve a combination of physical, social, psychological and vocational issues.…