Young adults and addiction

Young Adults And Addiction

Being a young adult is a stage of life that comes with its own set of difficulties. This is typically when a person moves away from their parents, enters college, enlist in the military, begin a profession, or start a family. While everyone follows their own path, young adulthood is undeniably a period of transition and, at times, hardship. The age group beginning at 18 and going into the mid to late 20s is the most likely to use substances such as alcohol, cocaine, and marijuana. Although some people begin experimenting with drugs and alcohol when they are young, and others wait until they are older, many start at this age. This can be because of experimentation desire, community or environmental pressures, or mental health issues.

According to a survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), young individuals have some of the highest rates of alcohol and substance abuse. In 2018, over 35% of adults aged 18 to 25 binge drank, which means they had four or more drinks in a two-hour period for women and five or more drinks for men. An estimated 25% of people aged 26 and older binge drank, while 4.7% of those aged 12 to 17 binge drank. Tobacco smokers are most common among people aged 18 to 25, with one-fifth of them admitting to smoking cigarettes within the month prior to the survey. Electronic cigarette use has risen from around 13% of young adults using electronic cigarettes in 2016 to approximately 15% in 2017.

2019 Monitoring the Future National Survey looked at drug usage patterns among college students and people aged 19 to 60. Young adults are not only more prone than other age groups to use alcohol, cigarettes, and e-cigarettes, but they are also more likely to use illicit substances. People in their early 20s are the most likely to take illegal drugs such as marijuana, amphetamines, cocaine, hallucinogens, and MDMA. Marijuana use is most common between the ages of 21 and 22. Young individuals who were not in college used marijuana on a daily basis at a considerably higher rate than college students. When compared to college students, noncollege kids use practically all illicit substances at higher rates. Noncollege youth use more LSD, MDMA, and Cocaine, while college students are more prone to use Amphetamines such as Adderall.

Some groups of young adults are more inclined than others to abuse substances. For example, men used most substances at higher rates than women in the 19 to 30-year-old age group. According to one study, women who indicated sexual minority status, meaning they did not identify as heterosexual, were at a higher risk of developing alcohol, drug, or tobacco misuse and dependence than their heterosexual peers.

According to research, the usage of certain substances among young people is on the rise. According to the 2019 Monitoring the Future National Survey, “marijuana use among young adults (ages 19-28) surged to all-time highs in 2019.” It was also observed that the prevalence of LSD, Cocaine, and Hallucinogens has increased. This could be due to the changing perception of the risk of some drugs. Adults’ perceptions of the dangers of LSD and MDMA have decreased, but their perceptions of the dangers of Heroin and Narcotics have grown. To understand how to treat young people who are addicted to drugs or alcohol, it is necessary first to comprehend why people begin misusing substances in the first place.

The frontal brain does not fully mature until a person’s mid-20s, prompting some experts to link this delayed development to young people’s tendency for making rash decisions and abuse narcotics.

Substance misuse can be explained by a person’s community, family, friendships, environment, and personal motives. For some, experimenting with drugs and alcohol before entering adulthood is considered part of the process of discovering one’s own personality. Others may use drugs as a way to blend in with their peers. If all of a young person’s companions drink, it’s more probable that they will drink as well. In some circumstances, the individual may not appreciate using substances but is afraid of being excluded from the group if they refuse to take part. Others may self-medicate with drugs and alcohol if they are suffering from physical discomfort or mental health difficulties such as depression and anxiety.

According to SAMHSA, in 2018, 8.9 million young adults reported having a mental illness. Two out of every five of them went untreated. Half of those who suffer from mental illness also have a substance use disorder (SUD). According to the National Institute on treatment options tailored to their specific needs.

Treatment For Young Adults

Drug abuse intervention at a young age can be good for a young person who is experimenting with drugs and does not yet have a complete addiction. There are numerous therapy alternatives to consider. For example, someone with a weaker addiction who still needs to attend school or work to support their family could seek outpatient treatment. Inpatient treatment allows for a complete emphasis on treatment for those with serious addictions.

Young adult inpatient rehab can provide specialised counselling and therapies tailored to a young person’s specific needs. Inpatient rehab for young adults, sober living homes, and support groups will provide young people with a community of sober peers with whom they can begin to establish ties. This stage of life can often anticipate how the rest of a person’s life will unfold, making it critical to actively pursue recovery and set a strategy for achieving goals.

How Do I Find Treatment?

The amount of information available on rehabilitation techniques and facilities can be overwhelming, mainly because many possibilities exist. Contact a treatment provider today for more information on treatment options.