Addiction in Young Adults
Like most of us felt as teens, young adults still often take an approach to life that has an air of invincibility.
A belief that nothing can harm them or that they can do no wrong. But there are risks to this lifestyle. Addiction being one of them. Addiction, unfortunately, does not care about one’s age. Whether you are a teenager, a young adult, middle-aged, or elderly, various shared factors can lead to becoming addicted to drugs or alcohol. But there are also circumstances specific to younger generations that make them even more susceptible to addiction.
Development is Ongoing
One of the biggest concerns regarding substance abuse for young adults, beginning in their teenage years, stems from the brain’s ongoing growth and maturation.
Some assume that the brain primarily develops in the first few years of a child’s life, when in fact, from adolescence through the mid-’20s, the portion of the brain that is responsible for judgment and impulse control is still developing. This means that not only are young adults still learning impulse control and judgement but that their risk of long-term brain damage from using drugs and alcohol is much higher than in a fully grown adult.
This knowledge becomes more alarming when you consider the carefree, risk-taking lifestyle that many young adults take part in. Young adults tend to be more carefree than older adults and are more willing to take risks without fully considering their actions’ potential long-term consequences. These individuals also tend to be in more social situations where drugs and alcohol are prevalent and used excessively: binge drinking, smoking cigarettes and marijuana or using a mix of illegal and prescription drugs. The repeated use of these substances, especially in excess, increases the odds that young adults are opening themselves up to addiction.
Environment Matters: It’s in Their Surroundings
Adolescents, teenagers, and young adults are more impressionable than older adults.
They are more curious as they are learning and growing both physically and emotionally. It is during this time that they are also gaining more independence from their family, driving, going to college and living on campus. It is for this reason that the teenage and young adult years are usually when someone experiments with drugs and alcohol for the first time. Whether it is cigarettes, alcohol, or drugs, a child surrounded by this kind of use in a household or among friends is more likely to also experiment with them.
After college, in the workplace environment, there is a brand new set of hazards. Being at a new job can bring pressure to perform at a high level, causing someone to turn to drugs and alcohol to deal with stress and anxiety. Conversely, there could be social aspects to a job, such as a workplace happy hour, that can subject individuals to drinking more regularly in an attempt to fit in.
And if there is no exposure at work, there may be some vulnerability outside of it. While dating, visiting with friends, or attending an event like a concert or sporting event, alcohol and drugs could very well be a regular part of a young adult’s surroundings.
There is no limit on environments that can put young adults in danger of addiction. As they continue to be exposed to drugs and alcohol regularly in their day-to-day life, there is a greater chance that they will partake in these, suffering the risk of long-term side effects and potentially developing an addiction.
If you are considering treatment for yourself or a loved one, call us today.
Be On the Lookout
While it is almost inevitable that young adults will experiment with alcohol and drugs at some point, that does that mean that their use will necessarily develop into addiction.
That being said, the longer a younger adults uses alcohol or drugs regularly, the more likely they are to develop a more serious issue. This is where knowing the signs of alcohol or drug abuse are so important. If you can spot the warning signs early, intervene, and get your young adult the mental health or substance abuse support they need to get back on track while their use is still in the early stages, they have a better chance of success. Some of the most apparent and common early warning signs include:
A Shift in Personality
Individuals may become depressed, anxious, or irritable. They may suddenly abandon relationships that they are in, their performance and attendance at work may begin dropping off, or if confronted, this individual may turn to complete denial.
Changes in Their Physical Appearance
Someone who is regularly using either drugs or alcohol will physically begin to change. The change can be mild to severe depending on the frequency and length of use. They may have bloodshot eyes, sweat, shake uncontrollably, or have a complete change in their sleeping habits. There may be a significant gain or loss of weight over a short period, and depending on the substance they are abusing, their teeth, skin, and hair can begin to deteriorate.
Emotional 180
As the use of substances repeatedly poisons one’s brain, there is a good chance emotional changes will begin showing themselves. A person may become irritable, defensive, confused, in denial, or lose all interest in things they once cared dearly about in the past. It is also common for someone in this position to try to shift the blame of their behavior onto someone or something else.
In addition to physical cravings, someone with an addiction issue will also spend a tremendous amount of time thinking about their drug of choice. These thoughts become a compulsion and impossible to control, which leads to drug-seeking behavior that can sometimes be criminal.
Feelings of depression, sadness, anxiety, despair, and the like are often at the root of substance abuse. The substance might temporarily mask these feelings, but they return once the high wears off, creating a vicious circle of drug abuse.
Taking a substance will temporarily stop the cravings and compulsion for it, but soon the same feelings return. In time, it takes more and more of the same substance to achieve the same effect it once had.
People addicted to drugs and alcohol may feel like they have no control over their drug use. Refraining from using or stopping seems to be an impossibility for them. The substance controls them, rather than the other way around.
Someone addicted to drugs or alcohol will continue to seek them out even if their addiction has made them lose friends, family, spouses, and jobs. Drug-seeking behavior can even lead to diseases such as hepatitis and HIV/AIDS.
There is Help Available
Once a young adult you care about is abusing alcohol or drugs, the road to recovery can seem long, scary, and overwhelming.
Do not fear. There are avenues where your loved one can turn things around and live a happy, healthy, addiction-free life. The most important step can often be the hardest: taking action. If you are concerned about yourself or someone you know and their relationship with drugs or alcohol, know that it is never too early to get help. Addiction treatment varies from person to person but can include: individual, group, or family therapy, health, fitness, and life coaching, and group bonding activities.
Nexus Recovery Services can help if you believe a young adult in your life is struggling with drug or alcohol addiction. Staffed with a team of world-class therapists, counselors, and instructors, Nexus Recovery Services helps young adults in need of recovery through a boutique, holistic therapeutic approach. For a free and private consultation, please call 310-881-9151.
In addition to physical cravings, someone with an addiction issue will also spend a tremendous amount of time thinking about their drug of choice. These thoughts become a compulsion and impossible to control, which leads to drug-seeking behavior that can sometimes be criminal.
Feelings of depression, sadness, anxiety, despair, and the like are often at the root of substance abuse. The substance might temporarily mask these feelings, but they return once the high wears off, creating a vicious circle of drug abuse.
Taking a substance will temporarily stop the cravings and compulsion for it, but soon the same feelings return. In time, it takes more and more of the same substance to achieve the same effect it once had.
People addicted to drugs and alcohol may feel like they have no control over their drug use. Refraining from using or stopping seems to be an impossibility for them. The substance controls them, rather than the other way around.
Someone addicted to drugs or alcohol will continue to seek them out even if their addiction has made them lose friends, family, spouses, and jobs. Drug-seeking behavior can even lead to diseases such as hepatitis and HIV/AIDS.
If you or a loved one are suffering from alcohol or drug addiction, we’re here to help. Contact us today and speak with one of our trusted recovery advisors.
