Signs of Drug Use in Young Adults
Drug Use in Young Adults
Drug use is prominent across different age ranges of young adults. When drug use starts to interfere with daily activities, then the condition becomes a substance use disorder. Examples of substances linked to substance use include cocaine, heroin, marijuana, methamphetamines, inhalants, and anabolic steroids.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over seventy thousand individuals in the United States lost their lives due to overdose in 2017. Adolescents may have some of the most prevalent rates of substance use according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
According to a study on the trends of drug use in adolescents, 81.4% of older adolescents reported having the chance to use drugs. The research also shows that the median age at the start of drug abuse was 14 years with dependence and 15 years without dependence.
How Drug Use in Young Adults Affects the Developing Brain
Drug use has both physical and mental negative effects on young adults. The human brain is a complex organ, and substance use influences how it functions. Note that the brain regulates the overall function of the body, especially for interpreting and responding to signals.
In teenagers, substance use can affect the brain in two significant ways: brain development and memory.
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Brain Development
According to research, it’s evident that the brain is in its development process during young adulthood or adolescence. The brain creates different connections between the brain cells before adolescence. Between the ages of 11 and 12, the brain starts to prune back several of those connections. The pruning process clears unused wiring for faster and more efficient information processing.
Young adults can experience a substantial volume change in the gray and white matter parts of the brain. There are various non-linear developments of neural systems in the body of teens. Due to these imbalances in the brain, it is extremely risky for young individuals to participate in substance use.
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Memory
Substance use also plays a role in memory loss or lack of concentration in young adults. The medical condition associated with loss of memory is called amnesia, but it’s not a common experience for young individuals. Common drugs that may result in memory problems include anti-anxiety drugs, alcohol, and opioids. Substance use is not a prominent cause of memory loss, but it may play a role.
Risk Factors for Drug Use in Young Adults
Various factors may increase the chances of young adults engaging in substance abuse. Generally, these risk factors deal with the social aspects of adolescents. Here are some of the significant risk factors of substance use:
- Peer Pressure: Peer pressure defines the method by which individuals of the same social group can influence one another. In most cases, peer pressure defines negative influences from other teens. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, peer pressure overrides the fear of taking risks. For this reason, an adolescent may engage in substance use to influence their peers.
- Stress: Chronic stress is one of the major risk factors of substance use in teenagers. Different substances serve as a coping mechanism for stress in adolescents, including those due to physical, emotional, or mental stressors. Common stressors include conflicts with loved ones, the death of a loved one, illness, legal problems, moving home, or changing jobs.
- Depression and Anxiety: One of the major causes of substance use in teenagers is depression and anxiety. Social anxiety disorder describes a condition where individuals feel nervous or self-conscious in public or social scenarios. Both substance use disorders and anxiety are the most frequent problems in the United States with lifetime rates of 14.6% and 28.8%.
- Trauma: Childhood traumatic experiences or trauma during adolescence play a role in substance use. Examples of traumatic experiences include physical assault, sexual assault, rape, domestic violence, emotional or verbal abuse, and natural disasters. Teens react to trauma differently, depending on their personalities and environment. Common responses to trauma include nightmares, difficulty concentrating, irritability, anger, anxiety, denial, and depression.
- Family Circumstances: Family circumstances, like the divorce of parents, can make adolescents start abusing substances. If a parent engages in substance use, it may also result in substance use by their child during adolescence or young adulthood. Unemployment is also an example of a family circumstance that causes substance use.
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This article was submitted by Green Hill Recovery.
See also:
Is My Teen Using Drugs?
Is Someone Shooting Up?