Addiction takes many forms across many different demographics. Substance Abuse may be overlooked in young adults because they may not have the same reasons to get sober as older people. Because many Young Adults are not as well established as older adults, they may not have the same consequences for their substance abuse.
Peer Groups
When older adults delve too deeply into addiction, they often get pushback from their spouse, employer, or peer group. This pushback can lead to consequences that cause an addicted individual to seek treatment. Young Adults may not face these same consequences. They may be enabled by their peer group and addiction may become normalized and even encouraged within their peer group.
Medical Problems
Sometimes medical problems are the impetus for older adults to receive addiction treatment. Years of substance abuse can lead to the development of medical issues with the heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, or kidneys. If an older adult has a health scare caused by the malfunction of one of their organs, they may be forced to address their addiction and enter into addiction treatment.
Because young bodies are typically more resilient, these physical effects may be overlooked or remain in their preliminary stages. Without the “wake-up call” of a serious health issue, young adults may be under the impression that their drug or alcohol use is not harming them.
Environmental Issues
The lifestyle lived by many young adults can enable drug and alcohol addiction to flourish. Many young adults find themselves living on their own, without parental supervision, for the first time in their lives. There is a certain degree of rebellion that can accompany this freedom. Young adults may find themselves breaking rules established by their parents as an exercise of their autonomy. This can lead to over-indulging in illicit drugs and binge drinking.
Young Adults may also struggle to acclimate to a new and unusual schedule after graduating from High School. Without the rigorous schedule of classes and athletics, they may find themselves bored and struggling to fill up their free time. The stress of juggling college courses and employment may also lead them to look for escape in mood-altering substances.