Young adulthood tends to be one of the most challenging periods in a person’s life. This is when moving away from home for the first time often happens. Going to college then is also common; either that or adjusting to a move to full-time work is part of the day-to-day life for most at this age. It is also an especially important time as far as the brain’s development goes.
Some young adults have recently started experimenting with drugs or alcohol or perhaps have continued using drugs or alcohol after having started in childhood, and that use has developed into an addiction that is making it difficult for them to deal with life’s challenges. Other young adults are struggling with mental health issues; some of the most common ones are anxiety and depression.
There are also many who are battling both – i.e. they have co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. Those in this type of situation should ensure that these disorders are treated simultaneously as focusing on one and then the other is not nearly as effective and can even be harmful in the big picture.
Regardless of what a young adult is experiencing, it is important to attack these issues now, before they become worse, and, more importantly, lessen the chances that they will develop into challenges that will take a lifetime of battling. There are so many years of potential remaining for young adults, and getting treatment now will allow that future to be as full as possible.
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2023 Statistics of Alcohol and Drug Use
According to Monitoring the Future, 65% of young adults (defined here as those who are 19-30 years old) consumed alcohol at some point in the previous 30 days while the corresponding figures for cannabis was 29%, cigarettes was 9% and other drugs was 7%.
A couple of especially relevant statistics to note are that 27% of this survey’s respondents had engaged in binge drinking (having had at least five drinks at least once over the past two weeks) while 10% had consumed cannabis on at least a near-daily basis (on at least 20 occasions in the past 30 days). Those young adults who are included in these latter percentages are more apt to need assistance with overcoming their substance use.
Struggles That Young Adults Experience
Why do young adults oftentimes experience significant struggles with these types of issues?
Peer pressure is one reason. Although people of all ages suffer from peer pressure negatively influencing their lives, “younger adults (are) more likely to succumb to social conformity” as compared to older adults. That means that it is more common that they will allow peer pressure to cause them to drink alcohol or consume drugs as compared to what they might have done had the peer pressure not been there.
Academic stress can also be significant for young adults who are in college. In some cases, it results in students consuming drugs, such as ADHD medications that were not prescribed to them, with the hope that those substances will help them perform better academically. Even if drugs or alcohol are not involved, academic stress can still cause anxiety, depression and other mental health issues on its own.
Family dynamics are especially important during this time. On the one hand, young adults are often still close with their parents and siblings, even if they no longer live under the same roof. And there might be family dynamics in the other direction, such as for young adults who are married and perhaps have children of their own to take care of. Having the support of a close family can, of course, really help people get through life’s tribulations, but family does also have the potential to cause a tremendous amount of stress, particularly if it is not so supportive.
Also essential to note is that a significant amount of emotional and psychological development occurs during this period of a person’s life, not quite as much as takes place during childhood but more than occurs compared to the rest of adulthood.
Types of Treatment Programs for Young Adults on Long Island
It is important to take advantage of age-appropriate counseling and support with professionals who understand the unique challenges that young adults who are suffering from these types of issues have and how to address and treat those in an effective manner that helps them better handle things, including long after that focused treatment has ended.
We at Long Island Interventions offer the benefits of specialized care in connection with several types of programs, including the following.
Inpatient Rehab
When we are introduced to young adults who are suffering from severe mental illness, overwhelming substance abuse issues or both, we often recommend inpatient rehab, which includes intensive, structured care in our supportive, safe and distraction-free environment. This residential treatment consists of medical clinicians, 24/7 professional care and emotional support to help you through this challenging time.
Outpatient Programs
In some cases, young adults instead receive effective treatment in one of our outpatient programs, which do not include overnight stays and which allow them to also continue focusing on school or work while overcoming substance use or mental health issues. Our main outpatient programs are partial hospitalization programs, intensive outpatient programs and standard outpatient programs. PHPs are the most intense of these, IOPs are less so, and OPs are the least intensive.
Dual Diagnosis Treatment
Unfortunately, many young adults suffer from co-occurring mental health disorders and substance use disorders, which can be an especially overwhelming situation. That said, many patients do experience a sense of relief when told that they have this type of co-occurring disorder, as their struggles start to make a lot more sense to them. Regardless, it is important to deal with both of these issues simultaneously since they are usually so interlocked that addressing them separately is ineffective, both in the short and long term.
Effective treatment requires a comprehensive approach that addresses both mental health challenges and substance abuse. This integrated approach, known as dual diagnosis treatment, focuses on improving overall well-being by recognizing the interconnectedness of behavioral health and substance use.
Sadly, many young adults who are suffering from both types of disorders do not receive that dual diagnosis or, more to the point, dual diagnosis treatment. So if you believe that this phrase may describe you, make sure that you bring up this possibility to your healthcare providers. Seeking mental health treatment that addresses both issues can significantly improve your chances of achieving lasting wellness and recovery.
Family Therapy
In many cases, family members are a part of a young adult’s recovery process. Of course, it does depend on the specific family dynamics as family therapy may not be desired or, in some circumstances, even possible. But for those situations in which it does make sense, it can be so helpful in a number of ways.
Family therapy, a form of group therapy, can help improve family dynamics, which may have suffered some stress as a result of your mental health or substance abuse struggles. It can also be a valuable addition to individual therapy by providing a supportive environment to practice new skills and coping strategies.
Often, family therapy incorporates evidence-based approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to help family members understand and manage their emotions, improve communication, and develop healthier relationship patterns. These therapeutic approaches can be particularly helpful in addressing issues such as emotion regulation, conflict resolution, and setting boundaries.
By participating in family therapy, you and your loved ones can learn to navigate challenges together and build stronger, more supportive relationships that promote lasting recovery.
Holistic Therapies
Young people, same as older adults and children, can benefit greatly from holistic therapies, which treat the entire person – i.e. they are not directed solely towards a narrowly focused treating of a diagnosed substance abuse or mental health issue. In particular, they take into account a young adult’s life experiences prior to this point: their mental, emotional, spiritual and physical journey throughout childhood and the start of adulthood that brought them here. Activities such as mindfulness, exercise and art therapy will help propel them towards profound long-lasting results that they will experience throughout adulthood.
Benefits of Young Adult-Focused Treatment Programs
There are several benefits to be experienced by young adults who are taking advantage of treatment programs that are specially designed for them. Included are the ability to build connections with peers who are experiencing similar struggles, receiving specialized professional support for this transition into their post-treatment adult life and developing the life skills, coping mechanisms and relapse prevention strategies to help that transition be a positive one.
Long Island Interventions Can Help
Long Island Interventions can help you with the essential early intervention and tailored care necessary to ensure that you experience effective young adult-focused treatment services. We offer inpatient and outpatient care here on Long Island, and we welcome patients from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and elsewhere who are looking for effective age-appropriate treatment plans.
Our treatment center specializes in addiction treatment and disorder treatment for young adults. We provide comprehensive and personalized care, including therapy, counseling services, medication management, and aftercare planning. Our goal is to help young adults achieve lasting recovery and build a strong foundation for their future.
If you would like to learn more about the personalized guidance and support that we offer, reach out to us. We will be glad to discuss with you our age-specific treatment programs and how they could help you get past these overwhelming challenges that you are experiencing and towards achieving much greater control of your life.
Published on: 2024-12-29
Updated on: 2024-12-29
