How Does Alcohol Affect Young Adults?

Many high school and college students view drinking as a rite of passage, and pop culture has perpetuated that idea by depicting young adults going to rowdy parties where the alcohol flows freely. The teen years are also a time when many young people are experiencing their first taste of adulthood, with milestones like earning a driver’s license and moving out of their parents’ house.

Underage drinking may be one way for young adults to test their boundaries and assert their independence. Often, people in this age range are more susceptible to peer pressure and the desire to fit in with their friends, which could lead them to experiment with alcohol. What should parents and young adults know about the risks of drinking?

The Dangers of Drinking for Young Adults

Young adults may feel invincible, believing there will be no negative consequences of binge drinking. However, alcohol abuse can quickly spiral into a pattern of self-destruction that is challenging to escape without help.

A teen or college-aged person who develops an alcohol misuse disorder can lose an otherwise promising future with difficulties such as the following.

• Problems in school: Students who drink might wake up feeling too hung over to pay attention in school, or could start skipping class altogether. Alcohol abuse can also interfere with a student’s academic performance. If their grades fall too far, they might risk expulsion from school.
• Impaired cognition: Because people’s brains continue to develop until their mid-20s, young adults who drink or use drugs might eventually have trouble concentrating, retaining new memories or making smart decisions.
• Reckless behavior: A drunk person might behave entirely differently than they do when they are sober, since alcohol lowers inhibitions. A young adult under the influence of alcohol could decide to do something irresponsible like starting a fight or having unprotected sex. Illegal activities such as drunk driving or vandalism could lead to an arrest.
• Health issues: The physical, mental and emotional effects of alcohol misuse don’t happen immediately, but over the long term, heavy drinking can raise the risk of developing organ and tissue damage, high blood pressure, depression, obesity and even some forms of cancer. Someone who drinks as a young adult might not meet all the standards for a diagnosis of alcohol use disorder at the time. They can still go on to struggle with alcoholism later in life, though.

Addressing Alcohol Abuse in Young Adults

Age-specific alcohol rehab is often ideal because younger people have different treatment needs and cultural expectations. Look for a young adult treatment center that offers therapy in addition to essential life skills such as job readiness. At Hope Academy, our goal is to prepare young people to be confident, independent adults upon their discharge from treatment. We have tailored our program to the unique needs of teens and college-aged students. To learn more about how Hope Academy can help rebuild the foundation of your life, contact us today.

The Most Commonly Misused Drugs for College Students

College creates a mix of freedom and stress that is unique to the campus environment. Being on their own for the first time can feel liberating for your child, but the pressures of studying and meeting new people might feel overwhelming. Students carrying a full course load could be tempted to drink or use drugs, especially on campuses that have a party culture. What are the most typical drugs for college students to use, and what should you, as a parent, know about them?

1. Alcohol

Alcohol is readily available on many college campuses, even for people who are under 21. The 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health revealed some eye-opening statistics about drinking on college campuses.

• 54.9% of full-time college students between ages 18 and 22 drank alcohol within the past month
• 36.9% had experiences with binge drinking
• 9.6% described themselves as heavy alcohol users, defined as people who binge drank five times or more within a month

The risks of underage drinking are numerous, especially in young people whose brains are still not fully developed. Remind your child that you’re there as a resource for them if they get invited to a party where alcohol and other drugs will be available and they want to avoid peer pressure.

2. Marijuana

Another illicit drug that is, unfortunately, easy to come by on many college campuses is marijuana. Students may be curious about smoking or vaping pot because its depiction in countless movies and TV shows makes it look fun. They may have also heard marijuana can help them relax, which can seem appealing to people who are stressing out about exams, group projects and looming due dates.

In addition to remaining illegal in about half of U.S. states, marijuana use can cause memory loss, as well as impaired motor skills and decision-making ability. It can also lead to a sharp decline in academic performance.

3. Stimulants

Prescription stimulants such as Adderall and Ritalin can help people with ADHD concentrate, but that temporary clarity appeals to many college students who believe these drugs can give them a competitive edge. Thanks to the frequency with which doctors prescribe stimulants, these medications are prevalent among college students, and your son or daughter may be able to obtain these so-called “study drugs” from a friend who has a legitimate prescription.

Although not everyone who uses Adderall is in danger of developing an addiction, you should know that prescription stimulants can be highly addictive, because they affect the reward center of the brain the same way methamphetamines do. People who take these drugs at higher doses outside a doctor’s supervision will gradually build a tolerance until they no longer feel as if they can function normally without the medication.

What You Can Do to Combat College Drug Use

As a parent, you can help convince your college-aged child not to experiment with drugs and alcohol while they’re away at school. Talk to your daughter or son about the consequences of drug use, including failing their classes, the possible legal ramifications and the hazards to their health.

You can also educate yourself about the college’s drug and alcohol policy and how they enforce it. Meanwhile, before sending your child away to school, make sure they know how to recognize and respond to an overdose.

If you believe your child has developed a problem with alcohol, marijuana, stimulants or any other drug, reach out to us at Hope Academy. We can get your college-aged son or daughter the help they need to recover and discover the bright future that awaits them without drugs and alcohol.

Pot Plus Alcohol Equals Poor Grades

Drinking and smoking pot can cause poor grades for college students, according to a study published in PLOS One, which confirms a notion long-held by addiction experts and educators. 

Researchers at Yale University and the Institute of Living in Hartford, Conn., found that college students who consume medium-to-high levels of alcohol and marijuana have a consistently lower GPA -- not only by the end of the first semester but throughout the two years of the study. 

The authors used data from the Brain and Alcohol Research in College Students study, which tracked 1,142 students for two years after they began college, and self-reported data to cluster them into groups of low users or medium-to-high users of alcohol or both substances.

Those who used marijuana and alcohol heavily in the first semester had a GPA of 2.66 compared to 3.1 for those who used little to no alcohol or pot. Those who drank heavily but didn’t smoke marijuana had an average first semester GPA of 3.03. Students who decreased their substance use over time did show an increase in GPA compared to their peers who continued the same pattern of drug and alcohol use, noted authors.

Hopefully, these results will encourage college health and counseling services to put out more information on the impact that drugs and alcohol have on grades, said Godfrey Pearlson, senior author of the study. “There’s a lot of peer pressure during that first year to drink and use marijuana,” he adds.

Here are some more facts about drinking and smoking marijuana in college, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and the National Institute on Drug Abuse:

• People who begin using marijuana before the age of 18 are four to seven times more likely to develop a marijuana use disorder than adults.
• About 20 percent of college students meet the criteria for an alcohol use disorder. 
• About one in four college students report academic consequences from drinking, including missing class, falling behind in class, doing poorly on exams or papers, and receiving lower grades overall.
• Marijuana is linked to school failure, causing negative effects on attention, memory, and learning.

Addiction Treatment for Young Adults
No matter how severe your addiction, Hope Academy's substance abuse rehab in California can help. Interested young adults attend college courses while they are in rehab, and all participants receive life skills training and customized aftercare to optimize chances of sobriety success. For information, call 866-930-4673.