Young adulthood, between ages 18-27, is an important stage of brain development, identity formation, and social, educational, and vocational transition. This makes it a vulnerable time for experimentation with drugs and the development of both substance and process addictions.
A process addiction is a behavioral compulsion, not involving substances, where an activity like gambling or gaming is repeated despite causing significant negative consequences to one’s life and well-being. In this article, I outline some of the factors which give rise to addictions and what types of addictions affect young adults.
Just Some of the Statistics Tell the Story
Among young adults, the prevalence of substance use disorders increased significantly between 2011 to 2019, from 5.4% to 6.2%, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health 2011-2019. And while substance use among adolescents has decreased compared to pre-pandemic levels, overdose deaths have increased to 13.5 deaths per 100,000 due to synthetic opioids contaminating drug supplies.
Marijuana remains the most commonly used drug, with 22.9% of adults 18 and over reporting use in the past month; opioids (including prescription pain relievers and heroin) are misused by roughly 3.2% of this age group. Cannabis use disorder was the most common SUD annually [1].
Alcohol use disorder affects approximately 15% of young adults, while 25% meet criteria for an illicit drug use disorder. Compared to adolescents and adults aged 26 or older, young adults were least likely to perceive a great risk of harm from using drugs [2].
And compared with adults of other age groups, young adults are more likely to have substance use disorders (SUDs) but less likely to receive treatment. In 2023, drug use was highest among persons between the ages of 18-25 at 39% [3].
The 2019 Monitoring the Future National Survey studied college students and people aged 19 to 60 to determine drug use trends. The use of illicit drugs, including marijuana, amphetamines, cocaine, hallucinogens, and MDMA, is highest among people in their early 20s [D].
Factors for Vulnerability to Addiction in Young Adults
A variety of factors converging in young adulthood increase the vulnerability of young adults to addictive behaviors, including:
- Developing Brain: Addictive behaviors involve several brain areas. Of these, the prefrontal cortex plays a key role as it is the brain’s control center for decision-making, risk assessment, and impulse control. However, it is not fully developed until the mid-20s.
So, before fully developed reasoning has formed, young adults are more risk-taking and make emotional decisions. This can lead to more impulsive, reward-seeking behavior, including substance abuse and process addictions. - Life Transitions: As they move out from home, start work or college, and form new social networks, young adults face many challenging transitions. These changes can bring stress, worry about fitting into new social networks, anxiety, and sometimes depression.
- Social Pressure: The powerful impact of peer pressure and social media may validate and encourage substance use, or behaviors such as compulsive gaming, within a young adult’s social groups.
- Coping Mechanism: As a maladaptive way to manage stress, loneliness, or mental health challenges like anxiety and depression, many young people turn to addictive substances or behaviors.
Substance Addictions: The Traditional Threats
These are the most common drugs used for their psychoactive properties. The following statistics from the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, 2025 and SAMHSA paint a clear picture [3] [5]:
Alcohol
As the most common drug of abuse, 34.1% report binge drinking at least once; 7.0% report extreme binge drinking. A new trend called High-Intensity Drinking (HID) includes the consumption of alcohol at levels that are two or more times the gender-specific binge drinking thresholds.
While HID behavior peaks at age 21, 12.4% of young adults aged 25 and 26 report at least one instance of HID within the previous 14 days [3].
Nearly 24% of college students indicated they use illicit drugs, including the following:
Marijuana (Cannabis)
Despite its perceived harmlessness compared to other drugs, the risks of high-potency products, dependency, and its impact on motivation and memory (often called “amotivational syndrome”) are concerning.
In 2023, 39.5% of college students used marijuana, with past 30-day cannabis use increasing from 16.1% in 1988 to 26.1% in 2023 among this group.
Marijuana is frequently used in a polysubstance situation where multiple drugs are taken together, alcohol in particular. Alcohol and marijuana together are known as a “crossfade,” which increases alcohol impairment and speeds up the absorption of THC into the body.
Polysubstance consumption of drugs can result in dependency/addiction, high-risk behaviors, psychopathology onset, or other poor mental health outcomes
Marijuana concentrates or “dabs” can contain 50-90% THC. These concentrates can cause serious harm to individuals unaware of the level of THC they are consuming or from the toxic chemicals produced.
Nicotine/Vaping
The use of e-cigarettes has exploded, with about 13% of young adults using them in 2014 and 23% using e-cigarettes in 2016. The highly addictive nature of nicotine, and the misconception that vaping is a safe alternative are both risks that some young adults are taking.
Hallucinogens, Dissociatives, and Deliriums.
About 7.5% of college-age young adults used hallucinogens, which encompasses a variety of drugs. Hallucinogens include LSD, Psilocybin, MDMA (Ecstasy), DMT, the active ingredient in Ayahuasca and Mescaline. Dissociatives include Ketamine, PCP (Phencyclidine), Salvia divinorum. Deliriums include: Benadryl and Dramamine.
Prescription Stimulants
About 2.4% of college-age young adults use Adderall or Ritalin, and 4.4% other prescription drugs non-medically to enhance academic performance, which can lead to anxiety, psychosis, and addiction.
Opioids and Other Illicit Drugs
About 1.4% of young adults misused prescription pain relievers in the past year, such as Oxycodone or Percocet in 2022. This is a significant decline from previous decades, but still represents hundreds of thousands of individuals.
Approximately 0.2% of young adults used heroin in the past year (2022 data). While this percentage seems small, it represents a highly dangerous and high-risk behavior. Many illicit drugs, including counterfeit pills made to look like prescription opioids (e.g., Percocet, Xanax) and other substances like cocaine and methamphetamine, are now often contaminated with fentanyl, a potent and often fatal synthetic opioid.
This means many overdoses occur in young adults who did not intentionally seek out opioids.
Kratom
Approximately 1.3% of young adults reported using kratom in the past year. This includes all use, from those attempting to self-treat pain or opioid withdrawal to those using it for its stimulant or relaxant effects. Kratom is widely available at low cost, although its legality varies by state and locality, which affects its availability and use rates.
Process (Behavioral) Addictions
These addictions involve a compulsion to engage in rewarding non-substance-related behavior, despite negative consequences. They are increasingly prevalent, especially since the COVID pandemic, and often harder to recognize. Often, there is underlying anxiety and depression in young adults who engage excessively in these activities.
The American Psychiatric Association has reported that the brain of a person with a gaming disorder, for example, reacts to gaming in the same way a person with a substance use disorder reacts to a drug.
Social Media and Internet Addiction
Driven by the dopamine loop of likes, shares, and notifications, social media use is linked to stress, anxiety, depression, poor body image, and FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). Rising rates of adolescent overdose deaths attributed to counterfeit prescription drugs purchased using social media, have drawn national attention to how these platforms might influence substance use.
Participants, aged 12–23, in one study had significantly higher odds of substance use on days when exposed to substance-related digital content posted by peers on their phones [6].
Internet Gaming Addiction
Recognized by the World Health Organization in 2018 as a mental health disorder, gaming addiction can lead to neglect of real-life responsibilities, social isolation, and sleep deprivation, especially, but not exclusively, among males.
Gambling Addiction
With the rise of online sports betting and casino apps, gambling is more accessible than ever. Often, forms of gambling are embedded in games or associated apps, with potentially severe psychological and financial consequences.
Pornography Addiction
With the possibly overwhelming availability of porn sites, interest in and subsequent addiction to porn has become a growing concern as it impacts the development of healthy relationships, sexual expectations, and potential escalation to more extreme content. Driven by the brain’s reward system, porn addiction can lead to difficulty with real-world intimacy. In this vicious circle, porn is used as a way to cope, interfering with daily responsibilities and social functioning.
Recognizing the Signs
Common signs of substance or process addiction include:
- A loss of control over the activity.
- Neglecting responsibilities, hobbies, and relationships.
- Continued use despite clear negative consequences.
- Withdrawal symptoms (irritability, anxiety) when unable to engage.
- Preoccupation and lying about the extent of involvement.
Healing Is Possible
Addiction can be treated with therapy and sometimes with medication for related underlying mental health challenges. College or university counseling centers, trusted adults, or mental health professionals can help. Therapies can be very helpful to address the underlying issues behind the addictive behaviors.
How Engage Young Adult Transitions Can Help
Engage Young Adult Transitions is a transitional living program and therapeutic community that assists young adults on their path to independence. Using attachment theory, we provide a foundation for forming connections, getting involved with the community, managing mental health, and building life skills for long-term success.
Engage offers structured autonomy and high support, without creating dependence. Our therapists and life coaches are here to honor the young adults’ need to gain independence and freely move to a more secure sense of self and their relationships.
Located just steps from Southern Utah University in Cedar City, we offer access to services seven days a week, including academic support, vocational training, career guidance, life skill coaching, mental health therapies, and recreational activities.
Our community offers high levels of therapeutic support that honor autonomy and independence while guiding young adults to a life of freedom, emotional wellness, and success.
Get involved with the Engage Transitions community today!
Sources
[1] Lu, W. et al. (2023). Population-based examination of substance use disorders and treatment use among US young adults in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2011-2019. Drug and alcohol dependence reports, 8, 100181.
[2] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. HHS Publication No; 2020. Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2019 National Survey On Drug Use and Health.
[3] National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics. 2025. Drug Abuse Statistics.
[4] National Institute on Drug Abuse. 2019. Monitoring the Future. National Survey Results on Drug Use. Overview. 1975-2019.
[5] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2022). Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. (HHS Publication No. PEP22-07-01-005, NSDUH Series H-57). Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
[6] Shaper N. 2024. Exploring relationships between social media use, online exposure to drug-related content, and youth substance use in real time: a pilot ecological momentary assessment study in a clinical sample of adolescents and young adults. Front. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 12 June 2024. Sec. Developmental Psychopathology and Mental Health. Volume 3 – 202.