Adolescent Substance Abuse Articles
Substance misuse in youth can have long term effects on health
By Staff Writer
Abusing drugs and alcohol at any age can result in addiction or even death. The results of a recent doctoral thesis indicate that individuals who misuse these substances in their youth are at a higher risk of continuing this behavior into middle age or developing mental health problems.
The researcher behind the thesis, which was presented at the Center for Psychiatric Research, Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, followed two large cohorts of adolescents for several decades up until 2002. These individuals received substance abuse help toward the end of the 1960s and in the early 1980s. The cohorts were then compared to two matched samples from the general population.
Based on this research, it was found that individuals who received treatment during adolescence for substance abuse problems experienced a greater degree of psychosocial problems as they got older. For many, these mental health issues and other problems were present at the age of 50.
There were also similarities between the men and women who received substance abuse help in their younger years. Both genders displayed an equal risk of developing psychosocial problems as adults.
These findings led the researcher to believe that receiving effective substance abuse help from drug rehab facilities early on may prevent negative developments later in life.
