Adolescent substance abuse disorder rarely fades on its own. A study followed people for 32 years. Teens who misused alcohol or drugs were more likely to keep misusing them later in life. People do not simply grow out of it. That is why early addiction treatment and longer care matter.
Summary: Substance abuse disorder (SUD) is a major health problem. Drug addiction is one of the leading causes of death in young adults. Doctors often struggle to treat SUD, and relapse is common. A new long-term study followed people for 32 years. It shows that those who abuse substances in adolescence are more likely to abuse substances when they are older. So people are not likely to grow out of their old addiction. That is why early addiction treatment and longer care matter.
Substance abuse disorders are the leading cause of preventable illness and death in young adults. Substance use disorder (SUD) is even rising in older adults. Studies now suggest it starts in the teen years, and people are unlikely to grow out of it.
SUD, or addiction to substances including drugs, is now well studied. It is a problem of huge scale. Worse, there are no signs we are anywhere close to beating it. It is still a major health problem. And it keeps getting more common.
Treating teenage drug and alcohol abuse is hard, and relapse rates are high. So the problem must be tackled early. That is why preventing or managing SUD in teens and young adults is vital.
Usually, as people grow older, their habits and tastes change. So they are fairly likely to drop certain habits. But new findings in the journal JAMA are worrying. They suggest people are not likely to grow out of SUD.
The University of Michigan study’s findings are grim. It was a very long study that followed people for 32 years. It found that most people addicted to substances at age 18 still had SUD three decades later.
Some of the key findings of the study were:
- Addiction problems, or SUD, were common in teens, and 12% had severe symptoms.
- The follow-up found that those with severe SUD were more likely to abuse substances or have an addiction as adults.
- This link between early SUD and later addiction was clearest in people addicted to alcohol, cannabis and other drugs as teens.
- Most adults prescribed medicines like opioids, sedatives and benzodiazepines had SUD as teens.
Experts say this is a wake-up call. It shows that SUD starts early and affects people for the rest of their lives. So treating addiction at a young age matters a lot. Preventing later addiction in people who had SUD as teens is very hard.
Another issue is the choice of medicines. Many medicines used to treat alcohol and opioid addiction may also raise the risk of SUD later in life. People given anti-anxiety drugs, painkillers and sedatives at a young age are also more likely to develop SUD later.
It also shows why taking a full history matters when treating older adults with SUD. It is vital to learn about their past habits and what medicines they took as young adults.
The study also found that most people with SUD did not seek opioid treatment. So teaching people and raising awareness is also needed. This teaching about the health risks of addiction must go on through adulthood.
People who abused several substances as teens must also be treated as high risk. They are fairly likely to misuse drugs later in life.
Experts also say we need new ways to prevent SUD in older adults. For example, health insurance may add services aimed at preventing and treating relapse later in life.
This study clearly shows why long-term follow-up matters for people treated for SUD as young adults. They should get ongoing education and care through adulthood.
Frequently asked questions
What is substance abuse in adolescence?
Substance abuse in adolescence is substance use disorder, or addiction to alcohol, cannabis or other drugs, that starts in the teen years. It is common. In the University of Michigan study, 12% of teens had severe symptoms. It matters because treating teenage drug and alcohol abuse is hard. Relapse rates are high, and the problem tends to follow people into adulthood.
Do teens grow out of substance abuse?
Most do not. A University of Michigan study published in JAMA followed people for 32 years. Most of those addicted to substances at age 18 still had substance use disorder three decades later. The link was strongest for alcohol, cannabis and other drugs. Teens with severe symptoms were more likely to misuse substances as adults.
What is the treatment for adolescent substance abuse?
Treat it early and keep care going. The problem starts young and lasts, so early addiction treatment and longer care matter most. Teens who misused several substances should be treated as high risk. They should be followed over the long term and given ongoing education and care through adulthood. Medicine choices matter too. Sedatives, painkillers and anti-anxiety drugs given young raise the risk later.
Related reading
Social Media Warning Labels to Protect Teen Mental Health · Brain Circuits Linked to Addiction Remission · New Approach to Addiction Treatment · Drug Addiction Treatment, St. Louis
Sources
- McCabe SE, Schulenberg JE, Schepis TS, et al. Longitudinal Analysis of Substance Use Disorder Symptom Severity at Age 18 Years and Substance Use Disorder in Adulthood. JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(4):e225324. PMID 35363270 · DOI 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.5324.