Young adults are people who are young but still have emotional growth to do. So, the age group for these individuals is from 18-25. Young adults are dealt with a number of challenges that may impact their emotional and mental health like transitioning to college, figuring out what they want to do with their lives, moving away from home, saying goodbye to lifelong friends, and more. And, during this time period of a person’s life, the brain is going through a lot of changes and is still developing. So, it’s no wonder that people at this age are at a higher risk of developing mental health issues. According to statistics, 8.9 million young adults reported living with a mental health issue alone in 2018. So, addressing young adult mental health is imperative for giving this population of individuals the best chance of managing symptoms and obtaining lasting mental well-being.

Some Things Put Young People at Higher Risks for Mental Health Issues

While there are a number of different causes of the development of mental health issues, young people may be at higher risk for developing mental health issues based on specific factors. Some of the factors that put young adults at higher risk of developing mental health issues may include:

Malnourishment: As a child grows and their brain develops, it’s necessary to have proper nutrition in order for proper development. So, young adults who have experienced malnourishment as children may be at a higher risk than others to develop mental health issues during this stage of life. Malnourishment can occur in two forms – from not eating enough nutritious foods and from eating too many unhealthy foods (for example, too much processed or surgery foods).

Substance Use Disorder: Substance use disorder is the diagnostic term for addiction. Substance abuse is harmful to anyone, but it is specifically harmful to the growing and developing brain. So, young adults who have used drugs in their early years or even currently can be at a higher risk for developing mental health issues. Addiction and mental health issues go hand-in-hand as one in every four adults living with a mental health issue also struggles with addiction. It’s important to address both substance abuse and mental health issues together, and the earlier the treatment, the better.

Childhood Abuse: Another thing that is risk factor for developing mental health issues as a young adult is the experience of abuse during childhood. Experiencing trauma through abuse as a child can keep the brain from developing as it should. Abuse during childhood can negatively affect a person as a young adult as it can make it challenging to manage healthy relationships, have healthy coping skills, understand how to respond positively in social settings, have a healthy level of self-esteem and compassion, and more. These negative aspects that develop as a result of childhood abuse can lead to the development of mental health issues like anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, PTSD, eating disorders, and more.

Help for Young Adults Living With Mental Health Issues

Addressing mental health issues as a young adult is important as doing so can keep a person from developing more severe mental health effects. And, it can help to allow individuals at this age to allow their brains to finish developing while also considering mental health issues. This way, individuals during this stage of life can understand the impacts their decisions make, how to manage healthy relationships, and utilize coping skills in order to manage symptoms of mental health issues.

Yellowbrick offers mental health services on both outpatient and residential bases in order to provide comprehensive help to young adults. We understand the cognitive, psychological, and emotional development that young adults go through and how mental health issues impact these changes. So, we’ve developed treatment services that specifically pinpoint these issues and provide assistance based on what young adults with mental health issues need to establish healthy mental, emotional, and physical well-being.