Drug-and-Alcohol-Treatment

Factors that Increase the Risk of Alcohol Dependence

Although age is a predicative factor of alcohol dependence and issues related to alcohol ingestions, drug rehab have well-known other factors such as the following increase the risk of problems:

1. Ethnicity and Race: American Indians and Native Alaskans have a higher risk of developing alcohol and drug dependence as compared to the general population.
2. Biological and Genes: A young adult who has a parent or elder sibling that suffers from drug or alcohol dependence is four times more at risk of developing a drug and alcohol dependence than a person who does not have a genetic tie.
3. Co-occurring mental health issues: Many individuals who suffer from bi-polar, depression, anxiety and other mental health issues are at greater risk of developing alcohol and drug dependence. 
4. Personality types and traits: Young adults, who have grown up with the tendency and belief that socialization is much easier with the usage of drugs and alcohol, are at a greater risk of developing drug and alcohol dependencies.
5. Family and Peer Pressure Influence: Teens are at greater risk for developing alcohol-related problems when alcohol is readily available at home or among their peer group, and if drunkenness is acceptable.
6. Male/Female Issue: Males are more likely to drink heavily than Females; however, females become addicted at lower levels and shorter duration of use. 

Young Adult Drinking Dangers

The ages of young adults 18 to 25 are very impressionable and times of drastic change for these individuals. Many of these young adults are leaving home for the first time and with the absence of supervision, alcohol and drug abuse may run rampant.  Therefore, the increase in risky behavior also increases. Within this age bracket (18-25) over 40% of these young adults admit to binge drinking no less than one time a month. Binge drinking is defined as five or more drinks in less than 15 minutes.  Moreover, binge drinking is prevalent in the population observed by drug rehab and outpatient drug rehab.

1. Fatal Car Crashes are a direct result of alcohol: About one-third of drivers’ ages 21 to 24 who died in a car crash in 2009 had a blood alcohol level that was over the legal limit.

2. Alcohol can impact individuals for long-period of time: Some researchers believe and drug and alcohol rehab has observed that heavy drinking at this age, when the brain is still developing, may cause lasting impairments in brain functions such as memory, coordination, and motor skills — at least among susceptible individuals

3. Drinking impacts the number of rapes and sexual abuse: Each year, approximately 97,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape.  These are staggering statistics that are commonly noticed in drug and alcohol rehab reports and patient notes.