Addiction in young adulthood is a complex and urgent public health issue which demands deeper understanding through both developmental theory and real-world context. As explored in this project, the period between ages 18 and 40-defined by Hutchinson (2018) as young adulthood-is a time of critical life transitions.

 

•  Young adults face the psychosocial task of forming meaningful, lasting relationships, as articulated in Erikson’s stage of Intimacy vs. Isolation. When young adults are unable to achieve intimacy due to emotional, social, or structural barriers, they may turn to substances as a means of coping with isolation, anxiety, or loss of direction.

• The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified many of these struggles, compounding social isolation, disrupting developmental milestones, and contributing to rising rates of substance use and addiction (Volkow, 2020; Patrick et al., 2022).

• These challenges are not merely individual but reflect broader systemic issues—including lack of mental health access, unstable housing, and economic precarity—that disproportionately affect marginalized young adults.

 

 

Applying Erikson’s theory provides a powerful framework for understanding how unmet relational needs can fuel addiction. At the same time, briefly considering Arnett’s emerging adulthood theory reminds us that today’s young adults navigate a unique cultural moment—one marked by extended identity exploration, delayed life transitions, and deep uncertainty.

 

 

To effectively support young adults affected by addiction, social workers, clinicians, and policymakers must take a developmentally informed, trauma-aware, and harm reduction–oriented approach. This means creating spaces where connection, autonomy, and healing are possible. It also means recognizing that addiction is not a failure of willpower, but often a response to unmet emotional needs and societal disconnection.

By centering both theory and lived experience, we can shift the narrative around addiction from judgment to understanding—and begin building systems of care that actually meet young adults where they are.

 

East Harlem, where Silberman School of Social Work is located, is an area in need of attention:

For a Healthy NYC, there needs to be higher levels of distribution and access to harm reduction services for substance use addiction. A healthier NYC can only be produced in this manner:

For More Information on the Above Maps:

13% of Harm Reduction Programs are in Harlem