Growing Through Change, S3 Ep4
Growing Through Change
What You'll Learn
Young adulthood is a period of possibility, but also enormous uncertainty. Leaving home, starting school, entering the workforce, and changing relationships all happen in a short span of time, often with fewer built-in guardrails than earlier in life.
For some, that mix of independence and rapid change can shape how substance use begins, escalates, or becomes harder to ignore.
In Season 3, Episode 4 of Let’s Talk About It With OhioGuidestone, host Derek Rader talks with Marvin Houston, Assistant Director with OhioGuidestone in Northwest Ohio, about what makes young adulthood such a pivotal window for substance use and recovery alike.
Understanding substance use disorder is not just a choice
Marvin Houston explains that his early work in the criminal justice system and halfway houses revealed a deep overlap between repeat offenses, mental health, and substance use disorder.
Conversations with individuals in community reentry programs helped him realize that substance use disorder is not simply a matter of someone refusing to make better choices, as many expressed a genuine desire to change but found it extremely difficult to do so on their own.
Addressing these underlying behavioral health issues and root causes is essential for reducing recidivism and helping people stop reoffending.
Why substance use disorder can often start in young adulthood
Young adulthood is a period marked by major life transitions, such as entering the workforce, going to trade school, starting college, or aging out of foster care.
Because young adults are often leaving home and navigating rapid changes with fewer built-in guardrails, they are at a vulnerable stage where they are still trying to figure out their identity.
Being young and impressionable can make it easy for substance use to become intertwined in a young adult’s identity right as they are discovering who they are as an individual.
Identifying when substance use is no longer just social use
The key to identifying when substance use has moved beyond social or casual use is evaluating an individual’s personal relationship with the substance.
Even if peers or social groups are doing the exact same thing and functioning fine, problematic use occurs when an individual experiences negative impacts on their daily life, such as OVI (Operating a Vehicle Impaired), missing work or class, or experiencing conflict with family and friends.
Other critical warning signs include losing control during a night out, using substances outside of normal social scenarios, or experiencing intense cravings.
Listen to Season 3, Episode 4 of Let’s Talk About It With OhioGuidestone in the audio or video players below or wherever you stream your podcasts.
Learn more
If you or a young adult in your life are seeking substance use disorder services, OhioGuidestone offers tailored behavioral health and treatment options to support you on the path to recovery.
