Polysubstance use is worrisome at any age, but for teens and young adults, mixing drugs with each other or with alcohol is especially dangerous. Your brain doesn’t finish developing until your mid-20s, so using drugs and alcohol in your teens and early 20s can have lasting effects on your physical, mental, and emotional health. If you’re a parent concerned that your teen or young adult may be struggling with polysubstance abuse, it’s important to know the symptoms of addiction, how to talk to your child, and when it’s time to seek professional help.

What is Polysubstance Use Disorder?

Polysubstance use disorder is using two or more drugs or substances at once or within a brief period of time. Polysubstance use isn’t limited to street drugs. Combining any drugs, whether illegal, prescription, or over the counter, is defined as polysubstance use. Mixing drugs and alcohol is also considered polysubstance use. You may also hear polysubstance use disorder referred to as combined drug intoxication.

Is Polysubstance Use on the Rise?

Polysubstance use is becoming more common in late adolescence and early adulthood. According to the National Institutes of Health, one in 14 teens reported polysubstance use by age 17. By age 20, that number increased to one in three with an average of more than three substances used together. The same study shows that the increase in polysubstance use “between early adolescence and early adulthood and is often sustained over time.” This is why early intervention for polysubstance use is so important. Factors that have contributed to the rise in polysubstance use include:

• Risk-taking behaviors naturally increase in adolescence
• Experimentation and extreme behaviors are rewarded on social media
• Illegal substances are easily available through online sales
• Vaping tobacco products primes the adolescent brain for addiction
• The practice of self-medicating for mental health issues has become mainstream

What Causes Polysubstance Use in Teens and Young Adults?

Polysubstance use doesn’t have a single root cause but is the result of several different factors. Research shows that many teens who mix drugs and/or alcohol do so to cope with the stressors of everyday life, including pressure to perform academically, dysfunctional family dynamics, pressure from social media to appear to have an ideal life, pressure related to physical appearance, and climate-related concerns.

Teens and young adults are also combining drugs and alcohol in an effort to self-medicate emotional distress and mental health issues. The American Psychiatric Association reports that “the mental health of the nation’s youth has famously reached crisis levels.” As a result, teens and young adults are using alcohol and illicit substances to mitigate symptoms of loneliness, isolation, sadness, hopelessness, and anxiety. But in fact, early polysubstance use can actually cause depressive symptoms which in turn increase the likelihood of polysubstance use, creating a vicious cycle of use from which it can be hard to escape.

Teens and young adults are increasingly exposed to polysubstance use through popular music, television, movies, and social media apps such as Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok. Research reveals that teens and young adults who see their peers post about drug and alcohol use are more likely to use drugs and alcohol themselves.

How Does Polysubstance Use Affect the Adolescent Brain?

Scientists believe that exposing the adolescent brain to alcohol and drugs can interfere with brain development. Research suggests that using drugs and alcohol during the teen years negatively affects the brain functions that control memory, learning, and cognition as well as the way neurons in the brain communicate with each other. Because their ability to control their emotions and behavior is still developing, teens who use multiple substances are more likely to engage in dangerous and risky behaviors including unprotected sex. Polysubstance use also creates long-term consequences for a teen’s physical and mental health, increasing the chances that they’ll develop a substance use disorder later in life.

Signs of Polysubstance Addiction

It’s important for parents to be aware of the signs and symptoms of polysubstance abuse. Different substances cause different physical, psychological, and emotional signs, but in general, teens and young adults struggling with polysubstance use display the following symptoms of addiction:

• Appearing intoxicated
• Signs of overdose, including trouble breathing
• Increased tolerance to the substances being used
• Health issues such as seizures and injuries from falling
• Anxiety
• Sudden changes in mood and behavior
• Depression
• Isolation from friends and family
• Inability to fulfill daily responsibilities such as work or school
• Inability to control use of illicit substances
• Drug-seeking behavior such as lying or repeatedly asking for money
• Changes in appearance such as weight loss or gain, skin discoloration or breakouts

Polysubstance Use Increases the Risk of Overdose

In 2022, almost half of deaths due to drug overdose involved more than one substance. Research confirms that polysubstance use is “strongly associated” with overdose. This is partially due to unintentional polysubstance use which occurs when you take drugs that have been mixed with other substances without your knowledge. People often take street drugs that they don’t realize have been mixed with fentanyl. In 2024, 70% of overdose deaths were related to fentanyl.

Intentionally mixing different types of drugs such as stimulants and depressants can be especially risky. When used together, stimulants and depressants can amplify each other’s effects or, more dangerously, mask the effects of both drugs. This can create the illusion that you’re not being affected by the drugs, increasing your risk of overdose.

If you think you or someone you know has taken an overdose, call 911 immediately.

Coping Strategies for Teens

Because teens and young adults often use drugs and alcohol to help them cope with the pressures and emotions they experience, learning new healthy ways to manage feelings and expectations can be hugely beneficial. Healthy coping skills can replace risky behaviors and give teens something positive to focus on. Positive coping strategies for teens and young adults include:

• Leaning on your social support network of friends and family
• Getting regular exercise
• Engaging in mindfulness activities including yoga, journaling, and meditation
• Expressing yourself creatively through dance, music, drawing, or writing
• Getting involved in your community by volunteering for an organization you believe in
• Participating in extracurricular activities like sports, arts, or clubs
• Eating a healthy diet and getting enough sleep

Resources for Parents

Though you might swear otherwise, your children listen to you. So having honest conversations with your teen or young adult about the risks of using drugs and alcohol is of the utmost importance. If you don’t know exactly what to say or how to get started, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) offers the following tips for talking to your child about polysubstance abuse.

1. Keep It Short: Several brief informal conversations are better than sitting down for The Talk. On the way to baseball practice, on the way home from school, and over dinner—these are the perfect times to have a casual chat about drugs and alcohol. Talking often about your values and concerns helps create trust with your child.
2. Be Direct and Honest: Be clear about your feelings on the use of drugs and alcohol. Tell them that you care about their health and well-being.
3. You Don’t Have to Know It All: You can share your experience and knowledge, but you don’t have to have the answer to every question. Finding answers together can strengthen the trust you’ve built.
4. Expect the Conversation to Evolve: The issues you’ll discuss when your child is 12 are different from the ones you’ll talk about when they’re 17.
5. See Something, Say Something: If you notice a change in your child’s hygiene, interests, friend group, school performance, or family relationships, speak up. These can be signs that they’re struggling with addiction.
6. Above All, Listen: It’s of the utmost importance to make your child feel heard during your conversations. When children feel like you’re really listening, they’re more likely to share their concerns and feelings.

In addition to open, honest conversations, it’s important to model healthy behavior, set clear boundaries and expectations, and learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of polysubstance abuse.

What to Do If You Think Your Child Is Struggling with Polysubstance Abuse

You may notice changes in your child, or they may just come out and tell you that they’re abusing drugs and alcohol. First and foremost, tell them you love and support them. Then, let them know you’ll get them the care that they need.

If your child had a physical illness, you’d take them to the doctor. You can approach polysubstance abuse the same way. It’s a treatable illness that can be diagnosed by scheduling a substance abuse evaluation. This assessment is the first step in how to get help for drug addiction.

If your teen or young adult needs help breaking free of polysubstance use disorder, call us today at (800) 544-1211. Our caring, experienced staff has helped thousands of people with personalized care. We’re here with you and your child throughout detox and treatment, using the full continuum of addiction care to support our patients and their families.