Coined by American psychology professor Jeffrey Arnett, emerging adulthood refers to the period between late adolescence and early adulthood (Arnett , 2000). More specifically, these are young, adventurous people aged 18 to 25. As the majority of these young adults are single, without children or students, they belong to a distinct and very dynamic demographic group (Arnett, 2000). At this stage of growth and development, many young people struggle with instability and self-discovery. Therefore, due to limited parental control, they end up exploring sex life, romantic life, smoking, playing video games, abusing alcohol and drugs, etc. Experimentation with banned drugs in adulthood is statistically normative, primarily for college students in the United States. According to the United States Census Bureau, 40% of American young adults ages 18 to 24 were enrolled in college or graduate school in 2014. Previously, the number of 18 to 24 year olds attending college had increased by more than 4 million between 2000 and 2013 (Cavanaugh, 2016). A 2016 survey of young adults found that 4.9 percent of full-time college students in the United States smoke marijuana, while 38 percent of young adults ages 19 to 28 engaged in it. illicit drug abuse (National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIH), 2017). . This therefore means that the impact of drug abuse is significant in all four areas of development of an American young adult. This research paper will examine the developmental implications of drug abuse across the four domains of development (cognitive, social, emotional, and physical) during emerging adulthood. Specifically, the study will focus on how drug abuse can impact a student's performance and well-being. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Cognitive Domain The brains of many emerging adults are still developing into their full adult form. During this stage, many brain structures undergo significant developments while various connections with them are strengthened to process risk and planning. Current literature suggests that substance abuse during this critical stage of development has a significant, albeit subtle, detrimental effect on an emerging adult's cognitive functioning (Squeglia, Jacobus, & Tarpet, 2010). Studies have established that persistent drug users among college students exhibit memory loss, reduced attention, and slow information processing (Squeglia et al., 2010). Despite the general assumption that marijuana abuse is not linked to long-term cognitive deficits in emerging adults, recent literature provides evidence to the contrary. According to Squeglia et al. (2010), young adults who regularly abuse marijuana and other related substances have poor learning outcomes. Additionally, they exhibit poor working memory, cognitive flexibility and functioning, visual scanning, and likelihood of making errors. Social domainIn the domain of social development, essential learning processes include performances focused on the development of social skills and their applications to manage these problems and situations. A young adult or student who engages in substance abuse will likely negatively impact their ability to form rewarding and positive social relationships with others (NIH, 2017). Students who have substance abuse problems, primarilyof marijuana or heroin, have low attendance or chronic absenteeism. Essentially, truancy is a central problem that negatively impacts a student's future by reducing their academic performance and overall well-being (NIH, 2017). Previous studies have shown that substance abuse tends to decrease students' motivation to concentrate in school because they are less engaged in academic activities. Additionally, researchers indicated that students with drug addictions are at increased risk of engaging in delinquency, failing academically, dropping out, and disengaging from school compared to non-drug-using students. This means that students who are withdrawn from school relationships due to their consistent marijuana use are disengaged learners, more likely to engage in antisocial behaviors than those who feel a sense of connection to their school (NIH, 2017 ). Because of the many brain changes caused by youth drug abuse, changing social influences and peer group associations have a significant impact on the behaviors of emerging adults. Thus, this may place a young adult, primarily a college student, at particularly high risk of initiating and perpetuating substance and drug use (NIH, 2017). Emotional Domain Various socio-emotional factors that trigger drug abuse among college students include change in environment. , peer pressure, hazing rituals, high levels of social anxiety, stress, copying parental behavior, and new responsibilities. Therefore, despite its emotional causes, drug abuse has detrimental effects on an individual's emotional development, especially if he or she is a student. This article is consistent with previous research indicating that drug abuse can impair emotions and perception, cause brain dysfunction, and lead to depression and other mental disorders (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012 ). People who use drugs during their college years are more likely to be emotionally withdrawn and develop a substance abuse problem later in life. Physical Domain In addition to its negative impacts on cognitive, social, and emotional functions, drug use has considerable effects on the physical development of an emerging adult. Previous studies suggest that marijuana, for example, has a similar impact on sleep as alcohol: that is, it disrupts the sleep cycle and affects how the user feels during minus two additional days (Schwartz, 2001). Additionally, in addition to blocking the passage of nutrients through cells due to the effect of tetrahydrocannabinol on the body, marijuana also suppresses neuronal activities in the nervous system, thereby causing a drop in energy leading to fatigue ( Schwartz, 2001). Importantly, drug abuse affects blood pressure because it increases heart rate and weakens the heart muscle (Schwartz, 2001). In a nutshell, it is evident that the implications of drug abuse on an emerging adult's physical development are devastating to their overall well-being and academic performance. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. .Get a Custom EssayIn summary, previous studies have demonstrated that drug abuse has detrimental effects on attention, memory, and learning that can last for weeks or even months. An emerging adult who frequently smokes marijuana may function at a diminished intellectual level. Overall, the.