Sydnee Peterson

Dr. Breeanne Matheson

English 2010

October 2019

Why would teaching young adults about self care benefit their future success?

What we learn in our early years follows us into adulthood. As a baby we are taught

crawl then taught to walk. As a toddler we are taught to speak and articulate sentences. As a

grade schooler we are taught to solve problems and last as a teen we are taught independence and

choice making. We also bring habits we learn in our early years into adulthood. Some habits we

bring into adulthood will set us up for success and some habits will set us up for failure. One of

the successful tools in life is self care. Teaching self care to young adults helps promote healthy

habits in their physical health, substance use and mental health, assisting their overall health and

success into adulthood.

Equipping young adults with tools they will need to succeed later in life, will help

promote their future success. One essential self care tools in life is Physical Health. Physical

health includes daily physical activity and providing our bodies with healthy nutrients. Physical

activity creates the proper care bodies need for their optimal health and functioning (​1​). It’s

important that we teach young adults a positive attitude towards physical activity, because

participation in physical activity decreases with age ​(​2​). The 2010 National Youth Physical
Activity and Nutrition Study, studied 11,429 students grades 9-12. Out of the 11,429 students,

15.1% participated in at least 60 minutes of daily physical activity ​(​2​). It’s very unsettling that

theirs only 15.1% of young adults participating in daily physical activity. Since physical activity

decreases with age, that would mean less than 15% of adults would participate in daily activity.

If we are providing and teaching young adults positive physical activity, they will create

a healthy habit that will follow them into adulthood. These students need to be taught the

benefits of staying physically healthy and how to stay physically healthy with hobbies they are

interested in. Physical activity is important for young adults future success, because they will

have a lower risk of early death, depression, coronary heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure,

type 2 diabetes, and obesity (​3​).

In 2017, approximately approximately 992,000 (4%) of american adolescents aged 12-17

suffered from a substance abuse disorder; (​4​). Substance abuse is the overuse of any kind of

drug, alcohol , tobacco, or other habit forming substances.. Studies have shown that drug abuse

in late childhood and early adolescence is associated with greater drug involvement (​5​). Once a

habit is established, they are extremely difficult to change. If young adults carry the habit of

substance abuse into adulthood, they are likely to be less successful.. Ongoing substance abuse

creates complications in mental health, infections with blood-borne infections, damage to organs,

and increased risk of cancers as well as other serious health conditions (​6​). Equipping young

adults with the positive habits and information about substance use will help students progress in

a successful life.
 Over 2 million youth have depression with a severe impairment and over 70% of youth

with major depression are still in need of treatment (​7​), which is likely to carry over to adulthood

The American Psychiatric Association explains mental health as the foundation for emotions,

thinking, communication, learning, resilience and self-esteem. Mental health is also key to

relationships, personal and emotional well-being and contributing to community or society (​8​).

Supplying positive mental health in young adults is important, but it's especially

important to start at an even younger age. The older a person gets, their life comes with more

responsibility and stress. If young adults are furnished with positive mental health they will

become more successful in life, because they will be able to deal with the challenges that they

face later in life and they will have the ability to control their emotions. These young adults can

be taught proper coping mechanisms and how to reach out if they are ever feeling low.

In conclusion, teaching young adults positive self care habits will help their future

success. Equipping young adults with the right tools, will help guide them in the right direction

into adulthood. Becoming an adult is stressful and your life becomes busier. With a busier life

comes less time to focus on yourself and your health. If adults made their health a priority in

their younger years, they are more likely to find time and prioritize their health as they get older.

Focusing on the essential self care tools, physical health, substance use and mental health will

promote a more successful life because they will have less health problems, positive habits and

overcome the challenges they will face later in life.

 Work Cited

1 “Jump Menu.” Physical Wellness | Student Health and Counseling Services,

shcs.ucdavis.edu/wellness/physical.

2 Richard Lowry, Sarah M. Lee, Janet E. Fulton, Zewditu Demissie, and Laura Kann,

“Obesity and Other Correlates of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviors among US High

School Students,” Journal of Obesity, vol. 2013, Article ID 276318, 10 pages, 2013.

https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/276318.

3 “Healthy People in Action.” Healthy People in Action | Healthy People 2020,

www.healthypeople.gov/2020/Healthy-People-in-Action.

4 “Healthy People in Action.” Healthy People in Action | Healthy People 2020,

www.healthypeople.gov/2020/Healthy-People-in-Action.

5 National Institute on Drug Abuse. “When and How Does Drug Abuse Start and

Progress?” NIDA,

www.drugabuse.gov/publications/preventing-drug-abuse-among-children-adolescents-in-brief/ch

apter-1-risk-factors-protective-factors/when-how-does-drug-abuse-start-progress.
 6 Greydanus, D. E. (2013). Substance Abuse in Adolescents and Young Adults : A

Manual for Pediatric and Primary Care Clinicians. Berlin: De Gruyter. Retrieved from

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=661737&site=eds-live

7 “The State of Mental Health in America: Mental Health America.” Mha,

www.mhanational.org/issues/state-mental-health-america.

8 What Is Mental Illness?, www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/what-is-mental-illness.