Thursday, December 4, 2008

Few Young Adults Seek Treatment for Psych Disorders Alcohol, nicotine use, personality illnesses common, study shows

Psychiatric disorders are common among young adults in the United States, but few seek treatment, a new report shows.

To reach this finding, U.S. researchers analyzed data from more than 5,000 respondents, aged 19 to 25, who took part in the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions.

The study found that 45.8 percent of the 2,188 college students and 47.7 percent of the young adults not in college met the criteria for at least one psychiatric disorder, but only 25 percent of those with disorders sought treatment over a one-year period.

Among college students, the most common disorders were alcohol use (20.4 percent) and personality disorders (17.7 percent). The most common disorders among young adults not in college were personality disorders (21.6 percent) and nicotine dependence (20.7 percent).

READ MORE @ U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT