Coined by American psychology professor Jeffrey Arnett, the term emerging adulthood refers to the period between late adolescence and early adulthood (Arnett, 2000). Specifically, these are adventurous young people between 18 and 25 years old. Because most of these young adults are single, childless, or college students, they fall into a distinct and highly dynamic demographic (Arnett, 2000). In 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 sexually, romantically, smoking, playing video games, abusing alcohol and drugs and so on. Experimentation with prohibited drugs during emerging adulthood is statistically normative especially for college students in the United States. According to the United States Census Bureau, 40% of young Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 enrolled in college or graduate school in 2014. Previously, the number of 18- to 24-year-olds attending college increased by more than 4 million between 2000 and 2014. 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 are involved in drug abuse illicit (National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIH), 2017). . Therefore, it means that the impact of drug abuse is significant across the four domains of young adult development in America. This research paper will examine the developmental implications of drug abuse across all four developmental domains (cognitive, social, emotional, and physical) during emerging adulthood. Specifically, the study will focus on how drug abuse can impact a college student's performance and well-being. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Cognitive Domain The brains of many emerging adults are still developing into their full-fledged adult form. During this phase, many brain structures undergo significant developments as various connections with it are strengthened to process risks and planning. According to current literature, 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 among college students who consistently abuse substances exhibit memory loss, impaired attention, and slow information processing (Squeglia et al., 2010). Despite the general assumption that marijuana abuse is not linked to long-term cognitive deficits among emerging adults, recent literature demonstrates otherwise. According to Squeglia et al. (2010), young adults who regularly abuse marijuana and other related substances have been found to perform poorly in learning. Furthermore, they show poor working memory, flexibility and cognitive functioning, visual scanning and likelihood of making errors. Social Domain In the domain of social development, essential learning processes include performances that focus on the development of social skills and their applications to manage such problems and situations. A young adult or college student who abuses substances is likely to have a negative impact on their ability to establish rewarding and positive social relationships with others (NIH, 2017). Students who have substance abuse problems, primarily marijuana or heroin,have low attendance or chronic absenteeism. In essence, absenteeism is a central issue that negatively impacts a student's future by reducing their academic performance and overall well-being (NIH, 2017). Previous studies have found that substance abuse tends to decrease students' motivation to concentrate in school, as they are less engaged in academic activities. Additionally, researchers have indicated that college students who abuse drugs are at greater risk of engaging in delinquency, academic failure, dropout, and school disengagement than students who do not abuse substances. This means that students who withdraw from relationships at school due to constant marijuana smoking are disengaged students, more likely to engage in antisocial behavior than those who experience a sense of connection with their school (NIH, 2017). Due to the numerous brain transformations caused by drug abuse among youth, changing social influences and association with peer groups heavily impact the behaviors of emerging adults. Therefore, this may place a young adult, especially a student, at particularly high risk for initiating and perpetuating substance and drug use (NIH, 2017). Emotional Domain Various social-emotional factors that trigger drug abuse among college students include changing environment, peer pressure, hazing rituals, high levels of social anxiety, stress, imitation of parents' behavior, and new responsibilities. Consequently, despite its emotionally related causes, drug abuse has detrimental effects on an individual's emotional development, especially if he or she is a college student. This article agrees with previous research that drug abuse can alter 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 isolate themselves emotionally and develop a substance abuse problem later in life. Physical Domain In addition to negative impacts on cognitive, social, and emotional functioning, drug use has far-reaching effects on life. 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 for at least two days longer (Schwartz, 2001). Furthermore, in addition to blocking the passage of nutrients through cells due to the effect of tetrahydrocannabinol in the body, marijuana also suppresses neuronal activities in the nervous system thus causing a drop in energy which results in fatigue (Schwartz, 2001). Most importantly, drug abuse affects blood pressure as it increases heart rate and weakens the heart muscle (Schwartz, 2001). Simply put, it is clear that the implications of drug abuse on an emerging adult's physical development are devastating to their overall well-being and academic performance. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now.Get a custom essayIn summary, previous studies have shown that drug abuse has detrimental effects on attention, memory, and learning that can last weeks or even months. An emerging adult who smokes marijuana frequently may function at a reduced intellectual level. Overall, the situation gets worse if the attacker is a college student. Evidently, considerable evidence suggests that students who smoke hard drugs like marijuana have results.