Peer pressure can be subtle, and it is not limited to youth. The excessive use of drugs or other substances more readily occurs during adolescence, young adulthood, and midlife developmental crisis stages as a way for the individual to escape the confusion of the situation. These periods are necessary turning point's in the person's life, critical moments at which successful resolution can help the individual find his or her way to a more happy and mature life. Five tasks in the young adult crisis period may cause problems for the individual for the rest of his or her life if they are not successfully accomplished. The Resolution of the Child-Parent Relationship .
Individuals often have conflicting feelings about being independent from their parents.
They want to be on their own, but at the same time they often want their parents' financial support. Some individuals, particularly if they have come from an overprotective environment and now find few parental restraints, may escape into excessive drug use or sex to prove that they are independent. Others are afraid that if they go against their parents' wishes they will not receive any more financial support. They, too, may escape into a variety of substances so as to avoid facing their parents. Solidifying Sexual Identity .