Young People: Late adolescence/early adulthood is a time when diagnosable mental distress often starts, and young people experiment with substances. This is typically a transition period with a lot  of change11.

Co-existence of alcohol misuse and mental distress can be as high as 53% among those attending youth-specific alcohol and other drug services54. It is estimated that eliminating alcohol misuse could mean rates of mental distress decrease by up to 15% among young New Zealanders14.

Alcohol affects brain function, and for young people, high levels of consumption occur at a time when the brain is still developing25. This means that adolescent brains are more vulnerable to the effects of alcohol, with impacts on decision-making abilities, personality, and regulation of feelings26,55. The evidence is growing in this space, illustrating that alcohol has impact on not only functioning but brain structure.