The Young Adult’s Guide to Good Health: Tips for Your 20s and Beyond

Being a young adult is an exciting time of life. College, career and romantic relationships often start taking center stage. But there are also more mundane aspects of adulting that are important to your well-being — like taking care of your health.

Now that your parents are no longer in charge of navigating your health care, it’s your turn to take the reins. This means choosing a primary care provider and staying on top of yearly wellness exams, preventive screenings and vaccines. You should also learn about key health issues that many young adults face.

In other words, it’s time to become an active participant in your own health care. If you’re wondering where to start, these steps can help get you on a path toward a lifetime of self-care and wellness. 

Step 1: Find a Primary Care Provider

Since you outgrew your pediatrician, you may have relied on urgent care centers or retail health clinics for your health care needs. But finding a primary care provider you like and developing a connection with them is an important step in your health journey. Your PCP oversees your health and is the main point of contact for non-emergency health care. They can help guide you through the preventive care that will help keep you healthy throughout your life.

If you don’t know where to start your search, ask friends, family and others in your community for suggestions. Then, follow up with an online search of doctors you’re considering. And if you have health plan coverage, check to make sure your providers are in your plan’s network.

Step 2: Make Preventive Care a Priority

Many young adults in the U.S. are not getting routine preventive care and health screenings. A recent survey  highlights that, not surprisingly, young adults are using social media more as a resource for health and wellness information. Despite this, 77 percent of those surveyed had a negative view of the health tools and trends they found on social platforms. 

Annual wellness visits with routine health screenings are important for maintaining health and well-being. No amount of social media hype can take their place, health experts say.

At an annual checkup, your doctor will:

• Answer any questions you have.
• Discuss diet, exercise and other lifestyle factors that affect your health, like alcohol use and smoking.
• Talk about mental health issues, including depression, anxiety and stress.
• Check your weight and cholesterol.
• Screen you for any developing conditions or infections such as diabetes, hepatitis C or HIV.
• Recommend and give any vaccinations that are due. Learn more about vaccines for young adults.

For details about health screenings for all adults, check out our Adult Wellness Guidelines.  

Step 3: Stay on Top of Health Concerns

As a young adult, you might not think much about getting sick. But you’ve also been around long enough to know that you’re not invincible. Health issues can happen at any age. Mental health, substance abuse and the rising rate of early-onset cancers are three things to be aware of.

Young Adults and Cancer
Cancer in young adults is still not as common as in older adults, but it is occurring in more adults at younger ages, says Yale Medicine. These cancers are called early-onset cancers. About 80,000 adults ages 20 to 39 are diagnosed with cancer each year in the U.S., says the American Cancer Society.

This is one more reason to make sure you keep up with your self-care. Getting routine checkups where a doctor tracks your family health history is important. If what you report puts you at higher risk of a certain cancer and you are having symptoms, it could lead to an early screening. This can help avoid a delay in being diagnosed. Catching a cancer at an earlier stage makes it easier to treat. 

Young Adults and Mental Health
Half of all mental health disorders in adulthood start by age 14, says the World Health Organization. But most cases are undetected and untreated. Just like it’s important to treat physical problems as early as possible, the same goes for mental health. Mental health conditions should be treated early before they reach crisis levels.

If you are experiencing anxiety, stress or depression, here are some resources for getting help.

NAMI: The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) offers information and resources to help young people get the mental health support  they need.

988 Lifeline: If you or someone you know is showing signs of self-harm or suicidal behaviors, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline  can help. You can call, text or chat 988 from anywhere in the U.S. Help is available 24/7.

Crisis Text Line: Text HELLO to 741741 or visit crisistextline.org 

Young Adults and Substance Misuse
Mental health and substance misuse are often linked. Poor mental health can lead to developing a substance use disorder. And using alcohol or other drugs can contribute to mental health problems. The more you use substances, the harder it can be to stop — even if you want to. If you’re a young person looking for some ways to prevent alcohol and drug use in yourself or others, there are resources available through the Getting Candid program. 

You’ve Got This

Adulting can be a roller coaster as you ride through life’s ups and downs. But being prepared can make the journey smoother. Staying on top of your health means there won’t be as many surprises down the road. It’s time to stop putting it off and start making your health and wellness a priority. You’ve got this.

Sources: Most Millennials, GenZers Get Health Information From Social Media, Survey Reveals,  Healthline, 2024; Adolescent and young adult health,  World Health Organization, 2024; Getting Candid About Mental Health and Substance Use,  National Council for Mental Wellbeing; What to Know About Rising Rates of ‘Early Onset’ Cancer,  Yale Medicine, 2024; Key Statistics for Cancers in Young Adults,  American Cancer Society, 2024; Kids, Teens and Young Adults,  National Alliance on Mental Illness; 988 Lifeline;  Crisis Text Line