Young adults or emerging adults, whether in college or not, are in a transitional period of life that is fraught with many challenges and pitfalls. Typically encompassing age 18-29, it is often overlooked as a period of immense psychological stress as these emerging adults confront issues of identity, independence, and intimacy more squarely and seriously. Symptoms of anxiety and depression that were once minimized in a more structured life of school and academics or by overprotective parents may emerge or re-emerge in full force. Symptoms of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be unmasked and cause real impairment in college or in the workforce.
Comorbid issues such as addiction and substance abuse may arise and cause legal, relationship, or work problems. At its worse, these emerging adults may be unable to live on their own due to their inability to complete college, hold down a job, or take care of their personal day-to-day needs. Due to anxiety and depression, some may be unable to make and keep friendships or relationships, may isolate themselves, continue to live at home, or spend excessive amounts of time living in the virtual world (e.g., excessive time spent on playing video games or online).
Anxiety, depression, and ADHD can be highly impairing and prevalent. Anxiety and depression combined affect a quarter to a third of youth. ADHD affects about 7-13% of youth. There is evidence that nearly half of children and adolescents treated for anxiety, be it with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), medication, or a combination of both, ultimately relapse. And part of the reason is because the focus of treatment is generally on symptomatic improvement, which is appropriate. But what is lacking is a focus on building life skills. Many parents of children with anxiety, depression, or ADHD have spent most of their children's lives trying to minimize their anxiety and distress, and not letting them learn to problem solve, handle discomfort, and learn from their mistakes by being overinvolved in their lives. While this parental behavior may minimize anxiety and discomfort in the short term, it only solidifies it in the long run. As a result, by the time these teenagers become emerging adults, they lack the ability to soothe themselves, problem solve, know who they are affirmatively, complete tasks on their own, manage money, make and keep relationships, and take care of their personal selves, including getting enough sleep, eat right, and exercise.
At AOBHC, our clinicians focus on the unique needs of young adults with anxiety and related disorders and their family members who are struggling with the transition from high school to college, work and career problems, family conflict, limitations in friendships and romantic relationships, and limited independence. Our clinicians also take on directly issues of parental overprotection and control, while also addressing inappropriate dependence on parents. We bring parents into treatment collaboratively with the young adults and without threatening the therapeutic alliance. Our exposure-based treatment addresses the parent-young adult relationship, and assists parents in letting go while their son or daughter takes on the challenges of mastering anxiety/distress and growing into healthy independence.
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P H O N E219.228.7630 | Call us for FREE CONSULT F A X 219.228.1083 A D D R E S S 900 Ridge Road, Suite F, Munster, Indiana 46321 T E L E H E A L T H Indiana, Illinois, New Mexico