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In terms of mental health, young adulthood is a difficult and complex time. From a parent’s perspective, their children’s growing personal responsibility and independence represent a vital yet troubling rite of passage. 

As teenagers enter adulthood and prepare for college, they undergo a period of apprehension — both for themselves and their parents. A parent can easily dismiss their children’s strange behavior as teenage angst, sometimes without recognizing more serious signs of distress or mental illness. 

Correcting and recognizing such a misstep on time is essential, especially before your kids go to college. For many reasons, this is a high-risk time — and one where the reach of most parents is more limited. 

In many cases, seeking the best mental health treatment Columbus can offer is the proper course of action. However, beyond finding the appropriate therapy for their issues, there are other things parents can do to help their children in this formative period. And we’ll take a look at some of them right here.

Help Children Choose The Right College

Properly assisting children with their mental health also means helping them make the right practical choices in life. And as they dip their toes into young adulthood, the most important choice they’ll make is whether to go to college — and if so, which school to pick. 

No college’s the universal best choice for every kind of child — helping your kids make the right decision here means helping them come to terms with various social, emotional, and personal factors. 

These include the school’s size, the responsiveness and accessibility of their support services, the school’s distance from home, the social climate on the school campus, and of course, your kids’ specific needs and personality.

Remember: when students choose a school that’s a great match with their needs and values, they’ve got a higher chance of reaping more of the classic benefits of going to college: having access to better career options, meeting new friends, and finding their passions in life. 

Unfortunately, there’s a flip side to that coin. A college that’s a poor fit is also more likely to spark various mental health issues. 

So, as a parent, you have an important duty and a crucial role in encouraging your child to objectively and thoughtfully assess their options. In turn, this will help them pick a college that can fully support their academic, emotional, and social needs.

Going on college tours is always a good idea because they also allow you to learn more about off- and on-campus resources for mental health, insurance coverage, and potential treatment options.

Besides this, you should also ensure your teens are ready for any college-related stressors they’re likely to encounter — regardless of whether the school is a great fit. Try to anticipate potential challenges, and discuss them with your children on time. 

Be Proactive About Warning Signs

A huge majority of mental illnesses arise before people turn 24 — which means symptoms often emerge and go unnoticed during a young adult’s college years. 

These symptoms frequently have an impact that’s not just emotionally challenging — over half of all students who show symptoms of anxiety and depression also have lower academic performance. Of course, your child’s mental health is more important than their academic success — but poor academic performance can push them into a vicious circle of discouragement and depression.

According to FERPA, college students have complete privacy regarding their grades. However, considering the undeniable connection between academic performance and mental health, it’s helpful for concerned parents to have a realistic idea of their children’s grades. So, try to create a trusting and encouraging family environment where children will willingly discuss their academic successes and failures without feeling worse.   

Provide Enough Emotional Support

Finally, the best way to help young adults in your family with their mental health is by giving them enough genuine emotional support. If young adults have sufficiently built up their self-confidence, self-worth, and self-esteem, they’ll be far more likely to succeed in any academic endeavor. 

Luckily, all of these skills can be built through healthy self-discussions and constant affirmation. As a parent, you need to demonstrate constant compassion, empathy, and a readiness to reframe problems and negative situations and resolve them healthily. 

Young adults that are certain of their family’s support are more capable of handling other stressors that are a part of college life — like career planning or the process of building a relationship. 

In this period, you need to help your children develop and learn all the skills they’ll need for their college years — such as stress management, time management, rational decision-making, and independent living. 

Remember: parents and other caregivers always play a vital role in their children's potential struggles. Ensure you’re educated on the right approach to any specific mental problem your child might be going through, and you’ll be in a better position to help them.