How to Tell If a Young Adult Needs Summer Treatment for Mental Health: 10 Red Flags

Is your young adult child home for the summer between college semesters? Or maybe you just took a summer vacation together and observed new behaviors that are troubling you? Summer is often a time when parents or other relatives notice potential warning signs that a young adult may be struggling with their mental health.

While every young adult is unique, Newport Institute’s clinical experts recommend watching for mental health red flags in 10 specific areas. Read on to learn what to look for and how to support a young adult to get the care they need, which could include summer treatment in a mental health program.

What You’ll Learn

• Why are young adult mental health issues often more noticeable in summer?
• What are common warning signs of young adult depression, anxiety, substance use disorder, and other mood or personality disorders?
• What are the benefits of accessing mental healthcare in the summer?

Why Parents Often Notice Young Adult Mental Health Symptoms in Summer

Some parents live with their young adult children all year round. But if everyone’s busy with their own thing, the family may not spend much time together on a daily basis. In other families, parents may not see their grown child for months if the young adult is away at college, or lives and works far from home.

Either way, it’s often easier for parents to notice a potential young adult mental health problem during the summer. Kids come home from school, families take vacations together. It’s also the season for reunions, barbecues, and other social gatherings. And that means more opportunities for relatives to observe a young adult’s behavior, personality, or mood changes.

Moreover, summer can be a minefield for young adults who need structure and responsibilities in order to stay inspired and on track. Without clear direction, it’s easier for young people to drift into unhealthy habits, like staying up late, drinking too much, and spending too much time on their phone. Consequently, summer can be a trigger for mental health and substance use conditions, or make existing conditions worse. Fortunately, summer treatment options are available to support young adults in making positive change.

10 Behaviors That May Indicate a Young Adult May Need Mental Health Treatment This Summer

Below are the most common young adult mental health warning signs that parents and other loved ones may notice during the summer.

#1: Irregular Sleeping Schedule

It’s not unusual for young adults to stay up late and get up late in the morning. However, extreme sleep issues can be a sign of a mental health issue. Not sleeping at night or sleeping too much can be a symptom of depression or bipolar disorder.

#2: Loss of Interest in Activities They Used to Enjoy

Having hobbies and interests is part of forming authentic connections with yourself and the world around you. Of course, it’s natural for a young adult to let go of some interests as they age and find new ones instead.

But when no new passions arise and they don’t seem to care about anything very much, that can be a sign of a mental health issue.

#3: Disregarding Their Appearance and Surroundings

Is their room messy and disorganized? Have they become less attentive to their personal grooming? Focusing too much on their appearance is often bad for young adults’ self-esteem.

However, ignoring personal hygiene and not caring how they look or what their living space is like may indicate a mental health problem.

#4: Behaviors Associated with Substance Use

It can be hard to recognize the difference between social drinking or drug use at college, and a substance use problem. Problem substance use in summer is characterized by using alcohol or substances as a form of self-medication for stress, difficult emotions, and mental health issues. This can escalate into chemical dependence and a substance use disorder. Signs to watch for include fatigue, slurred speech, weight changes, sleep problems, and financial problems, including asking parents for money.

#5: Changes in Weight or Eating Habits

Weight changes, eating too much, and not eating enough can be signs of disordered eating or an eating disorder. Eating disorders are mental health issues in and of themselves. And they are also manifestations of underlying anxiety, depression, or traumatic stress.

In addition, weight changes can be a sign of a substance use disorder or body image issues, which are often heightened in summer.

#6: Staying Plugged in All the Time

When young adults constantly scroll on their phone, they may be using technology as a way to escape real-life situations and numb difficult emotions. And if they spend most of that time on social media, it might be making them feel even worse.

A growing body of research suggests that young adults’ social media use is associated with increases in their symptoms of depression and anxiety.

#7: Expressing Low Self-Esteem and Worthlessness

Sometimes it’s clear that a young adult is struggling because they’re expressing troubling feelings and opinions. Don’t take it lightly if your grown child makes statements like “I can never do anything right,” “Everybody would be happier without me around,” or “I hate my life.”

#8: Signs of Self-Harm

Young people tend to self-harm as a way to cope with intense emotional distress. These negative emotions may be caused by depression or anxiety, feelings of isolation, relationship challenges, and difficulties at school or work. 

Signs of self-harm include unexplained cuts or bruises, wearing clothes that cover up their skin even in warm weather, and blood stains on bedding, towels, or tissues.

#9: Withdrawal from Friends

Have they stopped socializing with friends they used to be close with? Or maybe they connect with friends online but almost never in real life? Did they recently experience a breakup that was especially painful?

Do they have a new friend group that you never met or heard about before? It’s worth talking to them about what caused the changes and how they feel about it.

#10: Extreme Mood Swings

Changes in a young adult’s mood and behaviors may indicate a mental illness such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or borderline personality disorder. Many of these mental health disorders begin or peak in young adulthood.

That’s why it’s so important to help your young adult get a mental health assessment at the first sign of a problem.

5 Reasons to Access Care in Summer

For young adults who are displaying signs of a mental health challenge, or are experiencing worsening symptoms during summer vacation, this time of year is often the easiest and most convenient time to access the care that’s needed. Here are five reasons why.

1. Summer is a more convenient time to step away from activities and responsibilities.

For young adults who are on college vacation, the summer months are more likely to be unstructured and unplanned. That makes it simpler to enter treatment; there’s no need to take a leave of absence from college. Summer jobs or internships can be cancelled or postponed more easily than year-round activities.

2. The unstructured summer months can make mental health issues worse.

For young adults in college, the long summer break can make existing issues worse. While college can be hard for students who are struggling with their well-being, it also provides goals, purpose, and a sense of community. Without that structure and social connection, young adults can experience more loneliness, depression, FOMO, and anxiety. There’s also the risk of increased drug use and drinking in summer, which can lead to a substance use disorder.

3. It’s often easier during the summer to access treatment quickly.

People who are struggling often avoid seeking treatment in the summer, hoping that things will get better on their own. But that’s not typically the case with untreated mental health conditions. So when fall comes around, many people begin the process of accessing care. That means that in the fall, the admissions process can be lengthier and the waitlists longer. In the summer, it’s often easier to expedite the admissions process and access open beds in residential care.

4. Young adults gain the skills to support a positive transition back to school or the workplace.

Along with healing the underlying trauma that catalyzes mental health disorders and behavioral issues, accessing treatment in the summer gives young adults the tools they need to go back to school or work strong. Instead of the rocky and tumultuous start that they may have experienced in the past, they can step into the new school year or a new job with enhanced skills for emotional regulation, relationship building, and executive functioning.

5. Treatment can be the most meaningful and memorable experience a young adult has ever had.

Treatment isn’t a vacation, but it’s an experience that young people will never forget. While it’s hard work, it’s also incredibly rewarding. Within a supportive community of peers, teens and young adults often feel a sense of belonging and connection they’ve never felt before.

Summer Treatment Options at Newport Institute

If a young adult is exhibiting any of the above signs, the first step is to contact Newport Institute. Our experts can complete a full assessment and provide treatment options.

Newport Institute provides specialized residential care for young adults to help them learn healthy coping skills, strengthen family relationships, and build resilience.

Start the healing journey today. Contact us for a free mental health assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions