Benefits of Mental Health Support for the Incoming Freshman Class

There is something exciting about knowing your child is about to start college for the first time. Finally, after all the work that they – and you – have put into their academics, they are on their way towards a new type of independence, one that will shape their personal, social, and professional lives.

Still, this transition that also introduces new challenges. For student with ADHD and executive dysfunction, this newfound independence can create a situation that exacerbates existing ADHD and, in some cases, mental health symptoms.

Freshman year of college removes much of the structure that helped teens with ADHD manage their lives:

• You will no longer be managing their school schedules.
• You will no longer be managing their medications and deadlines.
• You will no longer have any IEP/504 accommodations automatically.

Your child will also have to manage much more significant social pressures, difficult coursework, and long term deadlines that will put their executive functioning to the test, all while going through additional major life changes like moving out without you there to offer them support and care.

It is for these reasons that this transition period, from the summer before college to the first few months of school, is the best time for your student to receive any mental health support and coaching that they need to manage this transition.

The academic challenges that students with ADHD face during this transition is well documented. A study at Lehigh University (opens in new tab) found that students with ADHD ran a GPA an entire half a letter grade before their peers in college. Many others find that students with ADHD are more likely to drop out (opens in new tab) and experience more stress, anxiety (opens in new tab), and depression throughout the process.

But those same studies also showed something important. That students that received support before and during the early part of college were far more likely to have better outcomes. Therapists and coaches working with these students can work on:

• Practical tools to manage executive dysfunction, beyond planners or apps, so that students have strategies to fill in parts that used to be filled by parents.
• Addressing the anxiety and stress of newly found independence, to help reduce the severity of ADHD Symptoms.
• Manage any depression, relationship issues, or other difficulties that show up during the first year of school and can be exacerbated by ADHD.

Therapists and coaches during this early period also help students with accountability. They become a complementary voice to your own, reminding the child of items they need to accomplish and making sure they’re initiating tools to keep themselves accountable.

Starting early also ensures that the most stressful part – the transition itself from high school to college – doesn’t create habits and setbacks that affect the teenager later in their college careers. Students that learn how to manage their schedules, address any sadness they have leaving their family, and gain new emotional and psychological coping skills are going to be starting college with a firmer foundation.

Finally, many teens have still not received professional mental health treatment by the time they start college. Seeing a therapist, coach, or both, helps normalize seeking help for mental health so that they have a relationship in case they need further support in the future.

Psychotherapists and coaches can also partner with parents throughout this process. It can be difficult for many parents to let go and allow their child to learn on their own, while also managing the helplessness that comes with no longer having helpful control in that teen’s daily life.

You are still your child’s biggest advocate and supporter. The role of a therapist or coach is to piece up some of that burden all while allowing your teen to gain independence on their own. Many parents find that receiving their own mental health support along the way can also help them during this transition period, teaching them skills they can use to be better parents from afar.

Even if your child has already started college – or is even in their second or third year – these interventions give them the best opportunity to thrive, not only in college, but in their professional careers as well.

About the Author: Dr. Sadi Fox is a therapist in Brooklyn and owner of Flourish Psychology (opens in new tab), a NYC based private practice offering therapy and couples counseling to teens and adults ages 16 to 64. Sadi and the therapists at Flourish provide support for anxiety, depression, trauma, and work stress.