You’ve graduated high school. Now what? Whether you are off to college, already in college, or not attending college and working, the years between 18 and 25 or thereabouts can be challenging and confusing. It is also an exciting time: You’re finding out more about yourself, further establishing your identity, possibly seeing what it is like to be more separate from your family, and might have more choices and freedom than ever before.
You also might be living at home with your family and it is strangely uncomfortable for all concerned. Both you and your parents/guardians are in a transitional phase and go back and forth between 1) wanting or expecting more independence and self-reliance and 2) needing support or 3) falling into behavior that remains from high school days.
You may have just finished college and are at loose ends as to what comes next. There are both normal developmental challenges that you are facing as well as possible financial stress and other stressors that can cause anxiety and sometimes depression (see links below for lots of interesting info. Using psychotherapy to get support and sort out what is going on can help significantly. In therapy we can:
1) Explore what the triggers for anxiety are;
2) Explore what might be going on dynamically with family and how to make it work better
3) Learn and practice relaxation techniques, breathing exercises, and positive cognitive coping skills to manage anxiety and depressive symptoms;
4) Explore, define and clarify how you feel about yourself and what you want for yourself,
5) and more.
https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/issues/young-adults
Caroline Loewald Farnham, LCSW 