When is the best time to access care for mental health challenges? There’s a simple answer to that question: as soon as possible, because the longer a mental health issue remains untreated, the more serious it can become. That said, for teens, young adults, and families who have been considering treatment, summer is often the easiest and most convenient time to access the care they need.
Starting therapy during the summer can set young people up for a positive and rewarding year—and give them powerful tools for navigating life’s inevitable stressors and challenges. From a flexible outpatient program to a home-like environment in residential, young people can find a level of care that helps them build coping skills, strengthen communication, and get peer support. After treatment, teens can segue into an after-school outpatient program for the fall, while young adults can stay connected to treatment in lower levels of care. No matter what, our team can help your loved one find the care they need to thrive.
Key Takeaways
- Summer can be the most convenient time for a young people to access care for mental health.
- This is also the season when untreated issues can get worse, due to loneliness, FOMO, and lack of structure.
- Participating in treatment during the summer can help minimize interruptions to a young person’s education.
- Treatment that strengthens executive functioning and life skills helps set teens and young adults up for a successful fall.
Why Start Mental Health Treatment During the Summer?
Here are five reasons why the summer months are often the easiest times to overcome obstacles to care and ensure that young people access the treatment they need to thrive.
1. Summer is a more convenient time to step away from activities and responsibilities.
The summer months are more likely to be unstructured and unplanned for teens and young adults on school vacation. That makes it simpler to enter treatment; there’s no need to take a leave of absence from high school or college. Summer jobs or internships can be canceled or postponed more easily than year-round activities.
While talking about treatment is a powerful way to reduce the stigma around mental health, accessing care during the summer means you have a choice about when and how much you want to reveal, rather than being required to share sensitive information with a high school or college administration.
2. The unstructured summer months can make mental health issues worse.
The long summer break can intensify existing issues for teens in high school and young adults in college. While school can be challenging for kids struggling with their well-being, it can also provide goals, purpose, and a sense of community. Without that structure and social connection, young people can experience more loneliness, depression, FOMO, and anxiety.
There’s also the risk of increased drug use and drinking, which can lead to a substance use disorder. Seeking care in summer prevents problems from escalating while helping young people find long-term recovery from underlying issues that get worse in summer.
3. It’s often easier during the summer to access treatment quickly.
Because going back to school tends to exacerbate problems and complicate existing mental health issues, many families tend to seek help during the fall months. That can make the admissions process lengthier and the waitlists longer for both residential and outpatient treatment programs.
In the summer, it’s often easier to expedite the admissions process and access open beds in residential care or an outpatient program such as a Partial Hospitalization Program or Intensive Outpatient Program.
4. Teens and young adults gain the skills to support a positive transition back to school.
Along with healing the underlying trauma that catalyzes mental health disorders and behavioral issues, residential or outpatient treatment in the summer also gives young people the tools they need to go back to school strong, with the tools they need to succeed. Instead of the rocky and tumultuous start they may have experienced in the past, they can step into the new school year with enhanced skills for emotional regulation, relationship building, and executive functioning. Treatment in summer can help teens avoid being held back a grade due to behavioral or mental health issues, and set young adults up with more vital skills for navigating college.
PrairieCare offers an educational component in our Partial Hospitalization Program and inpatient hospital. As part of our daily programming, patients 18 and younger are taught in a structured classroom environment with specialty-trained staff from local school districts. While participating in academics, patients also examine school-related stressors and find helpful ways to manage their mental health challenges. In addition, we support young adults in strengthening their executive functioning and life skills to pursue their academic and career goals successfully.
5. Treatment can be the most meaningful and memorable experience a teen or young adult has ever had.
Treatment isn’t a vacation, but it’s a powerful experience that young people will never forget. While it’s hard work, it’s gratifying for the patient and the whole family. Young people overcome challenges in a safe environment, build self-mastery and self-esteem, and discover new strengths.
Moreover, within a supportive community of peers, teens, and young adults often feel a sense of belonging and connection they’ve never felt before. Participating in modalities such as art and music therapy gives young people time with caring friends, doing activities they enjoy—two of the best parts of summer.
Start Mental Health Support This Summer
In summary, many young people and families find that accessing treatment during the summer months is more convenient than during the year. There’s no need to take a leave of absence from school, and summer jobs or internships can be cancelled or postponed more easily than year-round activities. In the fall, young people can go back to school or work with stronger self-awareness, better coping skills, and the motivation to reach their goals.
At PrairieCare, we offer individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, mindfulness practices, art therapy, and more. Our multidisciplinary treatment teams take a whole-person approach to ensure you or your loved one gets the tools to feel empowered in mental wellness. To get started, call our team at 952-826-8475 or learn more here. You can also request a no-cost mental health screening by clicking the button below and filling out the form on the right. Our team will then contact you within one business day to get started.
