What Are The Most Common Reasons Young Adults Fail To Become Independent?

One of the most difficult problems that a parent can face is having a child who his now a young adult, but has failed to achieve any level of independence. When young adults continue to be dependent on their parents, it limits their personal growth while also putting a substantial burden on other family members. Unfortunately, many people don’t understand why this is taking place. Parents expect their sons and daughters to naturally establish themselves as independent adults once they reach a certain age. If you have found yourself in this situation, it is important to understand what some of the most common reasons for this lack of independence is.

1 – Substance abuse – It is very common for teens or young adults to develop issues with substance abuse that prevent them from developing into fully independent adults. One of the first things you should do when considering how to help your son or daughter is look for signs that they may be abusing drugs or alcohol. This will have to be addressed before any progress can be made in helping them become independent.

2 – Mental health issues – These problems can make it incredibly difficult for a young adult to become independent. The mental health condition your son or daughter is dealing with could range from depression to obsessive compulsive disorder. Regardless of the individual issue, it is important that it be addressed through therapy or counseling.

3 – Emotional immaturity – One of the driving factors behind a young adult’s desire to be independent is them having reached emotional maturity. At that point, a young adult won’t want to live in a way that forces them to be dependent on their parents or other family members. If this hasn’t happened, it may be indicative of underlying emotional issues that need to be addressed.

4 – Lack of important life skills – Sometimes, a young adult may simply lack some of the basic skills they need to support themselves. In this situation, a program like At The Crossroads can be extremely helpful in guiding them through the acquisition of these important skills.

5 – Difficulty holding a job – Many of the issues discussed above can contribute to a general difficulty in staying employed. Without a job, there is no way for a young adult to maintain an independent lifestyle, making it essential that any issues getting in the way of holding a job be addressed.