High-functioning means performing under pressure or at a high level; it doesn’t mean you’re okay. Maybe your child is doing exactly what they’re supposed to be doing. They graduated, got into college, and moved into a place with friends. They got a job, are excelling in school, and everything appears to be going well. But something feels off.
Maybe they aren’t returning your calls as much. Or they’re sleeping all day and blowing through money without much explanation. Maybe they seem anxious, withdrawn, or just different in a way you can’t quite put your finger on. And when you ask them if they’re okay, they shrug it off with “I’m just tired” or “I’m fine.”
Life transitions, like going to college and getting a job, are more than milestones - they’re pressure points. They are areas of friction that, when coupled with anxiety, depression, trauma, or substance abuse, can quietly push people into a tailspin.
Growing Pains or Warning Signs?
Everyone struggles a bit when they move out, start college, or try to navigate their first real heartbreak. I know I did, you probably did too. But the difference between a rough patch and something more serious usually comes down to what happens next.
Young adults don’t always recognize when they’re struggling and, honestly, they don’t always want to. But those subtle shifts in behavior during major life changes often point to something deeper: a mental health issue that’s been lying dormant, or a growing reliance on substances to cope.
Why Transitions Are So Triggering
Big life changes demand big internal adjustments whether that be emotionally, socially, or mentally. That’s hard for anyone, but especially for young adults whose brains are still developing and who may not have solid coping skills yet. When a young person is already predisposed to anxiety, depression, ADHD, or trauma, those transitions can stir up a perfect storm.
Even the changes we label as “positive” like getting into a dream school, or landing a great internship, can be overwhelming. The pressure to succeed, perform, and keep it all together can tip someone into panic, perfectionism, or paralysis.
In other words, life changes don’t just test your child’s ability to adapt. They can also expose underlying mental health conditions that were previously manageable..
The Role of Substance Use: Coping or Escaping?
The prevailing idea about young adults turning to substances is that they just want to party and have a good time. But often there’s more to it than that. Used to cope, drugs and alcohol become tools to manage stress, anxiety, depression, and numb emotional pain. Growing up is hard and substances can make the transition feel a little easier in the moment.
This overlap of mental health struggles and substance use is what we call dual diagnosis. And it’s more common than you think. One issue feeds the other. Depression leads to drinking, which worsens the depression. Anxiety leads to weed use, which worsens focus and motivation, which increases anxiety. It’s a loop that’s hard to spot until your child is fully stuck in it.
If Something Feels Off, It Probably Is
Trust your instinct. You don’t need a diagnosis to start asking questions. You don’t need your child to hit rock bottom to start exploring support. Sometimes, stepping in before things get worse is what prevents the crisis altogether.
It’s Not “Just Growing Up” If They’re Falling Apart
Young adulthood is messy. Change is hard. But the danger lies in assuming that every stumble is normal, that every red flag is a phase. Because sometimes, what looks like “growing pains” is really the start of something more serious.
If life changes are leaving your child emotionally unstable, reliant on substances, or unable to function, it’s not overreacting to get help. It’s parenting. Call Momentum Recovery today.