College student home? Here’s how to check their mental health

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 09:48:49 -0500

College students will soon be home for summer break. They’re embarking on their independent phase, so opening up about mental health to their parents might not top the summer to-do list. It can leave parents wondering: How did the school year go? Did they make friends? Are they doing OK mentally?

Rachel Yuhas, LCPC, a psychotherapist at OSF HealthCare, says there are dos and don’ts to get the most out of a conversation with a young adult.

School stress

Yuhas says going off to college is a huge transition. The student may miss home. They may have trouble being accountable with no 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. structure they had in high school. Making friends can also be difficult. Yuhas says college students may be stressed and scared to branch out and meet people.

“They might be anxious or get into a rut of depression. They might isolate. They might sleep too much or not sleep at all,” Yuhas says.

Warning signs

Yuhas says parents should watch for drastic changes in their college student’s appearance as a possible “red flag” of a mental health concern. Some weight gain or loss in college is expected, but significant weight changes should warrant a discussion.

“This might mean they’re not taking care of themselves,” Yuhas says. “Stress might be coming on. They might be depressed. All of those things can cause issues with appetite.”

Other things to watch for:

The young adult is spending most of their time away from others. Maybe they’re in their room sleeping all day.
They drop hints about their college experience, such as “I didn’t join any new clubs this year.”
The person looks messy. Maybe they used to be a snazzy dresser with groomed hair, but they stopped keeping up that appearance. Or they stopped hygiene practices like using deodorant or brushing their teeth. Parents should ask themselves: Is my child keeping up with daily tasks?

Dos and don’ts

It’s time to talk to your child about their mental health.

Do: Ask open ended questions, and let the child fill in the blanks. For example: How did final exams go?

Don’t: Ask accusatory questions like: What’s wrong with you? Or: Why aren’t you talking to us?

“If you get mad at them, that makes it worse. They won’t want to open up,” Yuhas says.
Do: Find the right time. Let the child get settled back in, and have a conversation over lunch a day or two later.

Don’t: Bombard your student with questions the moment they get into the house.
Do: Curtail your reactions and judgements. Be kind and mindful.

“Instead of asking ‘Why?’, say ‘Oh my gosh. I didn’t know about this. What’s been going on? Tell me more.’,” Yuhas says.

Don’t: Have knee-jerk reactions like: How could you? Or: Why did you fail that class? Or even: You know I don’t like your major. Why haven’t you dropped it yet?

Next steps

After that first conversation, Yuhas urges parents to not let the issue go.

“I encourage parents to become emotion coaches with their children,” Yuhas says. “Continue to check in. Continue to ask, ‘How are you doing?’ or ‘I saw the college had this event. Was it something you went to?’ Just stay involved in their everyday life, but don’t bombard them.”

If things aren’t improving, the conversation might turn to: I want to help you. Have you thought about talking to a therapist? Would that be a good option?

“Put the ball in their court,” Yuhas says.

“When we go off to college, it can be a huge adjustment. So we try to normalize their feelings,” Yuhas adds, outlining what she might talk to a college student about in a therapy session. “We go over ways to make friends and socialize. We go over how to manage stress, anxiety and depression. We talk about coping skills.”

For example, if a student is leaving their dormitory just for class, Yuhas may suggest going to the library to study. The student may make a friend along the way. Yuhas may suggest exercise or meditation. Or, is homework procrastination causing stress? There are ways to change those habits.

Learn more

Read more about healthy thoughts and behaviors on the OSF HealthCare website. If your stress has reached a crisis where you are thinking about harming yourself or others, talk to a trusted adult or mental health professional or go to the emergency department right away. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is also available.

Interview clips

Hearts United

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 09:00:00 -0500

What started as a happenstance turned out to be a beautiful friendship.

"They've always had physical therapy together on Tuesdays for the last year or so. They've grown a bond and love seeing each other, saying hi and giving kisses,” says Courtney Klein, the mother of Parker Klein.

Parker and her best buddy Elliott are both 2-years-old and have been diagnosed with Down Syndrome.

Elliott’s mother Elizabeth Widolff says the experience has been beautiful for not just Elliott and Parker, but everyone around them.

"It's absolutely wonderful for him to be in communication and interacting with a kid of his own age. It doesn't need to be with someone with the same diagnosis, or the same diagnosis at all. They definitely feed off of each other, which is nice. It's also great to be in the community with another parent, so that way we see we're not the only ones going through the attitude that comes with that extra chromosome. Because that's all it is, it's pure spice," Widolff laughed.

Klein agrees, saying physical therapy for Parker benefits all areas of her life.

"It's helpful not only to see them grow physically, but also be able to develop that bond and see that social aspect as well,” Klein says. "It's super easy. It's literally like she's just playing. She loves it, most of the time. It's a fun way to watch her play and grow."

Saundi Pugh is the pediatric physical therapist with OSF HealthCare helping lead the sessions at Five Points Washington with Parker and Elliott. She says the two kids consider physical therapy their weekly date.

“They really think the other is their best friend, or that they're dating. They come and they're so excited to see each other and it's more motivating, we can get them to do more when they're both here,” Pugh says.

Widolff says while Elliott may be growing at a different pace than other children, that’s part of the journey, and it’s a wonderful thing.

"He's scooting now. He wasn't doing that before; he was rolling. He would literally walk on walls. As far as his vocabulary goes, it's getting better the more he's around other children. His favorite word is 'ow,' which is really fun. Ya know, 'ow!' No one is hurting you dude," Widolff laughed.

Pugh says right now Parker and Elliott are working on walking, and they’re both making great strides.

"We also work on moving between positions. That's why climbing on the slide ladder can help them get some strength in their legs. Sometimes on the swing we can get some sensory experience, get them alerted,” Pugh says. “Kids with Down Syndrome tend to be a little more on the lower muscle tone side. So, if we can bounce them on a ball and get them excited, that helps alert them a little bit so they can do more things gross motor."

As Widolff says, seeing her son grow every week in all facets of life has been a blessing. It’s an added plus that now Elliott has a “little girlfriend” to experience it with.

OSF HealthCare Newsroom

College student home? Here’s how to check their mental health

Interview clips

Hearts United

Courtney Klein Video Interview Clips

Elizabeth Widolff Video Interview Clips

Saundi Pugh Video Interview Clips

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