You may have a young adult child who is struggling to live independently and need outside help from programs for struggling young adults to overcome his or her failure to thrive.

Typically males, rather than females, suffer from Failure to Launch or Peter Pan Syndrome, so if your son is showing signs of this syndrome, you can get him help at Forte Strong. It is one of several programs for struggling young adults located in St. George, Utah, that offers a safe space for men to learn how to live up to their full potential by developing skills to become responsible adults.

Signs to watch out for that your young adult child may need help are:

• Lacks the desire to succeed on his own
• Has difficulty keeping a steady job
• Has poor communication and social skills
• Battles substance abuse
• Struggles to manage finances on his own
• Commitment issues
• Unreliable
• Emotional instability
• Lack of accountability and blaming others
• The expectation for others to take care of them
• Procrastination
• Refuses to take constructive criticism
• Refuses to leave their childhood home
• Prioritizes fun activities over adult responsibilities
• Befriending children instead of individuals their age

If you notice your son exhibiting a fair number of these signs, it may be time to consider programs for struggling young adults.

Overcoming fear at Forte Strong

One of the causes of young adult men experiencing a form of Peter Pan Syndrome is anxiety. Individuals who struggle with anxiety can have a more difficult time transitioning to adulthood. They may feel like they are left to fend for themselves to tackle life decisions, support themselves and others, and commit to employment. It can be more difficult for a person who struggles with anxiety to venture into adulthood on their own, especially if the individual starts exhibiting these feelings near the end of adolescence.

This is where Forte Strong can be a helping hand for your son.

Forte Strong will provide your son with the resources to develop the skills necessary to become self-reliant and independent in 6-9 months. Your son can achieve independence and maturity in a short time to launch into the “real world” quicker than he would be attempting to overcome his difficulties by himself.

Forte Strong will also teach your son how to unlock his strengths and use them correctly. Your greatest strengths can also be your greatest weaknesses. Your strengths can be beneficial if you use them correctly; a child can create destruction if they haven’t learned how to utilize their strengths. The program will help your son understand and use his strengths to succeed in life.

Forte Strong is one of many choices in programs for struggling young adults to help them overcome the fear and anxiety about the choices ahead of them in the transition to adulthood.

Causes of Peter Pan Syndrome

Permissive parenting

Parents who allow their children to do whatever they choose to with minimal consequences are known as a permissive parenting style. It involves a lack of boundaries, expectations and rules. It leads to children yielding an entitled and unrealistic mentality when entering adulthood.

Overprotective parenting

On the other end of the spectrum is being too overprotective of your children. “Helicopter parenting,” as it is more popularly known, implies to children that the outside world is dangerous and they shouldn’t venture it alone. Children who grow up in a household like this may become overly attached and insecure; they may not develop the mentality or skills they need for a successful transition into adulthood.

Individuals who feel lonely by being forced into adulthood can lead them to regress into an earlier stage of life (childhood) in an effort to feel supported and loved again. It can be similar to feelings of anxiety that makes the individual want to avoid adult responsibilities and remain in their childlike ways for longer.

Enabling behavior

Peter Pan Syndrome only continues if another person, most likely loved ones, enable the behavior of the individual. By allowing their irresponsible and childish behavior to continue, the individual gets stuck in their ways.

Mental health diagnosis

The legal age for becoming an adult and leaving on your own is 18 years old. If someone is not independent by then and ready to move out of their childhood home, it creates a feeling of shame. If this is gone untreated, the feeling can result in a mental health condition, possibly leading to Peter Pan Syndrome or other issues like substance abuse and addiction.

Lack of direction

Not everyone knows what they want to do when they turn 18 and are expected to leave the house and gain an education. People who feel unclear about the direction they should take may find themselves stuck in a childlike state.

If you are searching for programs for struggling young adults, Forte Strong is an adequate choice in getting your son the help he needs to overcome his difficulties in transitioning to adulthood. Forte Strong will help your son out of his failure-to-thrive state by inspiring him to dedicate himself to achieving his goals. Every man should love his work and work with a purpose, and that is what the program promotes to their men. Your son will grow from the inside out and learn what he stands for and believes in.