Troubled Teens Resources

Teen age drug abuse, a huge issue in and of itself, is but a symptom of a general troubled teens’ emotional malaise that can manifest in other harmful practices besides just drug consumption. One group of teens dwell in the nether worlds of a sub-culture known as Emos. If you haven’t heard of Emos, you’ll perhaps have heard of “cutting” or self-harm, a practice that is at the heart of this sad, self-absorbed group of teens who choose darkness over light, tragedy over hope.

“One of the most annoying characteristics.. is their refusal to open their curtains. Their world is dark and airless.

If this environment is coupled with the psychological traits of self-pity, introspection, self-dramatisation and hormone imbalance, you have a fully-fledged Emo…”

More or less, Emo teens are the offspring of the Goth culture, participants of which are noted for their fixation on black, death and morbidity. The difference, however, is that Emo’s have as a centerpiece of their world a fixation with hurting themselves.

“The Emos - short for Emotional - regard themselves as a cool, young sub-set of the Goths.

Although the look is similar, the point of distinction, frightening for schools and parents, is a celebration of self harm.

Emos exchange competitive messages on their teenage websites about the scars on their wrists and how best to display them. Girls’ secondary schools have for some time been concerned about the increase in self harm.

One governor of a famous boarding school told me that it was as serious a problem as binge drinking, but rarely discussed for fear of encouraging more girls to do it.”
(source)

Related:

• Private Boarding Schools for Depressed Teen Girls