Troubled Teens Resources

Alcohol was the drug of choice for Nicole’s young son. She wasn’t ware of it until it was almost too late. Typical of a single mother, her she worked two jobs and trusted the family babysitter. Unfortunately, the trust was misplaced. She discovered that most of the alcohol was consumed under her watch.

Nicole’s family was alarmed when her course of action was to enroll her son in a military boarding school. But Nicole was determined.Alcohol had ruined her marriage and her parent’s marriage and she was not going to allow her son to fall in the same trap. He was given a choice between a school for troubled teens with an emphasis on sports or a military school. Military school won out and it has turned out to be the solution her son needed.

She is to be commended for her responsible actions. Recent news items indicate that, unfortunately, many parents of teens at risk are not.

“We have an underage drinking epidemic on our hands because of the parents who condone it, the retailers who enable it and the children who participate in it,” said Mundelein Police Chief Raymond Rose, head of a countywide task force on underage drinking. “It is a problem that involves all of society, and will require all of society to remedy.”

Deerfield Police Chief John Sliozis, whose community was stung by the deaths of Daniel Bell and Ross Trace, said parents must realize that it’s never safe for teens to drink.

“Some people have always believed that if the kids were drinking under their so-called supervision, it was not really a problem,” Sliozis said. “As acceptable as that myth may have been 20 or 30 years ago, I believe there is no way to deny that teens are far too mobile these days for anyone to subscribe to it.”

(Source)

Deerfield is the community where two parents were convicted for allowing underage drinking in their home, pleading ignorance. Their ignorance cost two teens their lives.

“She couldn’t eat at a restaurant, she couldn’t wear pajamas, everything bothered her,” said Kelli Burris, her mother. “When she was put on the correct medications it was like we turned a light switch on and we had a different child.”

The debate continues over the drugging of children and teenagers in order to tackle their emotional issues such as depression and behavioral issues. Like the woman above, many parents swear that without medication, life for their troubled teen would be measurably worse.

The latest studies would tend to support these parents though many in the field dispute the findings.

“Still, the debate on whether to medicate kids with mental illness continues. Some people believe doctors and parents — society, in general — are too quick to use pills to address problems and bypass other methods, such as therapy.

“We have been overwhelmed with messages that say any little problem can be fixed with a pill,” said Vera Sharav, president of the Alliance for Human Research Protection, an advocacy group.”

(Source)
Katherine explains her decision to send her son to a troubled teen boarding school instead of “treating his depression”.

“ My mother was on anti-depressants her whole life. Going from one prescription to the next, from high to low to high. I just didn’t want Jake to go through that kind of dependency. I wanted him to be able to make wise choices no matter what he is feeling. I came to believe after watching my mother that you can do alot more to control your emotions then the docs give you credit for.

When it became clear Jake was using pot and failing school his shrink wanted to immediately put him on a pill. I just couldn’t stand the thought of consigning him to the pill prison my mother lived in.

Now, I realize my decision was right. Jake wasn’t “mentally Ill” - he was just a brat. Period. After a year in school there has not been one sign of depression. He is going to go on to military school now and he is dreaming of West Point.“

“Hi every1. I haven’t been happy in a very long time. I have been crying and feeling very lonely. I miss my old school and don’t have a lot of friends. I realli hate my stupid fuckin life. I just saw my therapist and lately I have been crying at the end of my therapy appointments. My parents want me to try an after-school activity but I’m scared about dat cuz I ain’t good at meeting new ppl. I’m worried kids might make fun of me cuz I have Asperger’s Syndrome. I need to make friends and feel better soon or else my parents will send me to boarding school next year and I don’t want dat! What should I do? sum1 plz help”
(source)

“…very lonely…miss old school…ain’t good at meeting new people…or else my parents will send me to boarding school.”

Loneliness, a sense of not belonging, fear of new people, fear of being misunderstood; all factors that could easily lead this troubled teen to abusing drugs or other self-destructive behavior.

A military school or placement into a teen therapy program at an accredited boarding school is the very plan of action that could save this at-risk teen from losing their life all together. Yet, it sounds as if the parents have perhaps used the idea of a boarding school as a threat as opposed to discussing it with their troubled teen as a positive solution for her loneliness and sense of ostracism.

It is very important that parents of troubled teens not resort to presenting a boarding school solution as a threat or punishment. For a trouble teen with this combination of emotional disturbances, it is the exact environment where she or he can safely work out their problems, safe from the lure of drugs or other destructive means of escaping emotional pain.

A good boarding school will be able to address all of a troubled teen’s issues, providing he or she with excellent coping skills, assisting the troubled teen in developing their talents and strengths, teaching them healthy methods of dealing with depression and loneliness. Unfortunately, the solutions teens may seek outside of an effective teen treatment program and without the protective isolation a good boarding school are all too often found in drugs or alcohol abuse. In a sound teen treatment program in an accredited boarding school, the at-risk teen is given an even playing field to heal, not subject to the additional pressure of being tempted to use drugs or alcohol as a means of coping.

A parent who is considering sending their troubled teen to a brat camp or boarding school would be well advised to present such a solution in a positive light, not as a threat, but as an empowering opportunity for growth.

Aaron eye’s were sparkling and his posture was different too. Gone was the “Pose” as Carol called it - the attitude slouch of boredom, the swaggering gait of defiance. He stood tall, alert, as if his body was circulating a new potent mix of blood and vitality.

Aaron had been at military school for almost 6 weeks and Carol could finally heave a sigh of relief. She and her husband had poured over brochures and internet sites when looking for a teen residential treatment program for their troubled teen. Boarding schools, military schools, wilderness treatment programs, at-risk teen brat camps! At one point they felt so overwhelmed with their research they jokingly mused over the hope of finding a treatment program for parents of troubled teens.

But looking at Aaron now, Carol realized that the fruit of their hard work was represented in the obvious progress that their at-risk teen now exhibited. They had, indeed, chosen the right boarding school.

If you are a parent of a troubled teen and you are buried in research trying to decide which teen boarding school or military school offers the right combination of therapies for your at-risk teen, please feel confident that you and your teen will benefit greatly from your efforts.

Here are ten points to consider when searching for the right boarding school for your troubled teen.

1) Ask about the boarding school’s success rates.
2) Talk with some parents with a teen in the program.
3) Take a tour of the troubled teen programs you are considering.
4) Don’t base your decision on either pure emotion or logic.
5) Don’t tell yourself that ignoring the problem will make it go away.
6) If it isn’t working, stop doing it!
7) Understand that you don’t always get what you pay for.
Look for a program that involves the whole family.
9) Don’t tell your child you are going to put them in a treatment program
10) Remember that just because you have a troubled teen doesn’t mean that you are a bad parent.

For more details, read further here.

There are so many ways for a troubled teen to harm themselves, so many negative influences that a parent has to be aware of that, often times, a beleaguered parent is well advised to seek a residential treatment program at a teen boarding school. At an accredited boarding school, at least the parent can trust that a trained professional can attack the debilitating depression and desperation that hound the at-risk teen on an even playing field, away from all the seductions of drug abuse and the attendant ills that accompany addictions.

Listen to this cry for help.

“i cut myself and i cant stop. i do it every day. and i love the feeling but i know its wrong. i cant do it anymore, but i have to. PLEASE HELP ME.”
(Source)

Could you answer that question if your struggling teen were to cry out to you? Not many parents can. That is, however, the type of questions mental health experts and treatment counselors at a brat camp or military school can address.

As a parent of a struggling teen you are dealing with life and death issues and no matter how competent you are in your given field, no matter your education, a parent is wise to defer to the experts that can be found in a reputable teen boarding school.