Troubled Teens Resources

Teens at risk benefit immensely from participation in sports. The discipline learned while training as an athlete can be extrapolated to all areas of a teen’s life and often goes a long way towards helping a teen make good choices. Unfortunately, teen age drug abuse can be found in the gym also.

Karen’s son kept nagging his mom to change his gym membership. They had joined a small local gym on a family plan that everyone in the family, except Tim, neglected to use. He’d always been so intent on his weight training that Karen was baffled when he quit going as often and wanted to change to a new facility.

Probing finally brought out his story. Karen explained.

“It seems there are a lot of kids his age shooting steroids. It made him very nervous to be around it and it actually made him pretty angry and discouraged. He’s saying what’s the point of working out hard and excelling at football on his own speed when so many of the kids he’s competing with are on something.”

Karen actually contacted the gym owner who claimed to be unaware of steroids being quietly encouraged by his trainers but Tim just laughed when he heard that.

“What do you expect him to say? I betcha if I go back in a month it will be the same kids and the same trainers.”.

Fortunately Tim is staying on top of his training, but the family opted to turn part of their basement into a workout room. Now everyone is working out and Tim vows to start a anti-steroid campaign with a few like minded teens in school next year.

To learn more about steroid abuse, visit The National Institute on Drug Abuse for symptoms and ill effects.