Troubled Teens Resources

Teen age drug abuse has a direct correlation to a teen’s sense of self-worth. You simply do not willingly damage or destroy that which you value. Self-worth has to be derived from reasonable and healthy standards. But the world is upside down and the standards that teens measure themselves by are cruel and exacting.

Fall short of the accepted profile and you are the one eating lunch alone, forever without a boyfriend, stuck with the nerds. The penalties for not measuring up to the cultural portrait of “awesome” are severe. Just ask a fat kid. Teens at risk are even more vulnerable if they carry the emotional baggage from being overweight.

“…Obesity is “one of the most stigmatizing and least socially acceptable conditions in childhood.” … An historic study showed that normal weight children rank obese children as the least desirable friends. Obese individuals were described as lazy, dirty, dumb and deceitful. These descriptions were made by children as young as six years old…”

(Source)

Following close on the heels of rejection, ensuing loneliness and increasing vulnerability, are drugs. Drugs take the pain away. Drugs give you a boldness that you’ve never had. Drugs become identity. Especially if you can deal them. Especially if you are the go-to guy for a bag of dope. Overweight troubled teenagers hunger for the attention that the drug world gives them, further binding them to the shackles of their addiction.

Get your teen moving. Unplug your teen. If he is overweight, help him find a solution. Give him three options; train at a gym, train at home, or train via a class. Set the goal. Join him. Just do it.

You let the appearance of the first tattoo slide. You think it is probably the influence of your teenage daughter’s new boyfriend. You feel like you’re walking on eggs around her, so you haven’t mentioned that you thoroughly dislike this young man. He has the same tattoo on his forearm and you are sure that that is a bad sign. It reminds you of a brand of ownership. And that is what your daughter acts like - she acts like this new boy owns her. And then there is the rough treatment that you’ve witnessed. What is it all adding up to? Could your daughter possibly be involved in a gang and what is the best method of intervention if she is?

If your teenager is lonely or has always been unpopular in school, if your at-risk teen is angry and accusatory, blaming the world for their every ill, they are prime candidates for the seduction of belonging in a gang. Intervention is necessary early on to prevent the developing ties of loyalty and identity from becoming an unbreakable bond.

Here are some factors that contribute to a troubled teen’s attraction to gang life.

• Racism: When young people encounter both personal and institutional racism (i.e., systematic denial of privileges), the risks are increased. When groups of people are denied access to power, privileges, and resources, they will often form their own anti-establishment group.
• Poverty: A sense of hopelessness can result from being unable to purchase wanted goods and services. Young people living in poverty may find it difficult to meet basic physical and psychological needs which can lead to a lack of self-worth and pride. One way to earn cash is to join a gang involved in the drug trade.
• Lack of a support network: Gang members often come from homes where they feel alienated or neglected. They may turn to gangs when their needs for love are not being met at home. Risks increase when the community fails to provide sufficient youth programs or alternatives to violence.
• Media influences: Television, movies, radio, and music all have profound effects on youth development. Before youth have established their own value systems and are able to make moral judgments, the media promotes drugs, sex, and violence as an acceptable lifestyle.

from Why Do Young People Join Gangs?

A parent must seek intervention if they suspect that their at-risk teen is flirting with the idea of joining a gang. Without early intervention, the teen quickly assigns all of their loyalty to this destructive force and it becomes more difficult to break the bonds the longer the affiliation is continued. The link above will guide parents towards the appropriate steps towards intervention.