By Dr. Raymond Martin
Teenagers in this crazy mixed up world we live in today have so many temptations around them, so much so that whole industries and even “career” paths have been made out of the darker temptations. It is a challenging world where peer pressure and simply exploring the world around a teenager leads to them trying something once and then finding themselves trapped.
It wasn’t that long ago that having a sneaky cigarette with friends and then eating a pile of peppermint candy to hide the smell from parents was very much the ultimate temptation.
As we know now, nicotine is addictive and many 70’s and 80’s teenagers soon became smokers as a result of that sneaking around. But today things are just that little more dangerous and once hooked on a substance or drug cravings become stronger and the effects of this change a person and subsequently change society.
Entire underground industries have been created to supply everything from marijuana, ecstasy, cocaine, heroin and some of the most lethal cocktails of drugs and chemicals known to mankind. The drugs and substances cost money, not just a dollar or a few cents but real money and the fix becomes a costly experience.
Teenagers are “marketed” to encourage trying in the hope, with fairly good certainty, that they will come back for more. Teens, adolescents and young adults who get caught in the trap that modern society sets end up with lives that are shattered and families that are destroyed living in communities that can become polarised, end up as slums or even feel like warzones.
Lives are taken away, hope feels like it has been lost and despair, and heartbreak and pain beyond definition can so easily set in. The world of a teenage drug taker or substance abuser is a world far away from what is seen on TV and in the movies, for them and their families is can feel like a living hell and somewhere deep inside each addict truly, honestly wants to be set free.
Thankfully there is help but sadly many never get as far as finding the help they truly need. Teenagers and their families will create a barrage of reasons why they cannot or even will not get help from organizations such as Centered Health that they want and need. The biggest reason for each excuse is fear and with that fear comes shame and a massive drop in pride. The truth is that many organizations really do understand the fear, shame and all the other emotions that surround the help that is needed.
Treatment centers and organizations that help teenagers and their families trapped by drug abuse and other issues are not places of fear where addicts are tied to a hospital bed or held in padded rooms. No these places are all about restoring life, bringing back what has been lost and getting those who are lost back on the right path. It’s not easy but the experts who run these centers know what they are doing, and many of those working in the centers giving advice and support have once been trapped just like the people they are helping.
Teenagers do not have it easy today, broken homes and countless other reasons change and mess up lives but should it get to the stage where you just cannot carry on, don’t leave it too late to reach out and get the help a teenager, your child that was once a baby in your arms, so desperately needs.
The topic of teenager mental health is an important one. For those teens struggling with mental health issues, call Centered Health at 800-234-5599 today.
