A new 12 step support group has been launched in Lebanon, PA specifically for teens. The reason why this has been started is because it is difficult for addicted teens to relate with addicted adults. This is one of the reasons why Gatehouse uses peer mentoring. The residents seem to be more open to hearing feedback and/or criticism from someone their own age that has a similar story.
“It is very hard for young folks to come into a 12-step meeting or a support group meeting and identify with people who are older and who have been in an active addiction for a longer period of time, said Donna Dmitrovic, assistant director of the Recovery, Advocacy, Service, Empowerment program — also known as RASE.
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Recently, one of our residents from Gatehouse Academy attended a local high school support group.
She related to me afterwards, that it was heartbreaking to see these teens involved in drug use, and she wished somehow that her own experiences would make enough of an impression upon them so they would seek help.
I was one of those teens that thought there was no way I would be able to stay sober. I think one of the things that helped me out the most was peers. I was able to see lots of people my own age staying sober and that gave me hope to do the same. I now dedicate a lot of my time speaking out to teens and helping with the young people’s community.
I tried going to meetings on my own before coming to Gatehouse. Most of the meetings I went to consisted of people much older than I was, and I found it really hard to relate and thought that I was different from them. Coming to Gatehouse, I found out that I was no different from anyone else, and having people my age in treatment with me helped me to realize that.
My first few attempts at recovery were in local rehabs and AA meetings in and around the city of Boston, At the time I was not aware of Young People’s AA, So I went to mostly meetings with people who were twice or even three times my age. I didn’t believe that at my age I could get sober, I felt like I had alot more bottoms to hit before I could be at the same level as alot of the people in those meetings. After coming through treatment with mostly young people I realized that it was possible for me to achieve recovery. As alcoholics alot of us try to look at as many differences between ourselves and others as is possible, and that’s what I did when I first came into recovery I tried with every bone in my body to find all the ways to make myself ‘terminally unique’ so i could justify not being able to recover like all the others who had before me.
working in the field of addiction has afforded me some very special moments.I recently had the opportunity to take a group of Gatehouse residents to a Young Peoples Confrence in Phoenix.The gift I saw taking place was their excitement and exuberence for the program.Their words to me “I didn’t know AA could be so much fun”. I must admit this old tmer had just as much fun as they did.
Young people think differently, feel differently and do differently than adults. We are but messengers. If more programs like this are available then more youth will experience the process and the journey of recovery/sobriety and in turn they will reach out and help others who are still suffering. Gatehouse is a good example of peers helping peers. The beginning but from one idea to help youth who are suffering has grown and developed layers upon layers which contribute in assisting these young people to develop a strong foundation of recovery for themselves. Much of its programs have been created and developed by the youth for the youth. It is evolving everywhere. At the 2005 International Convention of Alcoholics Anonymous in Toronto, Canada, I was a witness to the youth presentation racing up a ramp from the audience to centre stage, filling the space with excitement, high energy, music of their time, they rocked the house. A most common question of near impossible acceptance is when a 17 year old says “does this mean I can’t drink or get high for the rest of my life?” With youth in recovery increasingly growing who better to past the message and be a live testimony. ‘AA lives in the youth of today and the youth of today live in AA.’
It was hard going into recovery and not having any sober friends to support me. When I got into AA I met a fellowship of young adults like myself that were going through the same thing I was and when I struggled with wanting to use or drink I had my supportive sisters in recovery to help me redirct my thinking and get in a better spot.There are young adult meetings of AA any state you go so you will always have the love and support you need.
drugs are bad and should not be done