I would say there are numerous challenges working with today’s youth. Today’s youth face an opioid epidemic that is only growing by the year and with no end in sight, we as adults and counselors are learning to work with the problem and going to where the problem is rather than demanding these kids have it all together. These young people are going to schools that are littered with drugs and alcohol and are being expected to stay sober. The worst part is we are seeing that the amount of drugs and alcohol in school is not dependent on the financial state of the town or neighborhood. It used to be that only schools in inner cities or poor areas had these types of problems, but at least in California, these problems are now everywhere including Temecula.
So the challenge in essence becomes about how to show young people their potential and have them experience what life could be like with goals and pride while they are surrounded by the problem of drugs and overdoses every day they attend school or even outside of school. Working with the schools in the area I have seen that these young people are not bad people. They are simply doing the best they know how to be happy and escape their issues. For the most part they have been completely willing to talk about their problems and want something better than what they have, just most people do not know how to talk with them and listen as opposed to talking at them and demanding consequences.
What are the positives about working with adolescents who struggle with substance abuse?
I would say the positives are watching the light bulb turn on. Most of these kids struggle with substance abuse because they struggle with feelings and not knowing how to express them, whether that’s sadness, grief, anxiety, etc… These kids that I work with are feeling lost and deeply misunderstood which leads to more feelings of anxiety and loneliness. Taking the time to listen to these feelings has proven effective in not only them listening to direction and openness to suggestions, but also establishes a much-needed connection between the substance abuse counselor and the adolescent that’s just as gratifying for the counselor as it is for the patient or client. Once that heartfelt connection is established, the client (in this case adolescent or young person) is mostly willing to try to better their lives.
Seeing young people come back to me years later with their lives together or trying to meet their goals now is the most gratifying part of what I do.