When I was six my dad started doing drugs and left me. Now I live with my mom and step dad who fight. My mom is very close to leaving . Almost all my uncles are in jail or dead , and my cousin is homeless too. And due to all of this my mom and my step dad are having problems and I’m having problems with my mom as well so we are very close to leaving my house.
CONSIDER THIS:
- Not having a stable family can make you feel stressed out and unhappy. You are smart for making an effort to persevere despite severe family trauma.
- All families have issues but some are worse than others. If you need someone to talk to you may head to the Teen Central website and click on the Help tab to call one of the hotlines listed here. There are also resources under the Learn tab which include Anxiety and Depression.
- It may be helpful to find a trusted, responsible adult to talk to like a therapist, teacher or relative who doesn’t have issues.
- Be positive and find something else to focus on like reading, drawing or listening to music.
- You can try joining a positive group of people who have real goals so that you learn to develop these traits too. Volunteering can be fun and you can make friends. Some great organizations are Habitat for Humanity, The Humane Society of the United States and American Red Cross. Choose one based on your interests or strengths.
- Focus on school, activities and homework so you don’t become negative like your family and get yourself into trouble.
- You can try becoming more spiritual. You may benefit from this by feeling safer and by knowing that everything happens for a reason and a higher power is present in your life. On the Teen Central website, click the Learn tab then Spirituality to learn more. Some spiritual activities to try are meditation, yoga, prayer or attending church services.
- Educate yourself about your circumstances and how you can overcome them. Think about your future and read inspirational stories to motivate yourself. Be around intelligent people who are a positive influence on you. Find real friends who love you for yourself by always being yourself.
- In order to stay away from the negative family drama it may help to get a part-time job to be more responsible so you don’t spiral out of control like your other family members. By improving yourself you may also be able to help your family in the future. Even if your family doesn’t change you are still just as important. One person really can make a difference if they try.
HELP YOURSELF:
- What are some ways your situation can make you a stronger person and improve your future?
- Can you think of a positive role model you can look up to and learn from like another family member or a teacher?
- What are some other ways you can stay away from your family more often and focus on improving yourself so you don’t fall into the same negative patterns?
- What are some ways you can positively contribute to the world so you can have a better life than your family?
