My name is Pierce. My story starts like many others… I had a great home growing up, with two wonderful parents. Yet, somehow, I always felt empty inside…something was missing. To mask the emptiness, I did anything to make myself feel better and, by the age of 14, I found myself seriously addicted to drugs. This … Read more
A spiraling descent of emotions that do not seem manageable. A physical ailment that cannot be cured by simply pulling yourself up by the bootstraps. Up to 20 percent of teens and youth will suffer from depression or symptoms of depression before they reach adulthood. Statistics also show a staggering number of depressed teens self-medicate … Read more
You have come to a breaking point. You have done everything that you know to do, nothing has helped. He was kicked out school. He keeps running off at all hours and comes home reeking of alcohol. He is not the perfect child you always imagined. Military school will not take him. What else can … Read more
Defining Depression Depression…”is a disease,” “is a choice,” “is real.” These are the top three suggestions when you type “depression is” into a Google search. This shows just how much confusion exists within our society regarding depression. Merriam – Webster’s dictionary defines it as a serious medical condition in which a person feels very sad, … Read more
Addiction is a physical or mental dependence on a behavior or substance that a person feels powerless to stop. Addictions can manifest in many different ways. Teenagers, especially, are a vulnerable population group for falling into the cycle of addiction. Normal adolescent development such as the need to belong, becoming more independent, and volatile emotional states … Read more
In Ezekial 37, we are taken to a scene that is completely desolate…scattered with broken reminders of life that has long since past. The prophet Ezekial is taken into the middle of a valley with thousands of dry bones scattered within it. He walks among these bones and is, I am sure, saddened by the scene … Read more
Movies, video games, television shows, and popular music, all are examples of avenues through which teens are inundated with glamorized images of drug and illegal substance use. According to a recent content analysis, alcohol, tobacco, or illicit drugs are present in 70% of prime time network dramatic programs, 38 out of 40 top-grossing movies, and … Read more
Anxiety, stress, worry, anger, & fear…these are the constant companions of the parents of addicted or extremely defiant teens. Worry and fear that their teen may permanently harm himself or others. Constant stress and anxiety over the angry battles that inevitably result from confronting their dangerous behaviors. Mourning the loss of trust and relationship that their … Read more
Some of the toughest questions to ask ourselves as parents are: “At what point does my son need more help than we can offer him at home?” “Should we enroll him in a rehabilitation program?” “Will this destroy what’s left of our relationship?” As parents of an Ozarks Teen Challenge graduate, my husband and I struggled … Read more
Ozarks Teen Challenge provides at-risk teen boys ages 13-17 who have struggled with substance use disorder and other life-controlling issues with a 15-month comprehensive, holistic, Christ-centered residential program that is focused on their personal, social, academic, physical, and spiritual growth. Students journey through our five-phase comprehensive program that provides them with individual counseling and mentorship, a customized academic track, leadership training, life skills training, community service opportunities, physical fitness training, and outdoor skills development.
Ozarks Teen Challenge is a nonprofit tax-exempt entity under IRS Code Section 501(c)3. EIN 81-1612127.
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