How TTI makes legit issues kids may have, worse

[Anne Bonney]

I really think this is worth discussing.  Most of us in Straight were fairly normal teens.  Some were acting out, but most normal teens do.  Most of us also had parents that really weren't doing such a hot job of parenting either, so we did have some legitimate issues that we could have used true help with.  But that's not what we received.  Whatever issues we had were made far worse by the methods that Straight used and that many programs still use today.  I can't remember which program(s), but someone posted that programs had kids 're-enact' rapes, assaults etc.  Programs have routinely used the tactic of making a kid wear a sign that says something demeaning about them, or "ask me about........" some trauma they went thru.

If parents are seeking help for their children, programs like these aren't the place for it and very often make whatever legitimate problems the child may have, worse.

Straight not only blamed me for the rape that occurred when I was 15, they also blamed me for the sexual abuse I suffered at the age of 7.  Some fucking "therapy" huh?

Oh, Anne. It's just awful. Inhuman. A sick power trip, and outright malpractice. I'm so sorry this happened to you.

Auntie Em

Thanks.  It screwed me up pretty badly for quite a while.  I'd never told anyone about the sexual abuse and when I did they called an "executive conference" with Newton's wife (and Asst Director) Ruth Ann Newton.  She was the one who did it.  And she was a real bitch about it too.....her whole attitude.  We were taught that all the family problems were our fault and a result of our "drug abuse" and that nothing else mattered.  She really seemed pissed off that I brought up something that was a legitimate source of pain that I had nothing to do with causing, so she just flipped it right around.  She told me that I needed to look at where my responsibility for the abuse lay.  MY responsibility???  At 7 years old???   What really sent me over the top though was that my father did nothing.  He had been so washed by then and so conditioned to "trust the process" and the staff that he just sat there and let her talk to me like that.  It killed me inside.  Things like that are why I refer to what they did to us as a 'soul murder' of sorts.

[Shadyacres]

My main problems were low self esteem and incompetent, overbearing authority figures.  In other words, the program gave me an overdose of what had made me sick in the first place.  I will write more on this later.

[Froderik]

Well said, Shady. You could say the same in my case. The trouble for me was the establishment (the rents, school) i was caught up in; they weren't hip to the acid i was dealing (for the benefit of mind expansion), the school i was skipping (to listen to punk music, which was more important to me personally), or a kid wanting to get a little nookie...lol  They over-reacted and I wound up in a program.

[Whooter]

Well said, Shady. You could say the same in my case. The trouble for me was the establishment (the rents, school) i was caught up in; they weren't hip to the acid i was dealing (for the benefit of mind expansion), the school i was skipping (to listen to punk music, which was more important to me personally), or a kid wanting to get a little nookie...lol  They over-reacted and I wound up in a program.

lol, Thats funny Frod.



...

[Froderik]

What's even funnier is that I'm not joking!!

[Anne Bonney]

My main problems were low self esteem and incompetent, overbearing authority figures.  In other words, the program gave me an overdose of what had made me sick in the first place.  I will write more on this later.

Yeah, pretty much the same in my case.  I think these online questionnaires that programs have on their sites are very telling too.  They could describe pretty much every single teenager at some point in their adolescence.  You put that together with either a skiddish or overbearing parent and it's almost a given that the program gains another paying customer.

[Awake]

Really a lot to think about here, but off the bat I think there is much that supports an assertion that the more one focuses on  problems, the more one will suffer the associated negative feelings and they can come to occupy more and more of ones attention until it becomes seriously debilitating.  I think this especially applies to interpersonal issues. If they can’t be resolved, I think there are plenty of normal problems, like depression from family and self image issues, that can occupy people simply because they are too focused on them. So if focusing on issues is not a choice, but enforced by programs, we can assume that those problems can be exacerbated. However, imo, there have been and are unknown numbers of programs that will actually coerce kids behavior by threatening to expose private information, or disclosures. Generally, progressing in a program means a kid must be “working” on some issue, so there is always that pressure.

 If there’s anything I learned from those raps its that EVERYONE has problems, no one is perfect, and if you think you are perfect, then you are the most full of shit person to walk the earth, and you will be called out on it.  If you couldn’t come up with a personal flaw, then the group would find one for you, and pick you apart. There was a huge pressure to be focusing on your problems or you weren’t ‘working’ on yourself.  It was an obsessive and unhealthy focus of attention.

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[Anne Bonney]

Really a lot to think about here, but off the bat I think there is much that supports an assertion that the more one focuses on  problems, the more one will suffer the associated negative feelings and they can come to occupy more and more of ones attention until it becomes seriously debilitating.  I think this especially applies to interpersonal issues. If they can’t be resolved, I think there are plenty of normal problems, like depression from family and self image issues, that can occupy people simply because they are too focused on them. So if focusing on issues is not a choice, but enforced by programs, we can assume that those problems can be exacerbated. However, imo, there have been and are unknown numbers of programs that will actually coerce kids behavior by threatening to expose private information, or disclosures. Generally, progressing in a program means a kid must be “working” on some issue, so there is always that pressure.

 If there’s anything I learned from those raps its that EVERYONE has problems, no one is perfect, and if you think you are perfect, then you are the most full of shit person to walk the earth, and you will be called out on it.  If you couldn’t come up with a personal flaw, then the group would find one for you, and pick you apart. There was a huge pressure to be focusing on your problems or you weren’t ‘working’ on yourself.  It was an obsessive and unhealthy focus of attention.

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Keep bumping up that Double Bind thread.  There's a lot of really great stuff in there and it sooooo applies to programs!

[seamus]

Yeah ,I had major issues pre-program,heavyduty pharmacopia,a raging love for alcohol,and really really poor impulse control,as well as piss poor judgement.Most of my bullshit was directed outwards,anger-wise.I had huge depression issues,where I just couldnt get my shit together enough to even speak to anybody,used to go around silent for days,even weeks.only thing that has marginally helped me is time/age,nowadays my pharmacy is closed,im still one drunkin asshole or if im not pissed up,im depressed. Yeah,yeah, Iknow go get on anti depressants,right? Nope its still pharma,only fuckin diffrence is that a Dr/insurance/ pharmacy gives it to ya,sure that makes it ok right? Im so fuckin sick of drugs I cant even address that issue. I dont want anymore,Ive done enough,I got jack shit to prove to ANYBODY by doing or not doing drugs. I never could give up drink,cant if I wanted to. At times I can moderate it to an extent,but drunk or sober,im still the same ol depressed p.o.s. I allways been. Drinking is only symptomatic of some long term self loathing shit,pounded into my head by a shitty upbringing,a pre program stint in state school,then good ol str8 thanks,so fucking  much,really . Hey tell me the one about how its all gonna get better,that Im gonna have family,cmon..yeah life will just be motherfucking ducky.

[Anne Bonney]

Yeah ,I had major issues pre-program,heavyduty pharmacopia,a raging love for alcohol,and really really poor impulse control,as well as piss poor judgement.Most of my bullshit was directed outwards,anger-wise.I had huge depression issues,where I just couldnt get my shit together enough to even speak to anybody,used to go around silent for days,even weeks.only thing that has marginally helped me is time/age,nowadays my pharmacy is closed,im still one drunkin asshole or if im not pissed up,im depressed. Yeah,yeah, Iknow go get on anti depressants,right? Nope its still pharma,only fuckin diffrence is that a Dr/insurance/ pharmacy gives it to ya,sure that makes it ok right? Im so fuckin sick of drugs I cant even address that issue. I dont want anymore,Ive done enough,I got jack shit to prove to ANYBODY by doing or not doing drugs. I never could give up drink,cant if I wanted to. At times I can moderate it to an extent,but drunk or sober,im still the same ol depressed p.o.s. I allways been. Drinking is only symptomatic of some long term self loathing shit,pounded into my head by a shitty upbringing,a pre program stint in state school,then good ol str8 thanks,so fucking  much,really . Hey tell me the one about how its all gonna get better,that Im gonna have family,cmon..yeah life will just be motherfucking ducky.

Go natural......Ganja!  Helped me tremendously!!!!  :nods:

[heretik]

Yeah ,I had major issues pre-program,heavyduty pharmacopia,a raging love for alcohol,and really really poor impulse control,as well as piss poor judgement.Most of my bullshit was directed outwards,anger-wise.I had huge depression issues,where I just couldnt get my shit together enough to even speak to anybody,used to go around silent for days,even weeks.only thing that has marginally helped me is time/age,nowadays my pharmacy is closed,im still one drunkin asshole or if im not pissed up,im depressed. Yeah,yeah, Iknow go get on anti depressants,right? Nope its still pharma,only fuckin diffrence is that a Dr/insurance/ pharmacy gives it to ya,sure that makes it ok right? Im so fuckin sick of drugs I cant even address that issue. I dont want anymore,Ive done enough,I got jack shit to prove to ANYBODY by doing or not doing drugs. I never could give up drink,cant if I wanted to. At times I can moderate it to an extent,but drunk or sober,im still the same ol depressed p.o.s. I allways been. Drinking is only symptomatic of some long term self loathing shit,pounded into my head by a shitty upbringing,a pre program stint in state school,then good ol str8 thanks,so fucking  much,really . Hey tell me the one about how its all gonna get better,that Im gonna have family,cmon..yeah life will just be motherfucking ducky.

Seamus, I can relate to the depression and self loathing. I know you want nothing to do with pharm, but it does help, if taken properly and the correct drug is prescribed. I waited to many years and tortured myself until I finally relented and started taking medication. I can not tell you enough the world of difference it has made. I have heard of people using the ganja method, it seems to work for them. I personally don't know.
Hang in there brother.