The Future Is The Youth

The majority of youth struggling with basic but essential needs like shelter, food, and support, come from some kind of mentally or emotionally abusive situation. These traumatic events can cause lifelong struggles. This can lead to problems making friends, holding a place of employment, having stable supportive relationships, and feeling deserving of them. 

Some youths are forced into positions in life they shouldn’t have to experience. Taking on more grown-up roles at an early age. These responsibilities can include taking care of younger siblings, quitting school to get a job to pay bills, stealing to survive, or looking for escape by turning to drugs and alcohol. 

The environment a youth is exposed to becomes their idea of ‘normal’. Imagine every adult you know drinks alcohol or does drugs every evening until they pass out on the couch. The only time they speak to you is when they are yelling, so you avoid them and try to do everything in your power not to upset them. If this is the only exposure you have to adults or parents, you could potentially start thinking that’s how it’s supposed to be and there is no other way of being. 

This can lead to a wide range or emotions and feelings. A lack of confidence, low self- esteem, increased anger, depression and feelings of inadequacy can begin to creep in. Life saving strategies take over in an effort to survive this environment. Those life saving efforts can include disassociating, the 4 F’s (fight, flight, freeze, fawn), people pleasing, angry outbursts, resentment, trust issues, suicidal ideation and more. While these can help survive a trauma, they aren’t necessarily the way you may want to be in the world. 

Complex Post Trauma Stress Disorder ‘CPTSD’ is not a subject the average person is familiar with. But it is real. Meaning it happens to people in times of continual struggle. The Complex part of it refers to years of this triggering trauma for the individual. CPTSD often begins in childhood and is carried through the rest of that child’s life, into adulthood and until death. Or until it is recognized, acknowledged, processed, and healed. There is an increased risk of youth living in the above conditions that follow in those footsteps.

Generational trauma (also called Intergenerational trauma) can occur when children living in this environment ‘follow in their footsteps’ and raising their own children with these same conditions or exposure. Professional intervention is needed to overcome such challenges and come to terms with life events in order to move past them.

Mental health issues have a stigma around them that people are ‘unstable, crazy, broken, different’. But the big secret here is that we ALL have them. Children through to seniors struggle with mental health issues at some point in their lives.

Organizations that aid youth really need to be noticed, heard and supported. Organizations offer somewhere warm and safe to sleep, healthy meals, clothing, and mental health support. Some locations can offer further services including education assistance or help with legal issues that may have arisen through the trauma. 

With these supports in place, youth can start to gain back their strength, hopes for their future and dreams of where they want to go in their life. This future is our society, who these youth are now, will become our future mothers, fathers, uncles, aunts. Their careers may become business owners, managers, teachers, paramedics, mechanics, nurses, anything they dream of becoming. The first step is having the courage to reach out for help, and we need this help to be there when they do. **

Some places require you to register before accessing locations services. Please contact the locations for their requirements.*

https://onestoptalk.ca/kidsteens/

One Stop Talk is a free, confidential service that lets kids and youth under 18 years of age get immediate mental health support with a registered therapist. 

Monday – Friday: 12PM – 8PM EST Saturday: 12PM – 4PM EST 

Online program for youth and young adults who want to learn new ways to manage symptoms, stress, anxiety, and depression.
https://www.breathingroom.me/

Offering a variety of supports for youth including shelter, meals, shower, education and life skills support. Check out their website https://covenanthousetoronto.ca/

Futures Residence
1651 Cassells Street, North Bay On
Voice: (705) 476-4502
Fax: (705) 472-4409
See a Google Map

The Futures Residence is a 10-bed transitional housing residence program for young people over the age of 16. The program assists young men and women to become more responsible, self-reliant and independent.

The Link - Youth and Family Supports

https://thelinkmb.ca/