Breaking the Cycle

Written By CHOOSE 180

We’re grateful to Real Change News for their partnership on quarterly op-eds! The latest op-ed, Breaking the Cycle, was written by Pocaa B., one of our participants here at CHOOSE 180.

Read Pocaa’s article below, and check out our previous Real Change op-eds at the end.

Breaking the Cycle

For a lot of these teens, their behavior is a result of issues like mental health challenges, abusive households, difficult home environments or disadvantaged backgrounds. Some argue that there should be consequences to their actions, especially when they cause harm or danger to society. But youth brought up with these challenges often don’t fully understand those with heavy consequences until after the fact. This gap needs to be addressed with compassion and resources such as rehabilitation programs, counseling and educational opportunities. 

Giving these teens another chance can break the cycle of negative behavior and provide them with the right mindset and support they need for a successful future, while also helping them turn their lives around. We would have a much more safe and positive society with this approach. Rehabilitation or therapy is more practical than long-term incarceration. Incarceration causes problems rather than just getting rid of them — it exposes teens to more negative environments and makes them feel like they’re nothing more than dirt being swept away.

Counseling can help teens understand the root of what’s causing the youth’s criminal behaviors. Usually, things like trauma cause a lot of negative change to happen such as substance abuse and other bad behaviors and habits. Talking about their problems helps teens be heard and communicate better, and through this they can learn healthy coping mechanisms and gain a better understanding of their own feelings and needs. Talking with someone they can trust really helps them problem-solve since they’re being questioned or gently pushed out of their comfort zone. Having more healthy ways to think through things makes them less likely to get in more trouble. 

Another thing is that the adults don’t really seem to care enough about what the youth are doing with their choices. Everything is a stopping point for the youth, and it can have lasting effects when they see the adults around them who don’t care, don’t work, and don’t put in enough effort. Don’t blame them for all they have done. Most of us sit here in our own thoughts, rethinking our bad choices we have made and our mistakes, but no one is perfect. 

I used to have bad behavior and unhealthy coping mechanisms. I was almost to the point where I felt nothing could help me get past that phase. Counseling has helped me in many ways: I can process things easier, I’ve built my communication skills and my confidence is so much stronger than it was. I’ve gone from being in a bad place and thinking there’s no way out to feeling alive again, all from being able to express myself to someone who wouldn’t judge me or yell at me for speaking up.

It’s very relieving to have someone who supports you and is there for you when you’re so low. It’s a big chance to turn your life around no matter how low you are in life. It does take time for youth with more trauma and inability able to trust, but the outcome is always amazing to see. I realized that I was smoking and drinking to feel good or distract myself; and I also learned that I could harm myself and risk losing everything I dream of, everything I could become.

I was messing up my future, but now I see an opportunity to grow even more and to help others who are struggling, even when they put up a big smile or pride. I’ve learned that we should never judge them, but first learn to know them, because it’s always deeper than it seems.

Read our previous op-eds:

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