Jalin M.

My childhood years were filled with ups and downs. When I was 12, my parents ended up getting a divorce, which definitely had a negative impact on my life. I started smoking marijuana when I was 15, which escalated to experimenting with harder drugs. I eventually became heavily addicted to alcohol. That was my drug of choice. I initially started abusing substances as a means to fit in, but this later transitioned into a form of self-medication. I liked the way it would turn my brain off. Before coming into the program, I was constantly relapsing. I was also experiencing horrible and severe panic attacks, which felt like a heart attack each time. I am here at Teen Challenge to get sober and build a relationship with God. I hope to find my true purpose in life and become a man that is fitting to be a husband and a father.