Well hell,
I swore blind I wouldn't post in this thread, and as usual I'm about to
I was in THE situation. When I was 18 and was taking a shitload of drugs. How to pay? Steal. Where to steal from? Parents, neighbors, any old person who had a home I could break into. What happens? Bleeding heart liberals say the pressure of being an adolescent is so harsh that they'll mollycoddle me and see if some group hugs won't do the trick.
They don't. More thievery, more downward spiralling, more misery for my folks, compounded when I broke into the nighbors houses on each side of my parents, that goes down a treat when the old man is out front mowing the lawn I can tell ya.
Stolen goods and powder/pills all over the damn house. What do they do? They try talking, reasoning, offer support, all the usual stuff. I didn't want to know. I'm 18 and nothing can hurt me.
I got kicked out and spent a long while homeless, sleeing in cars, whether they were unlocked or I had to break into them. Sleeping in doorways. I was welcome back home if I laid of the drugs and theft, but I was far too pig-headed (and in no small way addicted) for that.
Came to a head when I broke into my parent's house to stash some stuff I'd robbed from elsewhere, my mom called the cops, and I served 18 months.
Without a doubt, THE best thing that coulda happened to me. I will never forget what I put her through, and it was a damn lot, before she felt she had no other choice but to see me throw my life down the toilet. I am, and will be eternally grateful.