Cast Away

Recently parents have been sending their kids away to boarding school, residential living, and facilities of this nature.  Usually, kids are sent away for behavioral problems, drug issues, or problems in school or at home.  They want their kids to change. They want them to quit drugs, get better grades, respect curfew, avoid getting arrested, etc.  These are all reasonable requests. However, any person, whether their changing their clothing style, changing their study habits, changing their diet, or changing their drug use, can only change for themselves.  Being forced to quit drugs may stop you from using while you're at a rehab facility or something similar, but if you only quit because your parents and other adults didn't give you a choice, it's extremely unlikely you'll stay sober when you're released.  Sure, these places can support you along the way. But in the end, making life changes is all about doing it for yourself with your own willpower.