Counseling center in Houston offers activities and counseling for troubled teens

By Staff Writer

A counseling center in Texas is offering sober activities for teenagers in hopes of keeping youngsters away from drugs.

CBS news affiliate KHOU reports that a teen and family service facility based in Houston offers games, including pool, ping pong and video games for adolescents, as well as counseling for troubled teens. The program is geared toward children who have already started using drugs, such as a 15-year-old boy named Dan, who was drinking alcohol, smoking pot and abusing prescription medication by age 13.

The news provider reports that Dan has been sober for five months, and he said that his life has gotten so much better since joining the counseling center. Dan's mother said that her son has made a new group of friends, which has made a big difference in his behavior.

The man who runs the counseling center told the news source that negative influences from peers are the biggest obstacles to overcome when attempting to help a young addict.

The Office of National Drug Control Policy reports that substance abuse among adolescents is frequently linked to mental health problems, including depression, developmental lags, apathy, withdrawal and other psychosocial dysfunctions.