Messages By: tdinardo

 Y'know, I actually used to make a lot of fun of Dr. Phil, thinking the idea of a psychiatric show was ridiculous. When I started to watch the show, my respect grew very quickly, because I saw he gave excellent, sound advice. One of the best pieces of advice was one given in todays show, an opinion based on personal experience. The Aspen Education Group, a large group of inpatient programs for troubled teens (and in fact a few for adults), was mentioned as a possibility. Three years ago, due to escalating drug problems, problems with school, violent tendencies, and legal issues, I was sent to the Aspen Achievement Academy, in Loah, Utah, a member of the Aspen Group. Although I didn't realize it at the time, the good it did me was innumerable. I learned to be independent of others without pushing others away, to express my emotions in ways that do not harm others, learned how to forge bonds and relationships I never could have had before. Aspen gave me ways of dealing with and facing life, tought me how to survive and be a successful human being. At the time I went to Aspen, I was on several medications, seeing several different psychiatrists and psychologists, about to be entered into the court system, in risk of expulsion from high school and of having to repeat the ninth grade, and nobody wanted to be around me, even my closest friends had abandoned me, save one (who is still my closest mate to this day). Now, three years later, I see only one therapist biweekly, and that lately has been simply time to plan for the future, I take no medications, have no legal trouble, have a good job, a beautiful girlfriend, friends who are very dear to me, and am preparing to graduate high school and start college. I could not have gotten where I am without the skills I got out in the wilderness in Utah that summer three years ago.

 Kudos to all the people who are outraged that this mother thinks her daughter is a freak. First off, many successful people have tattoos. It does not bar people from good jobs, which seems to be a prevailing belief. I've even read articles written by a man who has full facial tattoos, and works in a law firm. His solution? Theatrical make-up. Secondly, tattoing is, and always has been a significant form of self-expression. Those who think that it's a new fad need to improve their research. Tattooing outdates any form of human decorations int he world, from the Maori, who have always marked their clan and family in their moko, or facial tattoo, to the crusaders, who tattooed religious symbols on their bodies, to the royalty of the Old North. Tattooing has a long, respected heritage. I hate seeing a few bigots destroy that respect. Thirdly, those who say "You'll regret it when you're older". Well, it depends. It depends on how well you think. If you stop to think, "can I love this tattoo for the rest of my life?" and the answer is yes, full speed ahead. If you have any doubts, don't do it. I've had freidns regret tattoos. One friend is in the process of getting the word "skinhead" removed from his knuckles, because he found that people automatically assume he is a Nazi (he is in fact anti racist, so don't judge things you don't understand), and won't hire him. On the other hand I have friends who who have tattoos in honor of family, or heritage, or in my own case, country, who have never regretted them. Nothing is one hundred percent.