For those that don’t know, I was placed in Residential Treatment Facility (RTF) for 9 months two decades ago. It was a challenging time for me as I was in the midst of puberty, and it was wreaking havoc for me and put me in a very precarious position. What I didn’t know was that it was done for my best interest and although it had to be done, it hurt my parents deeply so that it had to be done.

Part of me resented the fact that they did it for so long, even though they worked in earnest when the system had other plans that were not as inviting. Through my mother and a deeply departed worker of my treatment team, they went out and found places, including what was needed for me to get into the desired facility. It was said that people had gone from room to room to find the person in charge of making the decision as to whether I would be able to be placed or not and as many people were against it, it was something that my parents would not back down on.

I now know that for my parents to do what they did was one of the hardest things that they had to do. My mother cried for days about making that decision, but she knew that it was in my best interest because there would be fear that I would severely hurt someone or myself and that is what I guess can be one of the hardest things when it comes to placing someone in a facility. It doesn’t make them a bad person; it is in many ways the best interest for the individual themselves even if it isn’t realized.

It was challenging for me to accept that my parents did what they did for the longest time. But eventually I knew it was what had saved me and got me to be able to do the many things that have made me who I am today. There is a lot to say about that because before the placement there was little hope that I would even be able to graduate high school. As challenging as it was to make the transition necessary to be able to do the things that were necessary and avoid even worse things to happen, I stayed strong even as my family split for some time about the aftercare for me, but eventually I was able to come back home even when both sides didn’t believe that it could be done.

Even after placement as things weren’t exactly as perfect and at times challenging, one thing was that my parents never gave up and believe me, they could have even as I became an adult. While residential treatment may not be for everyone, it was what saved me from becoming my worst self and working on the path to a better life even if I didn’t see it. It could have been a completely different situation if things had not gone the way that they went, and I am grateful for living the life I live. It can be hard to say that sometimes there can be other challenges even today, but the reality is that I am a much better person because of the care I received over two decades ago. Yes, it was a hard decision for my parents to make, but it was for the best and it paid off in dividends even when others said it wasn’t a good idea. I am truly blessed for the opportunity that is no longer there.