The teenage phase is a crucial stage in life, which acts as the fundamental step in the character build-up of an individual and hence, a sound mental and physical fitness is the most important in teen years. However, it’s the raging hormones at this stage and the undue stress of a pressured city life that pushes the teens to impulsive decisions and wrong choices. Teenage life is almost synonymous with aggressive behavior and addiction issues. Be it the sorrow of heartbreak from failed love or the tension of exams or the gimmick of several superficial attractions hovering around- there are several factors that pushes a teen off balance, leading to addiction issues and an unhealthy lifestyle. Substance abuse, too much inclination to alcohol, attention disorders and more recently, internet addiction, have dimmed many bright budding minds, eliminating the chances for them to explore the great opportunities lying ahead.

However, wilderness therapy programs for troubled teens have proven to be really healthy for the mental and physical well-being of the teens.

The wilderness therapy takes a unique route by taking the teens to the serene tranquility of nature where they get to connect with their inner self in a better way. Nature has this ability to relax the mind, which in turn enables the troubled teens to look back on the decisions made and analyze peacefully where they were wrong in the past. A calm mind is better able to evaluate things rationally and the teens understand how much their addiction issues and irregular lifestyle are detrimental to their health and that they can have an engaging life without them. It’s mostly because camps in wilderness teach them to appreciate the beauty of their surroundings and the fact that life can be good without too much of TV, internet, drugs, alcohol and other superficial attractions. A relaxed mind is also better able to address the attention disorder issues, one of the major problems with many teens.

Furthermore, the wilderness therapy programs contribute much to the physical fitness of the participants as well. In the therapy camps, the participants are required to perform all the needed tasks of daily life all by themselves. This could mean anything from building shelters to preparing foods. There are no cars or public transport to travel from one location to another in natural settings and the kids are meant to hike while exploring the wilderness. An abundance of physical activity keeps their minds and bodies occupied, ensuring sound fitness and better agility for the teens. They are also taught the importance of a healthy diet and healthy habits.

A life in nature is beautiful but strenuous too. The wilderness boot camps in natural settings throw in challenges for survival, as here, the teens don’t have the conveniences of urban life to help them at every step. Such a situation encourages an independent DIY sense in teens and they gradually learn to cope with daily pressure or tension on their own with a positive attitude and hard work- without the detrimental help of drugs or alcohol that they were so used to using to cope with stress in the past.