Treatment of teens off the derech

There is an epidemic today of teens “off the derech” and I’m the parent of one. Our teens are going through depression, drug abuse, eating disorders, leaving religion, cutting (or self-mutilation) just to name a few. Besides professional help these teens need love and inspiration to come back to religion and heal. Someone or something has turned these kids off and we all have to help bring them back. My teenage daughter is a loving sweet, bright girl and B”H she lives at home, unlike some whom their parents unfortunately don’t know where they are. Being she’s left religion she dresses like the average American non-Jewish teenager. I live on a frum block with young parents of little children. It hurts me so much how you shun my daughter because of the way she looks. If she was turned off then don’t turn her off too, help turn her on, just a kind word or even just hello could make a difference. Remember she was once a little girl just like your daughter. Your daughter could Chas Veshalom be this teen one day if we don’t do something now to help these kids and stop this epidemic.

KBB