CHASING THE HIGH: ADA’s STORY AND THE SILENT STRUGGLE OF OUR TEENS 

CHASING THE HIGH: ADA’s STORY AND THE SILENT STRUGGLE OF OUR TEENS 

When Ada first lit that roll of cannabis behind the school fence, she wasn’t looking to ruin her life.

She just wanted to fit in

At sixteen, she was bright, funny, and full of dreams, her teachers said she could be anything she wanted.

But when her father lost his job and her mother began to stay out late selling whatever she could to feed the family, Ada’s laughter dimmed.

The house, once filled with warmth and noise, became heavy with silence.

Her new friends from the neighbourhood, older, confident, and carefree, offered her an escape.

“Just one puff,” they said. “It helps you forget.”

She believed them.

The First Taste

That day, as the smoke filled her lungs, Ada felt something she hadn’t felt in months, freedom.

The worries about school fees, hunger, and the endless fights at home seemed to vanish. For a moment, the world felt lighter.

But the relief didn’t last.

Soon, “just one puff” became “just one more.” And then, it became a daily ritual, her secret comfort, her silent rebellion.

When her grades dropped, her teachers thought she was distracted.

When she withdrew from friends, her mother thought she was being rude.

No one noticed she was slipping away.

The Hidden Triggers

At Balm for the Bruised Foundation, we’ve heard Ada’s story many times, with different names, faces, and cities, but the same aching heart behind each one.

Teens experiment with drugs not because they are bad, but because they are searching. Searching for escape, belonging, acceptance, or even silence from the noise in their minds.

Some are curious, lured by social media glamour and peer pressure.

Others are lonely, carrying pain from broken homes or neglect.

A few are desperate, battling depression or anxiety with no one to confide in.

What starts as “a way to cope” quickly becomes “a trap to survive.”

The Awakening

For Ada, the turning point came one night when she found herself alone, shaking, and terrified, unable to remember how she got home.

She looked in the mirror and saw a stranger staring back, a girl with sunken eyes, trembling hands, and a heavy heart.

She cried that night. Not because she was high, but because she realised she was lost.

That cry was her first step towards healing.

The Way Forward

At Balm for the Bruised Foundation, we believe every Ada deserves a second chance. We’ve seen how love, guidance, and honest conversation can pull a teen back from the edge.

But it begins with you, the parent, teacher, neighbour, friend.

Here’s how you can help:

Listen without judging. Sometimes, silence and empathy are more powerful than lectures.

Talk early and openly. Don’t wait until it’s too late to have the drug conversation.

Notice changes. Mood swings, secrecy, and sudden disinterest in hobbies are red flags.

Encourage professional help. Counsellors and support groups can make a difference.

Ada is 20 now. She’s clean, rebuilding her life, and studying to become a social worker. She often tells us, “I wish someone had asked me why I needed to escape.”

Let’s not wait for another Ada to fall before we act.

Let’s open our hearts, our homes, and our voices.

Because when we talk about it, we break the silence that feeds addiction.

At Balm for the Bruised Foundation, we help teens find healing, purpose, and the courage to start again.

Join us. Share this story. Start the conversation.

Visit www.balmforthebruised.org to learn more, volunteer, or donate today.