HOUSTON — The members of Generation S.O.S. use the power of storytelling to help their peers. The S.O.S. in their name means "Sharing Our Stories." Teens and young adults get to share stories about mental health struggles, social pressures, and substance use without stigma or shame. They learn coping skills, how to help a friend in trouble and to get help if they're struggling.
A typical Generation S.O.S. meeting is a school wide assembly, where several hundred students are brought together in one place. Generation S.O.S. brings a young, sober speaker – that means someone who is now in recovery – to share his or her story of mental health challenges and substance misuse. The stories are raw and authentic, but they are also highly relatable because the speakers have lived experiences and world views that are similar to those of the audience. Then there is a Q&A session, where the kids ask questions that are so honest and vulnerable. Generation S.O.S. takes their message of hope to middle schools, high schools, colleges and universities, places of worship and community centers.
To learn more, donate or become part of the organization, visit generationsos.org.
To listen to their podcast, click here.
For more information on educational and recovery resources for yourself of someone you know, Go to DEA.Gov and click on the "Resources" tab. For information on the dangers of counterfeit pills like fentanyl and how to educate your child, visit DEA.Gov/OnePill.
KHOU 11 Investigative Reporter Jeremy Rogalski
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