Age: 17

Xanthe, who has admitted enjoying physically intimidating her mother, lived in Kingsbridge in Devon. Her mother, Sorrel, gave up work as a registered nurse at the height of Xanthe's difficulties. Her parents are no longer together, her mother has married Mike and Xanthe now has a half brother, Kit, aged 13, with whom she has a normal relationship.

When she was younger, Xanthe was fun, lively, maybe a little eccentric, and very loving. The family was close. She did okay at school until she was coming up to 15, when her mother got married. Her performance then plummeted and she was eventually thrown out of school.

She used to have lots of interests, including drama, singing, badminton, body boarding, wildlife and travel. 'All these were replaced with drugs, alcohol and tormenting me,' Sorrel says.

Xanthe's mother adds: 'I believe she at first re-acted to my marriage by rebelling. She used drugs and alcohol as her method, knowing I would be appalled. Then, however, things spiralled out of her control, and certainly out of mine. She was very badly affected by cannabis – it changed her personality drastically. By this time, decent friends didn't want to know her so she got caught in a rut, only being able to hang round with other drug users and drop-outs.'

Even though Xanthe did not resist going to the camp, Sorrel says, 'towards the departure date she used it as a way to manipulate me. "I won't go unless ..." she'd say.'

Xanthe has done well. She works with her mother's partner. She is enjoying learning to ski from her home close to the Alps and intends to take up badminton again and wants to travel.

Xanthe was happy to go to camp and it has made a huge difference. Her mother Sorrel says: 'I feel I have my daughter back. We have the occasional problem, but maybe that's just 'normal' teen behaviour.'

Xanthe is now anti-drugs and is keeping her consumption of alcohol down to acceptable social levels. She also now sees a future for herself. 'That's a major breakthrough,' Sorrel says. 'But she is still the untidiest person I have ever met.'

Xanthe adds: 'I was angry when mum got married to Mike because I thought it meant she wouldn't want me as much. I know now I was wrong, but that's how I felt. I pushed my family away and started doing drugs. Once I started I couldn't stop. I thought my family had changed, I didn't realise it was me who had.'

Top of page