Is it really wrong to tell kids they need to slow down before doing permanently life-altering things? Really?
Again, I’m forcibly reminded of the “Satanic Ritual Child Abuse/Recovered Memory” mania of the early 90s. Remember, psychotherapists of all stripes fell victim to a cock-and-bull explanation of virtually ALL emotional suffering. And these people (prompted by psychotherapists) made false allegations of sexual abuse–destroying families and virtually all sources of support.
I remember a Master’s-level therapist referring a girl to me for testing and evaluation. The girl was quite disturbed, though very bright. With the therapist’s encouragement, she had accused her dad of sexually abusing her as a small child based on these “recovered memories.”
But then she “remembered” that her two sisters also sexually abused her. The therapist at this point (to his credit) started getting a little uneasy. when he expressed his concern to her, she suddenly “remembered” that the therapist had also sexually abused her!
She then “remembered” that Steve Young (who at the time was a Super Bowl QB and she actually was in law school with him) had repeatedly broken into her room through the window at night and raped her.
That was when the therapist panicked and called me to do an evaluation.
Yes, this “Recovered Memory” stupidity died out. It helped when therapists started getting sued for malpractice and damages. And this trans wheeze will also die out. And lawsuits will speed the process along.
But kids are permanently mutilated. They will have to face that fact every day for the rest of their lives…