Sprinkles* came to Impact Young People’s Recovery Service just before her 15th birthday, referred amid concerns about daily cannabis use - including before school - and struggles with anger and aggression. At that time, she was living in a small village with her dad, missing her previous life on an estate in Hull with her mum, and feeling caught in a difficult place.

Support from Teaching Assistant

When Sprinkles first started working with her Support Worker at Impact, she was bold, swearing, and upfront: cannabis was her “medicine,” the only thing she believed helped manage her anger. She didn’t want to stop and was clear that anyone working with her would have to accept that. Trust was hard to build, and she wasn’t confident meeting new people alone, so a trusted teaching assistant came to sessions with her, providing a safe and familiar presence.

Years of Social Care

Sprinkles’ story is complex, shaped by years of social care involvement and safeguarding. She started smoking cannabis at 11, believing it was normal and necessary to control her temper. Early on, she was skeptical of support and guarded about her feelings, often putting up a front of anger to hide deeper emotions.

Building Trust

Over time, through patient, non-judgmental support, Sprinkles and her Support Worker began exploring together what helped and what didn’t. They talked about emotions beyond anger, the pros and cons of cannabis, and strategies to manage feelings differently. It wasn’t easy - there were times when Sprinkles broke contact, especially during school holidays, as she was feeling scared and overwhelmed.

Sprinkles Helps to Name the Service

A significant turning point came after a crisis over the Easter holidays, when Sprinkles faced a breakdown and high-risk situations. Following this, she returned to sessions more open and willing to engage, though her bold spirit remained. She began to attend sessions without her teaching assistant, took part in naming the service “IMPACT,” and even helped design posters to raise awareness in schools.

Therapy

Since September 2024, Sprinkles has been working with CAMHS (Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service), receiving therapy and medication that have supported her emotional wellbeing. She has reduced her cannabis use significantly - no longer smoking it before school - and is preparing to stop completely, especially with an upcoming holiday where cannabis won’t be part of her toolkit. “Without it, I think better, my memory is better and I am excited to see what it is like, what I am like without it.”

HALT

Sprinkles has learned and practiced many tools to manage anxiety and emotions, including box breathing, grounding techniques, and the HALT method (recognising when she is Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired). She’s built confidence through exercises that helped her identify positive qualities about herself, something that was initially very challenging.

Reflecting on her recovery, Sprinkles says, “I’m not angry all the time now. I’m more relaxed. I still snap sometimes, but I’ve really cut down on swearing - it used to be so much, just to keep people away. Now I think it sounds ugly.” She acknowledges how hard it was to drop the persona she put on and share her true feelings but knows it was essential for healing.

Kindness Can Make a Big Difference

“People need to realise that between 13 and 18 it is really hard and you never know what someone is going through, it would be great if people were kinder.” Sprinkles wants others to understand that teenagers often hide pain behind anger and that kindness can make a big difference. Her advice to young people facing similar struggles is simple and powerful: “Get help. It’s scary, but hope is big. Once I did open up and nothing bad happened, it was easierYou can learn to cope, to think clearly, and to make choices. Accept help - it’s the best thing you’ll ever do.”

Happy News

Today, Sprinkles is proud of how far she’s come. She recently took a bus on her own to an appointment - something she never thought she could do. It might sound small, but for her, it’s a massive step forward.

We are also very happy to say that Sprinkles has now stopped using cannabis completely and she is feeling great.

Sprinkles’s story reminds us all that with trust, patience, and the right support, young people can overcome challenges, find new ways to manage their emotions, and build a hopeful future.

*Name changed to protect privacy.