I went to a wilderness program called Monarch Therapy in Colorado when I was 13, im 20 now. I just need to write my experience somewhere. Luckily I did not get kidnapped from my house by rather came willingly expecting summer camp from what my parents had told me. Unlike the other kids who were there for drugs and one who was serving a six month sentence instead of jail, I was there strictly because of a sudden decline in my grades which at the time, was very unusual for me. my first day there I was sent into the mountains, learned how to set up my tent, given a bag of food, a journal to write how I had ended up there, then left alone for a 3 day period having the counselors check on my once every day. needless to say I became deathly ill and delusional from dehydration, vomiting everything I ate and drank, unfortunately this did not shorten my time alone, I was reassured by the counselor it would pass, only two more days After my feelings of hopelessness sunk in which continued for three months I was part of the group now, hiking at least 15 miles a day, eating dehydrated food, and water purified with iodine. There was nothing I could do to protect my young self, I was able to to see my parents who came out form California once a month to see me on "family week" for two days, but they were able to dismiss my claims as a form of manipulation so I could come home. My second month there the hiking became so intense, I got trench foot which was confirmed over "family week." Apparently this was not a red flag for my parents and I was sent out for round 3. I began to accept my fate and grew numb, this feeling came home with me and I was diagnosed with ptsd and mdd over the next couple years. This led me to attempt suicide when I was 17, then rehab at 19. The only time I don't want to blow my brains out now is when im high, and the off chance that I might be a able to prevent a kid from having to experience something like this. how is this legal. my mom still says to me that she is happy I got to experience this, saying all my problems are genetics . I refuse to break her already broken heart my telling her what she put me through.