Since its initial episode in 1998, MTV's award-winning True Life documentary series has told remarkable real-life stories of young people and the unusual subcultures they inhabit. Below are resources to help you learn more about some of the serious issues discussed in True Life.
True Life: I Self Injure
Most of us will do anything to avoid physical pain and injury. But there may be millions of young people today who actually find relief from extreme anxiety by deliberately cutting, burning or otherwise hurting themselves. Called self-injurers, they have trouble expressing strong emotions and turn to self-mutilation to release pent up feelings and get deliverance from psychological anguish. On this episode of True Life, you'll meet three young people trying to break the cycle of self-harm and get their lives on track. To get more information on self-injury, call 1-800-DONT-CUT (366-8288) and check out these resources.
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True Life: I Have Autism
About 1.5 million Americans are believed to have some type of autism, a developmental disability that impairs a person's social interaction and communication skills. In fact, the rate of autism diagnosis is rising to 1 in 150 births. Yet to most us, autism is still mysterious and we tend to keep people with autism at arm's length. Few of us understand what autism really means, and even fewer know what it's like to live with.
In this episode of True Life, we get up close and personal with three young people with autism. Each is affected by autism in a unique way, yet are all capable of amazing things.
Check out the amazing extra footage of:
Jonathan, Jeremy and Elijah, and the notes from True Life: I Have Autism.
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True Life: I'm in Debt
It may be hard to believe, but because of the availability of easy credit and the record-high costs of college, young Americans today are carrying more debt than any generation in history. On this episode of True Life, three young people struggle desperately to get solvent just so they can get their lives off the ground. If you feel like you're in way over your head and are looking for a way out of debt, check out these resources and get help.
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True Life: I'm in an Interfaith Relationship
There are few things young people find more important than their religions or their significant others. But how do you make a relationship work when the person you love doesn't share your creed? It's hard enough to maintain a relationship when you're both of the same religion. On this episode of True Life, you'll meet two couples struggling to hold on to their affections -- while still holding on to their different faiths.
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True Life: I'm Out
Coming out can be one of the most gut-wrenching experiences in the life of any young person. But what happens AFTER you’ve told your friends and family that you’re gay? On this episode of True Life, we meet three young people who are now facing the often difficult challenges of living their new lives outside the closet. They’re trying to overcome insecurity, prejudice, and ignorance -- and live openly gay lives. If you or someone you know are facing these issues, here are some resources to help.
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True Life: I'm Re-entering Civilian Life
Every day they come home. Every day soldiers pack up and leave the chaos, loneliness and boredom of war in Iraq and re-enter civilian life. One might expect these young men and women to rejoice in reclaiming their old lives, but for countless young soldiers those lives are a thing of the past. Many struggle to reconnect with friends and family who have never experienced the trauma of war. In this episode of True Life, we'll explore what life is like when young soldiers return home and experience the challenges of going from the war room to the family room.
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True Life: I Have Tourette's Syndrome
Imagine if your life was filled with involuntary body movements and uncontrollable vocal outbursts that could last for years. It may sound like a nightmare, but that's the harsh reality for the estimated one in two hundred Americans who are affected by a form of Tourette’s Syndrome. This neurological disorder has no known cause, no known cure, commonly begins in childhood, and can make it impossible to live normally. On this episode of True Life we follow three young people trying get beyond their Tourette's and lead fulfilling lives.
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True Life: I'm Addicted To Crystal Meth
Crystal meth is the most popular drug among young people in America, attracting more than 12 million a year to try it. Meth is a highly addictive and cheap drug that wreaks havoc on its users as well as their friends and family. Meth addicts quickly lose touch with reality and care about only one thing--their next fix. In this episode of True Life we will meet several young people whose lives have been taken over by the drug and will explore the challenges they face trying to rid themselves of their addiction.
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True Life: I'm Returning to the Gulf Coast
In this special episode of True Life, MTV's cameras follow three young people who would rather rebuild in their storm-ravaged Gulf Coast city than start anew as an evacuee. Will the stress and drama of dealing with FEMA, power outages, far-flung families, and ruined neighborhoods send them back on the road? Or will they find hope amidst the rubble?
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True Life: I'm on Trial By Fire
Being a convicted juvenile offender in Los Angeles used to mean spending months or even years in a jail cell. But, based on a novel rehabilitation program that's recently been instituted, young prisoners now have the chance to do their time at a boot camp that trains them to fight California wildfires. This special True Life documents the experiences of three hardcore gang members and finds out if facing the trials and tribulations of Mother Nature is enough to scare them straight.
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True Life: I Have Gay Parents
What's it like being raised by gay parents? This special True Life focuses its lens on the lives of three such teens and discovers the simple truth - that their worlds aren't much different than many of their peers with straight parents - full of joy, angst, confusion, despair, and above all, love.
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True Life: I'm On Steroids
True Life: I'm on Steroids exposes the growing trend of teen steroid use by documenting several young peoples' extreme and sometimes dangerous journeys to push their bodies to superhuman heights using synthetic means.
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