Beautiful Boy: Physical Therapy

Abigail Miller
Mrs. Hawk
English III
5 October 2015
Beautiful Boy I always knew I wanted to help people when I was older. The day I started physical therapy is when I came to this conclusion. I was never one hundred percent set on physical therapy; it was always just an option. As I got older I changed what kind of therapy I’m thinking about going into. I became interested in drug rehab and therapy; many events happened that influenced me to want to do this. People you know going through hard times makes you want no one else to go through something like addiction. I want to help make a difference in people’s lives for the better. Not just the addict, but it takes a toll on their families. Beautiful Boy tells the story from an addict’s father’s

It tells a story of how he changed throughout his life. It’s interesting to read about how much someone can change in a lifetime. Nic went from not caring what anyone else thinks about him, to hanging with the wrong crowd at school just to be considered part of the group of “cool” kids. In the book one of the kids at school says to Nic, “Only girls wear tights”-Nic responds, “uh huh. Superman wears tights.” (Sheff 39). This little quote has a huge life lesson. It teaches not to be afraid and to express yourself the way you want to. Also, when Nic was a kid he was an independent young man who stood up for himself. Throughout the book it shows how much he changes and what in life influenced him. The lessons you learn as a kid change tremendously as you get older and figure out what kind of person you want to be individually. In my life I’ve been bullied for different things. It definitely changed my life and made me look at the world in a different way. What are these kids doing with their life that they feel the need to put someone else down? It could be anything from school, family problems, and friends. The sad part is most people will never really know or care to get to know them and help

It's hard to put into words what they personally go through because I don't think anyone really knows how hard it is until they go through it themselves. Beautiful Boy has an outside perspective of an addict. The quote “what should be done for patients when they arrive in these programs?” introduces a part in the book where it goes on and on about all the programs they send him to for help (136). This helps me better understand exactly the steps and the dedication it takes. I've known people who have gone to rehab and programs and they never come back clean after the first time. It takes commitment and the want from the user to get healthy. In the book, the narrator, Nic’s father goes in depth how hard it is on his family sending him away to these programs. Week after week it's a different place trying to help him. Some say they can't help him, they don't even try. I think that's the problem, some people just don't want to help