Interviews with Caitlyn, Angelina, Gremlin, Jess, Elizabeth, Kaili, Solomon, Cowboy, Dealy, Tamika, and Eddie
WHEN IN LIFE DO YOU FEEL MOST “IN CONTROL?”
Caitlyn: When I know exactly what’s happening. When I know I have a place to eat, and when I know I have something to eat.
Angelina: When I’m doing the dishes (laughing). Because when I’m done, they are done. I choose if the water is hot or cold.
Gremlin: Behind the wheel of a car. I’ve been driving them since I was 12 and I like to race.
Jess: When I’m not in a bad mood.
Elizabeth: When I’m having fun. When you are having fun, you do what you want to do. Like I’m having fun right now at bowling…so I’m in control.
Kaili: When I’m in a good mood.
Solomon: Most of the time, just about anywhere.
Cowboy: When I’m horse back riding because I have a connection with the horse.
Dealy: All the time…I have to be doing my plans all the time.
Tamika: When I’m in a good mood.
Eddie: When I’m upset and I have my anger under control, but I’m not blowing up. When I’m at work and I get to make my own decisions.
WHEN IN LIFE DO YOU FEEL MOST “OUT OF CONTROL?”
Caitlyn: When I’m on the streets. Absolutely nothing is in your control. You never know what’s going to happen day to day.
Angelina: When I’m high and depressed….when I stop caring.
Grimlin: In a relationship because it’s not my life to control, it’s ours. I don’t have full control.
Jess: Depression. I get depressed on holidays and my birthday.
Elizabeth: When I’m in a bad mood or things don’t go like I want them to.
Kaili: When I’m angry and aggravated…I feel like I want to punch someone in the face.
Solomon: When I’m working – You have bosses and people above you!
Cowboy: When I’m in the middle of the city…I’m not in my natural environment.
Dealy: When my plans don’t go my way.
Tamika: When I feel peer pressure.
Eddie: When I get stressed out or family leaves.
WHAT DO YOU CONTROL IN YOUR LIFE?
Caitlyn: I honestly don’t know what I control. I don’t even control myself when I’m off my meds.
Angelina: How many cigarettes I smoke (laughing). That’s about it. I don’t control much. It’s a good thing I’m not a control freak.
Grimlin: Whether or not I’m still alive. I have complete control if I kill myself…whether or not I take a drug that I know will kill me…whether or not I mess with someone who will kill me.
Jess: My family. By helping them out with stuff. I try to make sure that everything’s O.K.
Elizabeth: The way I feel and the way I do things. I do things in my own perspective, not just how people want me to do it.
Kaili: My little sister (laughing)….I don’t know.
Solomon: What I want to do, what I don’t want to do.
Cowboy: My destiny. Everybody makes choices in life, and the choices we make lead to who we become.
Dealy: My anger, money situations, food situation, shelter.
Tamika: Everything.
Eddie: My mind, my thoughts.
WHAT CAUSES YOUR LIFE TO GO OUT OF CONTROL (assuming you’ve felt out of control before)?
Caitlyn: Going off my meds.
Angelina: My depression. When I start self-medicating. Loneliness causes my depression.
Grimlin: Living in a meth-house because I had meth handed to me all day long….I didn’t say “no”.
Jess: People I’m close to passing away.
Elizabeth: My bipolarness sets me out of control. If I’m trying to do something and it doesn’t go my way, it flips my switch.
Kaili: When someone lays hands on me. I can’t control myself.
Solomon: Drama usually. When people make up stories or threaten to destroy something you love.
Cowboy: Myself. We have the choice to let people affect us or not affect us.
Dealy: Me…I’ll keep it at that!
Tamika: When people want you to do drugs.
Eddie: Drugs and alcohol. I was a major druggy. I’ve lost a good job, almost my license to doing drugs. I’ve been sober for almost 4 months.
