Becoming UNSILENCED: Surviving and Fighting the Troubled Teen Industry

by Meg Appelgate

As a 15-year-old, struggling with severe bullying, ADHD, adoption trauma, and undiagnosed autism, Meg became one of the unfortunate 120,000–200,000 youths who are funneled into the lucrative Troubled Teen Industry (TTI) every year. Over the next 3.5 years Meg was abused in two separate facilities that masqueraded as “treatment”.

Over two decades later, Meg Appelgate has evolved into an advocate, activist and passionate spokesperson for survivors across the United States. In Becoming UNSILENCED, she details the institutional abuse she and her peers suffered and what led her to where she is today.

Deeply rooted in lived experience, Becoming UNSILENCED exposes the lack of institutional accountability and safeguards within the Troubled Teen Industry. It also confronts the tendency to pathologize typical adolescent behaviors, questions the effectiveness of "tough love" approaches, addresses deeply ingrained social issues, challenges faulty belief systems, and explores more healthy alternatives for desperate families.

Becoming UNSILENCED is a highly personal and invaluable first-hand account written for survivors and their parents, as well as for decision-makers and health professionals suggesting life-altering interventions for troubled teens.

Genres: Memoir

192 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 5, 2024

Reviews

[Mike · Rating 1 out of 5]

This trashy and cynically manufactured memoir is another bump in the road for the larger TTI movement

For people trying to get these places shut down, opportunists like Applegate are very familiar. They tend to climb atop us and then set a platform down on our heads for themselves to stand on.

There is no shortage of people looking to join Paris and the Dr. Phil Girl as Voices representing Us against this terrible industry

Appelgate begins her literary career already in her VH1 Unplugged stage. The carefully photoshopped "this is me: bare" cover cynically aimed for airport bookstore fame in her quest to become a talking head

Let's be clear: this is a real life horror story that too many children live. Meg is a sympathetic figure, if not a compelling one. Her pain is present even when her writing is unexceptional.

Her brand Unsilenced is the star here. It's the Susan G. Komen of TTI reform. Appelgate ghoulishly patterned her whole media push after that organization: She is part of a clique of wealthy women "raising awareness" to an issue, enriching themselves, and doing very little tangible good for the cause despite publicly patting themselves on the back.

So many of us are passionately trying to shut down these prison cults for teens, which are often confused as a places where spoiled rich blonde girls go to get punished. Appelgate's account does little to change the perception.

This is an unexceptional account by a privileged narcissist trying to become a Somebody in the world of Something

[Sarah Picciolo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written account of a deeply personal and traumatic experience. The author shares a period of her life with the reader that is difficult to relive yet important for others to hear in order to put a stop to this industry. I appreciated hearing the perspective of her parents as well as the family’s journey towards healing. I admire Meg’s strength and ability to persevere.

[GrrLala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!

Meg this is truly one of the best books I have ever read. I am so proud of you. You have already made such a huge positive impact in the world something most only hope to accomplish. You arent weird never weird always amazing 💕

[Emeline Ide]

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