This was the existence for two Otago teenagers until they began attending the Whakaata Tohu Tohu - Mirror Youth Day Programme for young people with drug and alcohol issues.
Under the programme, based in Waitati, 10-week courses were held for up to eight young people, aged 13-17.
It aimed to assist them in respecting and valuing themselves and others.
While on the course they participated in activities including a camp, outdoor adventures, workshops and group and individual counselling.
Joanne and Callum (not their real names - because of their age, they cannot be identified) have just finished the programme and learnt the harm they were doing to their bodies, as well as new skills to help them change.
Joanne's parents signed her into Child Youth and Family care because of her drug abuse and drinking.
"I was smoking cannabis like every day and was drinking every weekend," she said.
The 14-year-old also used to wag school, not because she did not enjoy it, but because she would "rather just go home and get stoned".
Her social worker referred her to the programme, a move which upset her at first.
"I was angry that I was made to come."
However, she now believed any young person experiencing similar issues should attend the course because "you get to experience heaps of things" and be supported by other young people and youth workers.
Her parents felt good about her attending the programme and had noticed a positive change in their daughter.
The future looked bright for Joanne, who had completed 28 hours' work experience as a hairdresser.
After "learning what I've been taking" she was confident she would be able to at least "cut back" on her drug use.
For Callum, it was his second time attending the programme.
The first time "didn't work that well" for him and he continued to abuse drugs.
The 15-year-old began attending counselling at Mirror Youth Counselling three years ago after being referred by Otago Youth Wellness because he was drinking and smoking cannabis.
School was also not his "thing", so he rarely attended.
Struggling with depression and his addictions, he was sent to Odyssey House, a residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre in Christchurch.
Treatment there helped him overcome much of his alcohol abuse, but he began smoking cannabis more.
Battling with personal issues made quitting tough for Callum.
"I want to stop now, but when I'm away from course it's different."
With family and friends smoking, he found it hard to not to participate.
The programme had taught him the effects drugs had on him and he had noticed positive changes in himself.
"I hope I don't go back into the way I was," he said.
He would continue counselling and hoped to join the army or the navy.
