One afternoon, Josh Prinzo was escorted onto a bus and taken to a wilderness camp with no prospect of returning home for seven months. The BU senior became one of hundreds of teenagers forced into a behavioral facility for rebellious teenagers.

At a certain point, birthdays become less of a celebration and more of a quiet affair, filled with nostalgia for the good old days. Energy dissipates, senses dull and memory fades. For many, getting...