Teen Advice: How to Deal With Friends, Drinking, & Drugs

Recently, a young woman wrotea us and wanted to know how to deal with a tough situation.  One of her best friends has started drinking and doing drugs and doesn’t want to spend time with her anymore.  Their friendship is falling apart.  Here’s what our teen advisors had to say.

Advice #1

I think your best option here is to write her a letter telling her how you feel. Be honest with her, tell her that you love her and that she is your best friend and friends are there through the good times and the bad. I think she will come around eventually, it’s just going to take a lot to get there. I would just keep trying and don’t give up on her, even if she has turned her back on you, don’t turn your back on her because one day she will see just how good of a friend you are for being there for her no matter what.

Advice #2

Losing someone close to you is hard no matter what, and losing a best friend to drugs and alcohol is can be even harder.  There is something to keep in mind though. Drugs and alcohol is really serious matter. Although you love your friend and would do anything to help her, you have to know that the situation may be out of your hands. The first thing you need to do is go to a trusted adult. A mother, aunt, school counselor…. Any adult that you can talk to. The adult has at least some power to get your friend help, which is the most important thing right now.
If your friend resists every one of your efforts to help her through this, she isn’t realizing how much she means to you, or what a great friend you are. But you can’t stay in this situation, for your sake. If you were to continue in this situation, it could be classified as an unhealthy relationship. Don’t let yourself get caught in one of these, because let me tell you, they are hard to get out of. It much more healthy for you to be aware of yourself before anyone else, no mater how important they are to you. I wish you the best of luck with your friend, and I apologize that you’re going through this.

If you have a issue you’re struggling with and want our teens to help, please email us at info@girlswithdreams.com with ADVICE in the subject line.