Nothing is worse than discovering that your best friend is abusing drugs or (in the worst case scenario) has succumbed to the terrible illness of substance addiction. Teenage years are a fun and also dangerous time, as many young people are all too curious about experimentation and risk-taking. Often, one teen will stray too far and use drugs, perhaps to cope with peer pressure or just “to be cool.” You might tell them time and time again they are harming themselves, but nothing seems to work. What do you do if your friend is abusing drugs or suffering from addiction? Here are some pointers.
First, Consider This
In a recent poll from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), about 31% of teenagers wholeheartedly agreed that, at some point, they had attempted to help a friend quit drug use. At least, in this case, you and others you may know are not alone. We all want to help someone we love overcome something dreadful. Try to be a good listener and provide a shoulder to lean on, but not at your expense. In particularly severe cases, you should avoid your friends, especially if their drug use involves parties in which drugs are the highlight. Always protect yourself.
In the end, your friend must make the decision to get better.
How to Handle the Situation
If you are about to take the next step and address the problem, here are some valuable pieces of advice provided by NIDA:
- Be a good listener. Ask your friend to tell you about her drug abuse or addiction and see how he or she feels. In some cases, you should ask an adult to listen, as well.
- Provide information about how drugs can damage your friend’s lifestyle and health and provide visual or written evidence if required.
- Help your friend find a therapist or a rehabilitation specialist.
- If nothing else works, just keep trying. If you are not in a dangerous situation, work as hard as you can to make sure your friend recovers.
Always remember that drugs and alcohol do not have control over your life. You do. Are you suffering from a substance abuse disorder or addiction? Do you have a friend or family member suffering from one or more of these debilitating illnesses? If you do, get in touch with Asana Recovery today. Our counselors and healthcare experts are ready to walk you through every step of the detox and withdrawal process and rehabilitation and guide you towards living a happier, healthier, and freer lifestyle. While the road to recovery might not be an easy road to travel, we promise to help you every step of the way. Take the first step to stay fit, healthy, and safe.
The time for you to take back control of your life is now. If you are interested in one of our residential treatment or supervised detoxification/withdrawal programs, we are ready and waiting to speak with you at your disclosure. Call Asana now at (949) 438-4504 to learn how to overcome your addiction and substance abuse troubles today.