Drugs & Health Blog

Real Teens Ask: How Can I Help My Friend?

Sara Bellum



What should I do if one of my friends is using drugs... What should I tell him to convince him to stop?

There are many ways to help and support your friend, but in the end, it will need to be your friend’s decision. And just by asking us this question, it’s easy to see you are a good friend. Sometimes our friends won’t appreciate advice they don’t want to hear—especially if they are using drugs—but telling the truth to help someone close to you is part of being a real friend, even when it’s hard to do.

Here’s some ideas of things to say and do to help:

What To Do:

  • Find out if your friend is experimenting with drugs, or if he may be addicted. Neither one is good—but you may need more support if your friend is addicted.
  • Know that it is never easy for anyone to admit that they have a drug problem. You will need to be patient—and not give up easily.
  • Listen, encourage, share, and support. Sounds easy right? But it’s so hard. We provide further tips and resources in a previous post we wrote titled “How to Help a Friend in Need.”
  • BTW, it's tough having a friend with addiction issues. So, if you need some support, visit: http://www.alanon.alateen.org/.

What To Say:

  • Just telling your friend that you’re concerned can be a big help. Your friend may not want to talk about it, and the effects that drugs have on the brain may keep him or her from “hearing” you or acting on your advice.
  • Suggest that he or she speak to a trusted adult who will keep it confidential. Maybe there’s a family friend who could help.

When the people we care about and have lots in common with make bad choices, it can be frustrating, confusing, and a little depressing. Still, we should be there for our friends, and also try to be a good role models for them by making smart choices ourselves.



This is very good advice. Speak to a trusted adult - 9 out of 10 the drug abuser does not realise they have a problem until it is too late...fiona from London

A kid in my grade smokes weed and I'm not sure what to do to help him because I'm only in 6th grade (so is he) and I'm not sure how to approach him because I think he likes me and I don't want to just butt in to his business like "I HEARD YOU SMOKE WEED!" or if I should tell the health teacher. What should I do? PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You should approach the health teacher as that it very serious. Also try and help him. Even if it means people are gossiping about you two when you do. Possess that kindness and let him know that telling the teacher elwas for his benefit.
You and me both dude, I have a classmate that transferred recently and he admitted that he was kicked out of his school for smoking weed, I really want to help him cause he looks like a nice guy, I also kinda need help with that lol...
He may be addictied or not just let him know your there for him hope he gets help, let him know it's ok to have an addiction and incourage him to quite smoking weed, you can't force him to quite smoking weed but you can be incouraging, he's not alone a lott of people have drug addictions. You sound smart enough not to ever try any of the stuff. You'll probly be ok being around him.
Hello CJ. You should try to avoid him. Smoking marijuana isn't that bad, but make sure to advise your health teacher about this situation..
Are you mad. It is people like you that worsen the community. Do you not know that ignoring and condemning him will only make him go further into his addiction and make the situation worse. Please dont give advise if you dont know what your talking about.
Talk to him slowly make him think it's what he wants for the best of himself and his family and friends. Remember he needs help he cannot go through this alone if the problem gets out of hand talk to a trusted and responsible adult trust. Me I had the same problem
I am in 6th grade and I have a ferns/ potential gf who is addicted to LSD. I just got her to talk about her life a few days ago and she is dealing with heavy stuff. She's in eighth grade but I want to help. How do I tell a girl who really likes me to stop doing drugs?

Hi Zane, is there an adult you could talk to, like a parent or someone at school? They may be able to help your friend. You or she could also contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which helps people work through all kinds of tough situations: http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ If your friend wants help with addiction recovery, this site can help her find treatment options: https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/

threaten to break up with her. next thing you know, you are doing drugs and living on the street because you spent every cent on drugs. your family will disown you and show you no mercy.
She might get angry with you but l would simply tell her she needs to stop she's runing her life. Tell somone else that may beable to help her. Like a her parents.
I am also in grade 6. I think you should tell the closest adult to you and get their opinion on this matter. Either way you should tell a trusted adult. The health teacher would know what to do. Also, ask the teacher if she could not say your name when she speaks to the boy. That should help!
first of all be honest because is not good to lie or to give false hope , but you must becarefull so that he doesnt misunderstand what you want to say to him.
I am in the same boat but I'm in seventh grade,I would suggest telling a resource officer or teacher. NO matter how mad your friend is he will not be doing drugs after this and he can live a longer life so just think of the good thing you are doing by telling an adult he may be mad but you are doing the right thing. hope this helps
nothing serious can happen from smoking weed, unless it leads to them using other drugs, so don't worry too much, telling teachers at school will only make a problem that isn't that bad even worse , the stress of it may even lead to him smoking more weed so I would just leave it and ask if hes ok now and again
tell him to pick up a book and put down the blunt
The best way to help this person is to go up and say, "Hey (his name), can I talk to you about something?" If he says yes, try to talk to him about the dangers drugs can have to his health and that even though he can't overdose on weed, he might get involved with other drugs that he can overdose on. If he says no, don't bother him about it. Wait a few days and ask him again. Repeat this for a while until he agrees to talk.
I have an online friend who is always hurting herself and doing drugs. I want to help her and she is open to me helping her… but how can I? I have given her several phone numbers and told her how my father got over drugs, carrying around food and eating it when he wants to smoke, but if there is anything else I can do I want to do it.

Hi Amy, is it possible for you to contact her parents or another adult, like a guidance counselor? You can't make your friend stop doing drugs and hurting herself, but an adult might be able to get her the help she needs. If you aren't sure what to do or just want to talk to someone, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/, and they can help you talk through the situation.

My dad is a drug addict. He has schizophrenia. He is wrecking my family, my mum is trying as hard as she possibly can, to keep this family running. But, the problem is that he does not want to stop. What do I do?

Hi Zee, so sorry you're dealing with this! Please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ They should be able to help you find resources in your area.

And that is very true I lost my step father to drugs and my is in jail b/c she did drugs and missed her probation officer
This is great advice. Specially because I was writing a journal related to the topic.

I think is i am a drug and alc user at the age 13 and the thing is that you cant help your friend usless they wanna be helped. you can tell thier parents about what is happing and get them into a treatment a lot of hospitals have treatment for teens. but the thing is they cant be helped unless they wanna be help. in thier head is just i want the drug i want the drug. so talk to theri parents about it ! (:

What should you do if you promised your friend you wouldnt tell anyone, but are still very worried about them?

Encourage your friend to talk to a trusted adult who might help them. This could include a parent, their doctor, a teacher or guidance counselor at school, among others. If there is no one else to confide in, they may be able to find to a local treatment professional who can help them by consulting this resource from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): http://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/

Actually my ex is found drugs because we broke up he's cutting himself, smoking and just being a douche. You should pull your friend aside and give them suggestions that an adult/counselor can help with.
My ex friend keeps telling me that my ex is on drugs. How can I know if its true????
My friend also does drugs and I don't want to tell everyone but I can't keep it a secret what do I do? I told my parents and my mom is trying to help them out but I want them to listen so, I would just keep it between you two and try helping him/her all you can
Same thing just happend to me just tell someone who you trust or will keep it confidential.
Why would you keep a promise that got your fiend hurt or in danger?
tell every person you know for your friend to get help. its a white lie...
AHHHHHHHHHH DRUGs nooooooooooooooooooooo my brain is melting. i chose to do drugs now im dead
You know you should really not joke about this stuff.
I believe that treatment centers can work for addicts that are not ready. Think about it? If they are using they are so messed up they can't really think. I hope that one day will come when families can put addicts into treatment against their will. We don't allow people with dementia to roam the streets and people put them in treatment without their permission. Addiction is a chronic disease and until everyone understands it things are not going to get better
My friends name is Sarah we were friends 2 years ago but things happened and we broke up but now I'm going to see her next year and I know she's doing drugs I still care for her alot while we were friends she was going through alot of tuff stuff and I now feel like I abandoned her and she doing alot of bad hard core stuff I want to help but I don't know should I even confront should I gradually became friends again and try to be a good friend and support her or should I just leave her alone? I really still care for her

Hi fallon.  It sounds like Sarah could really use a friend that would be a positive influence on her.  You can make a difference by being supportive and helping her see how drugs are affecting her life.  You can also talk to a guidance counselor and tell them your concerns. 

Hi I recently found some evidence on my brothers phone that pointed towards him doing drugs..I don't know what to do! I am pretty sure the evidence is real. I do not want to confront him about it because obviously he has been doing it behind my family's backs. Who should I tell? Do I tell anyone at all? Please tell me what to do.

Hi Sara.  You need to tell your parents what you found.  It will be difficult, but drugs can harm your brother's health.  If you're afraid to tell your parents, you should tell a trusted adult that knows your brother.  Good luck!

I recently became very close to a guy a used to go to school with. He moved away but we talk every day and he's told me that he is doing drugs. He said he does them because he has problems he doesn't know how to deal with but he won't tell me what they are. Lately he's been being distant and calling/texting me at 3,4,5 in the morning...passing out, sleeping a lot and I'm really worried about him. Last night he didn't text me and today he told me he passed out and told me never to do drugs. He said it's too late for him to stop. What should I do?

Concerned, it sounds like your friend is heading down a dangerous path.  Is it possible for you to contact his parents, grandparents, or siblings?  Your parents might be able to help you contact his family.  You might also consider contacting the guidance counselor at his new school.  Your friend needs your help!  It's never too late to stop doing drugs, he just needs a good friend that cares enough to support him through the tough times.  Good luck!

I just found out my one of my old friends is on multiple different drugs and I really want to be able to help him but I don't know how is there someone that I could tell that could sort it out and help him find help, he is getting more and more addicted and has started mixing drugs together and I am really afraid he is going to OD, what do I do?

Ann, you need to contact someone that is close to your friend who can get him help, like a parent, sibling, or mutual friend.  You should tell them what you've heard and let them know they can find a local treatment center by visiting http://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/

Im 12 my friends r 11-13 and do drugs and also do IT and hang with street boys and make fun of me cuss im from USA and they're from ... (dont wanna mention) what do i have to do to be the cool one and make them like me and be popular r at least find some friends!!?!?!?!?

@Lil mafia, these don't sound like good friends.  A real friend wouldn't make fun of you or pressure you to do things that make you uncomfortable.  Don't worry about being cool.  Just look for friends that like the same things you do.  Are there clubs at school you'd like to join?  That would be a good place to meet new friends.  Same with non-school activities like sports leagues or dance classes.  

My friends brother is doing drugs, caught in the act, he begged me not to say anything to his sister but I would feel horrible if I didn't tell his sister :-( what can I do??? I'm stuck by being trustworthy to both of them and I don't want him to do drugs but I don't want him to feel like he can't trust me and I don't want her to know that I kept something from her, I want to protect them both

@Max, you know using drugs can be dangerous.  Keeping your the brother's secret is not protecting him.  Sometimes, you have to make difficult decision when it comes to keeping someone safe.  Is there a way you can anonymously alert someone to his drug use?  Can you tell the school counselor?  

i have recently found out that one of my friends boyfriend is a drug dealer. His brother just passed away from over dosing, and im afraid shes doing drugs too. I'm really worried what should i do


Add new comment