Sometimes it seems easier to give advice about how to help a friend than to actually help. It can even be scary sometimes. Once you know how to prepare
yourself for the conversation and have some suggestions for what to say, you can get some motivation by reading ways that
other teens have helped their friends. Some are really creative; all that matters is that they worked. Remember, you can always talk to a trusted adult or
other professional for help too!
m7 helped a best friend by showing deep concern
JennaFace helped her friend by going with her to get extra help
Just a Hero helped her friend with some hard love
Emi helped friends by showing them the facts
Dani helped a friend by being there day and night
TreFabulous helped his brother with some tough persuasion tactics
Anna's friend helped her by taking her in
Cool Babe From Da Bu helped a friend by showing her the truth
TenaciousSally92 helped her friend by showing her what true beauty is
2racer81 helped her friend by threatening to leave
Nicki helped her friend by writing a story
Shell helped her boyfriend by sticking by him
m7 helped a best friend by showing deep concern
My best friend since kindergarten started doing drugs last year. I didn't find out until later, but when I did, I cried. I ACTUALLY cried! It's just that she's
been going through tough times for a couple of years now (especially with family--I'VE basically had to be her mom). She has stupid friends who do that stuff, AND
she's just a pretty vulnerable person. She's like the sweetest person, but she has a lot of bad habits. Sometimes I get so frustrated with her, I almost wish we
weren't friends. But we've been through WAY too much together, and she's going through WAYYYYY too much for me to just not be there when she needs me most. She
knows that, and she told me she's stopped. I can't know for sure, but I'll take her word for it. I trust her. I know it sounds really corny, but people say that
a friend can help you through anything, a friend is with you until the end, and that showing a friend that you care can make the biggest difference, blah, blah
blah…BUT it's absolutely true. As soon as she saw me cry, she started crying too, and promised she wouldn't do anything to make me feel like that again.
JennaFace helped her friend by going with her to get extra help
My friend was having a really hard time in school and was cheating to get by. He was getting good grades but felt bad about himself when his parents would praise
him because he didn't really earn it and he always ran the risk of getting caught. It snowballed out of control because when he finally wanted to start earning his
own grades, he was worried that if he went to the teach for extra help, then the teach would know he had been cheating. So I scheduled extra help with the teacher
and my friend came so all the attention wouldn't be right on him. He slowly was able to start making good grades without cheating and now he and his parents
are happy.
Just a Hero helped her friend with some hard love
I know that some people say that people will never change. But what if that wasn't true? What if we cared about someone so much, and they cared about us even more,
that we gave them the ultimatum to either keep doing drugs, or be my friend? Well, I did. And it turns out, it's the best thing I've ever done in my entire life. I
care about someone very deeply. That person cares about me even more. I told that person that they would need to quit smoking and popping pills if they still wanted
to be friends with me. I broke down and explained to that person (while in tears) all the painful experiences I've had in my past with people and drugs. They then told
me that they really did care and that if it really meant that much to me, then they would quit. They've now been sober and drug-free for almost three months. It
doesn't seem like that long, but any amount of time is enough for me. And to make me feel even better, someone offered them a deal on some cheap marijuana, and they
said no – even when they didn't know that I was watching. So they honestly did stop the drugs. That's why I feel like a hero.
Emi helped friends by showing them the facts
There are a couple of friends I've helped with their addiction to drugs and alcohol and friends I'm trying to help. I came to this site a lot for advice and showed
people some facts about weed. It really really helped to open their eyes and they got it that drugs and stuff really will hurt you and so I wanted to say thanks to
everyone who has been able to make this site and anyone who comes to this site should really take it to heart because it is TELLING THE TRUTH!! Thanks again.
Dani helped a friend by being there day and night
This friend of mine was hooked on drugs like little kids are on candy. She needed to have them every day of her life. When I first met her, I had no idea that she
did such things but when I started hanging out with her more, I eventually found out. She explained everything to me. She started to do drugs because she had a hard home
life. Her mom and her didn't get along very well and neither did her step dad. So I told her she needs to stand up for herself. I said to her no matter how much you may
hate your life, it does not mean that you need to take the pain away by doing drugs. So we started to hang out every other day. When she was with me, we went places and
did things to get her mind off of the drugs. She eventually forgot all about the drugs. I was so happy about the progress she was making. And sometime she would call in
the middle of the night when she was having a rough moment. So I'd stay on the phone and get her mind off of it or let her come over for a while. She eventually quit all
of it! Later on she eventually got herself back on track at school and at home. She gets along with her family and she gets good grades at school. Though it is tougher
to be there for her because I moved away. But still we keep in touch and she hasn't done a thing since.
TreFabulous helped his brother with some tough persuasion tactics
My brother was getting banged-up every night last summer and started drinking in the morning because he would feel so bad in the morning. He looked awful while he was
drinking and looked twice as bad in the morning. One night, we busted out the video camera and videotaped him. We showed him the video of how banged-up he was one night
and I threatened to put the video on YouTube and show my parents, his teachers, and his girlfriend. He was so worried about the bad rep that he never got banged-up again.
Whatever it takes to make it happen!
Anna's friend helped her by taking her in
It wasn't me that helped, but a friend that helped me. I had a serious eating disorder and started using drugs to lose weight. Soon everything spiraled out of control.
I was kicked out of my house and lived on the streets for about two weeks. I was paranoid and violent and emaciated but the rush of the drug was the only thing I had left.
My friend didn't even know me that well, but she took me into her home and fed me and followed me everywhere so I wouldn't be able to escape to my old habits. At first I
hated her; I kicked and screamed that I wanted to die. But she taught me to appreciate myself, and to put my life towards something special. I'm now doing an arts history
degree and play an active role in my church and community…all thanks to her.
Cool Babe From Da Bu helped a friend by showing her the truth
My friend started using drugs and alcohol when her "hot and sexy" sophomore boyfriend introduced them to her. So to save my best friend, me and a couple other girls
videotaped Jess when she wasn't herself. After when she was sobered up, we showed her the video and she finally saw how ugly she was acting. Not only was she stumbling all
over the place she was totally embarrassing. Jess entered herself into a rehab and has been sober ever since. I am super stoked about what me and my friends accomplished and
we even saved her life!
TenaciousSally92 helped her friend by showing her what true beauty is
My friend was a laxative queen and was also anorexic. She used to paste her walls with pictures of supermodels and say: "I wanna look like that!" One day when she was out,
my friends and I snuck into her room and changed all the pictures of those skinny chicks with pictures of healthy looking models and rock and country stars. When she got home,
we also showed her video on YouTube that show how model pictures are not real and are PhotoShopped. She realized that she was trying for an unrealistic goal and we all worked
together to set legit goals as far as her weight and diet. We also took away all of her laxatives and told her that she should see a psychologist if she needed more help.
2racer81 helped her friend by threatening to leave
My best friend was smoking weed in his bedroom while I was sitting on his couch and I told him I was leaving. He told me not to but I told him I didn't want to turn in to a
drug head. The next day, he came to my house and told me he didn't want to lose his best friend so he quit. He hasn't smoked ever since and we're still friends.
Nicki helped her friend by writing a story
I wrote my friend a story with three different parts. The first part was about my friend as a teenager, debating whether or not to smoke. The next part was about her a few
years later, falling in love with an amazing guy (still smoking). The final part of the story was about her developing lung cancer because of the smoking, and having her final
conversation on her deathbed with the love of her life. I wrote this story on a whim one night in 10th grade when i was thinking about my friend who was smoking, and I gave it
to her the next day in math class. When I saw how much it hurt her to read the story, I immediately regretted giving it to her. She was crying, and seemed mad or upset. We
talked after class and I apologized, gave her a hug and told her I only gave it to her because I was worried about her and I didn't think of how it would hurt her. I was
extremely shocked the next day when she came over to me and told me that she decided to quit smoking.
Shell helped her boyfriend by sticking by him
My boyfriend was addicted to pot for a long time and I decided to break up with him. But then I thought that if I break up with him, who will he have to take care of him?
I decided to stay with him, and help him. He has been drug-free for three years, and I thank God everyday for saving him.