I WORSHIP NATURAL HIGHS OF ALL KINDS!!
Students - How do I know if my friends are using drugs?
It's really tough to figure out if somebody has an alcohol or drug problem. Most students – even your friends – won't just walk up to you and ask for help. Actually, drug users try hard to hide the problem, but there are ways to figure out what's going on. Watch your friend for any of the following signs. If you can check off one or more, there's a good chance your friend has a serious problem.
Signs of Drug Use
• Gets drunk or high on drugs on a regular basis
• Lies about things, or about the amount of drugs she's using
• Avoids you so he can go get drunk instead
• Stops doing stuff that used to be a big part of her life (sports, homework, or hanging out with friends who don't do drugs)
• Plans his drinking in advance, hides alcohol or drugs, and uses them when he’s alone
• Has to drink more than ever before to get the same high
• Doesn’t think she can have fun unless she's drunk or stoned
• Has lots of hangovers
• Pressures other people to drink or use other drugs
• Takes risks, including sexual risks
• Has "blackouts" and forgets what he did while drinking
• Feels run-down, hopeless, depressed, or even suicidal
• Sounds selfish and doesn't care about others
• Constantly talks about drinking or using other drugs
• Gets in trouble with the police
• Drinks and drives
• Gets suspended from school for an drug-related problems
How can my friend get help?
Let's be clear on this: Your friend has to get some help if she's really going to stop using drugs. Not that it's impossible, but there's not a huge chance that she can do this on her own. But before anybody can help her out, she has to admit that she has a problem-and there's nothing harder than that.
The payoff is going to be huge, but there's a lot of hard stuff that comes along with getting help. She'll have to take an honest look at where drinking or other drug use has brought her, and admit that it has caused lots of pain for herself, her family, and (as you well know) her friends. She'll have to take a look at what it's done to her real friendships and see that drug use has zapped her creativity, happiness, spirit, the respect of others, and most importantly, her self-respect.
Start by calling the Boys and Girls Town Hotline number below. This organization is confidential and will help answer your questions and provide referrals of organizations in your community that can help your friend.
Keep in mind that you may be the only person who is really on your friend's side. Lots of people will act like they care, but most won't do a thing when it comes to helping out. Your friend may not appreciate your help right away and you can't force her to get help. She has to do that for herself.
All you can do is talk to her, show her how much you care, and encourage her to get help. Your friendship might be just the thing that pushes her to help herself.
But it's important to remember that your friend may reject your help. You might have to call her parents or her guardian. You might end up losing her as a friend – but at least you won't lose her to death.
This article is courtesy of the Partnership for a Drug Free America.
www.DrugFreeWave.com
www.FreeVibe.com
Boys and Girls Town hotline and referral source for kids 800-448-3000
