Steps to Take if Your Friend is Using Drugs or Alcohol

• Educate yourself about the disease of addiction
• Suggest your friend seek counseling from a group or a professional specializing in addiction
• Consider attending Al-Anon or Al-A-Teen meetings
• Understand that addiction will lead to prison, institutions or death if not treated
• Understand that no one has any control over the addicted adolescent except the addict
• Do not give your friend cash or credit cards
• Recognize that addicted adolescents have a disease and do not reason the same way as non-addicted teens
• Do not make excuses for your friend's behavior; let the natural consequences of their actions occur
• If your friend is facing legal problems, do not intervene, let the natural consequences occur
• Be wary of the addict’s skills at manipulating people and events
• Realize that addiction is a life long disease that cannot be cured, but can be treated
• Your friend's recovery is his program, you should not try to work harder than your friend at that program
• Relapses are common, recovery is achieved one small step at a time
• Learn to live life with an addict one day at a time, and be grateful for the time you have together