It can be hard to recognize that your friend has a drug addiction problem, because many people who abuse drugs to try to hide it. If your friend is moody, spends a lot time trying to get drugs or alcohol or having problems at work and with friends and family after using, he might have a drug problem. Once you've recognized that your friend is abusing drugs or alcohol, it's even harder to know what to do about the problem.
Step 1
Stop enabling your friend to use drugs. If you go with him to buy it or are around him when he's using, you're only helping him to continue to use. Instead, you should talk to him about his addiction when he's sober and willing to listen.
Step 2
Let your friend know why you're concerned. Point out specific reasons why her use concerns you, such as you're afraid she might overdose and die, she lost her job and is going into debt, or her family members will no longer talk to her. Try to help her see how drug use is impacting her life in negative ways.
Step 3
Keep your conversations private. You can get assistance by talking to a mental health professional or a doctor, but you don't talk to mutual friends about the problem. Your friend may lose trust in you if he finds out that you're talking about him behind his back.
Step 4
Get support through free peer support groups that are made up of people struggling with friends and family members who abuse or have abused drugs. You can attend Al-Anon, Nar-Anon or Co-Anon support groups. You'll be able to get advice, talk to others about your concerns and find a supportive community.
Tips and Warnings
- Sometimes it's hard to admit that a friend is abusing drugs, but if you continue to deny the issue, you're only enabling your friend to continue to use. It's not possible to force someone to quit using if she doesn't want to. You can continue to be a support in life without supporting her habit and be there when she does decide to quit. Recovering from drug or alcohol abuse is a life long process. Your friend will continue to need support and will continue to struggle with issues of addiction throughout life. He may be able to get control of his addiction and stop using, but that doesn't mean that he won't be impacted by it on a regular basis.
- Don't let your friend's denial get in your way of helping. She might say things like, "I don't use that much," or "I can stop whenever I want to." These are lies that abusers tell themselves. Don't believe them.
