Some friendships are brief and others last a lifetime. Helping a friend through a struggle such as drug addiction is one way to make a friendship stronger. As relationships build, you tend to care more about the person. When a crisis occurs, you naturally want to help him.  Show up when he needs you and listen to what he has to say. There are reasons this person is abusing drugs. Listening may allow him to express thoughts and feelings that will eventually help him and you to understand the root cause of the addiction.  Be respectful, loyal and reliable. Expressing one’s feelings is a brave thing to do, and it can feel risky as well. You can acknowledge this by saying, “I know this might be hard for you and I am honored you are sharing this information. I respect you for doing this. I’m here if you ever want to talk.” Helping a person with a drug addiction may be the most difficult, time consuming thing you will ever do, but the most rewarding. Being listened to and understood are key components to personal growth. The emotional experience of dealing with a drug addiction will force a person to grow, which may be painful. You can help ease the person's pain by actively listening.  Put yourself in the person’s shoes. Learn to be compassionate and accepting rather than judging the person. It might be difficult to understand, but you can always try. Treat the person like you would like to be treated. You have probably experienced struggles in your life and know what was helpful to you, and what wasn’t. It is hard to watch someone suffer or make poor decisions that negatively impact his life. At some point, you will have to tell the person you are concerned about his well-being. He may want to listen to what you have to say, but he may not. This is okay because you are being genuine and you are demonstrating that you care.  Ask permission to get involved. If a person is in the throes of addiction he may not realize he needs help, but might be open to it. You can say things like, “It seems like you are struggling with this drug. I’m here for you if you want me to help. Would you be okay with that?” Don’t be afraid to ask the tough questions. Confronting difficult subject matter that might jeopardize a relationship is challenging. You will need to ask direct, honest questions like, “Do you think you are addicted to this drug?” and “I know it might be hard to talk about this, but I have to know if you’re willing to ruin your health, and your relationships because of it?”
كُن الصديق المُخلص المُقرب. أظهِر التعاطف. وضح مدى اهتمامك.