Are you worried that your friend is drinking or using drugs? Here's what you can do.

This information and more can be found at http://www.listenmagazine.org

The Warning Signs
If your friend has one or more of the following warning signs, he or she may have a serious problem with alcohol or other drugs:

• lying about things, or about how much alcohol or other drugs he or she is using
  
• avoiding you in order to get drunk or high
  
• giving up activities he or she used to do, such as sports, homework, or hanging out with friends who don't drink or use other drugs
  
• planning drinking in advance, hiding alcohol, drinking or using other drugs alone
  
• frequent hangovers
  
• pressuring others to drink or use other drugs
  
• taking risks, including sexual risks
  
• having "blackouts" -- forgetting what he or she did the night before while drinking (if you tell your friend what happened, he or she might pretend to remember, or laugh it off as no big deal)
  
• feeling run-down, hopeless, depressed, or even suicidal
  
• sounding selfish and not caring about others
  
• constantly talking about drinking or using other drugs
  
• getting in trouble with the law
  
• drinking and driving
  
• suspension from school for an alcohol- or other drug-related incident