How Can I Help? Friends Helping Friends

A 2014 survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration showed that 8.7 million youths ages twelve to twenty reported drinking alcohol beyond "just a few sips" in the previous month. Those who start drinking before age fifteen are five times more likely to become dependent on alcohol than those who begin at twenty-one. This resource shows young people how to help a friend who is abusing alcohol. It arms them with facts about alcohol, how it affects the teen mind and body, how to look for signs of a problem, and how to bring others on board to help.

A teen is trapped in an abusive relationship, and a friend wants to help. This comprehensive book shares how to spot the warning signs of an abusive relationship, how to be supportive of a friend who needs help, and what kind of resources are available to both the helper and the victim. It may be scary to deal with a friend in an abusive situation, but this informative guide will be a strong tool in letting readers know how practical ways that they can navigate a difficult situation and give their much-needed support.

Even more so than family, friends are able to influence each other's recovery from drug addiction, but to do so requires a thorough understanding of the situation. Readers will learn the signs of abuse for various drugs, along with reasons for abuse, how to confront the friend, and how to encourage treatment. The many sources for further reference fulfill Common Core Standards by offering a means through which readers may draw on information from other sources and solve a problem efficiently. This title teaches an important and especially relevant lesson: drug recovery lasts a lifetime but addiction doesn't have to.

As a teen who may be worried about certain warning signs a friend is exhibiting, it's important to know how to recognize and confront an eating disorder. After all, teens are the most impacted group for developing eating disorders. Learn how the pressures of school, dating, and athletics contribute to body image issues and why teens are vulnerable. Explore eating disorders that people commonly have and how they are treated. Readers from grades six through twelve will have a relatable text to help them understand how they can make a difference to someone they care about.

A 2014 report by the US Department of Education found that 22 percent of students ages twelve to eighteen had experienced bullying. This cogent narrative provides readers with supportive methods to help a friend who is being bullied and to promote a bully-free learning environment at school. Physical, social, psychological, and verbal bullying are examined, as well as cyberbulling. Readers discover the consequences of bullying both as a target and as a bystander. They also consider ways to intervene in a bullying situation, how to seek adult help, and how to be empowered and recover from bullying.

Depression is an unfortunately common mental health issue that many people don't know how to address. In this straightforward, practical guide, readers will learn how they can identify and help a friend who is suffering from depression. Written in a compassionate tone, this guide separates out fact from fiction, providing an informative list of myths and facts to dispel common incorrect notions about depression as well as a thoughtful list of questions readers can ask their guidance counselor about a friend's depression and seeking help. The result? Empowered readers who can lend a hand to a friend in trouble.