| |
|
Results for 05/23/2006 to 06/01/2006
|
Last week, Rayanna said:
|
"Dangerous Decisions
My friend smokes and she wants to be my friend and I really want her to lay off the drugs. She won't listen to me, so I talked to my counselor, and she knows all about it too. I want to get her help but I just don't know how."
|
Do you need advice on an issue? Other SmartGirls can
help! Submit your issue to SmartGirl.
|
234 SmartGirls replied:
| 9% |
Use power in numbers. Find other people who are concerned about her smoking habits and as a group, use your influence to stop her. If she feels like all of her friends are concerned about her, she'll be more likely to wake up and realize the danger she's putting herself in. |
| 18% |
It's tough for some people to realize that cigarettes are affecting their lives as soon as they start smoking. Find a website with information on harms of smoking and pick the information that effects you the most. For example, every cigarette takes six minutes off the smoker's life. Then make her aware of the information you found. And be serious about it, sit her down and have a conversation just about that. Try to make her realize the danger is real, now. |
| 12% |
If your guidance counselor hasn't been any help, find another adult who can take charge of the situation. Try talking to your friend's parents. They have a right to know what their daughter is doing, and they probably have the most influence on her activities. She might be mad at you at first, but she'll thank you in the long run. |
| 9% |
I know it will be hard, but if you hate smoking that much then, just let her go. Her decisions are her decisions, and you can't change her mind. |
|
|
52% gave other responses. Some SmartGirls said:
You're being a really good mate telling her to lay off but at the end of the day, it's her decision. Once you've shown her the facts, which it sounds like you've done, then stop. Show her you think it's wrong by not smoking yourself but you'll end up losing her if you carry on hassling her. Good luck, Ami 15 I have been in a situtation like yours. My friend started to smoke and it really bothered me. Nothing I said made her listen, so I came up with a deal with her that she couldn't smoke around me or talk about it. Since she was a true friend, she listened. Be kind to her and show her that you care. There is probably something in her life that is making her smoke. Once she sees there is still hope from your kindness, maybe she'll realize that there are people who care about her. Just maybe, she'll stop. Rayanna, you should not be worried. This is something that your friend's family will have to work on. As a friend, I advise you to encourage her to spend her time with other hobbies like theatre or glee club, something that will take her mind off bad influences and give her more friends that don't badly influence her.
Thanks to all of you that gave your advice! Please give your
advice for this week's issue.
|
The advice represented on this page is the opinion of SmartGirl
users who have responded to last week's Issue of the Week. It is not the
opinion of SmartGirl.org or the University of Michigan.
|
|
