DEAR HARRIETTE: Recently, I have been noticing that my close friend, who is a high school junior, has been drinking more. It has gone from just one drink to three or five. It is alarming, since this has become a daily ritual for her. She drinks after work every day. While I know this is a typical thing for many people, it has not been a normal thing for her. Instead of just getting a little buzz, my friend won't stop until she is flat-out drunk. It has even gotten to the point where I have to make sure she is at home and OK at least a couple of days a week. I have tried talking to her siblings about this problem, but they just pretend like it is not happening. How do I help my friend see that she has a problem that needs to be fixed? -- Scared and Concerned, Rochester, New York
DEAR SCARED AND CONCERNED: As scary as this may seem, I recommend that you speak to your friend's parents about their daughter's drinking. Tell them how much you love their daughter and that you are genuinely worried about her. Point out that you know she will be upset if she finds out that you said anything, but you had to tell them so that they can help their daughter before it's too late.