DEAR HARRIETTE: My friends are in their mid-20s and experiencing their “last hurrah” with partying. They have been doing hard drugs. I recently had a relative pass away due to a drug overdose, so their behavior makes me scared. How do I tell them that this “last hurrah” is much more dangerous than they think? I don’t think they’ve ever had someone close to them overdose. -- Not a Party, New Orleans
DEAR NOT A PARTY: When people are immersed in drug use, they usually cannot hear others who are begging them to stop. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try. If you can be in your friends’ company at a time when they are sober, that’s your best chance of being heard. See if you can schedule breakfast or some other early activity with them.
When face to face, ask if you can speak directly to them. With their blessing, express your extreme concern for their well-being. Tell them that you know they are doing hard drugs, and you are worried for their lives. Explain that this may seem like fun now, but their behavior could kill them. Then tell them about your relative who died from an overdose. Tell them in detail who this relative was, what kind of life he had before getting involved with drugs and what the person’s demise looked like. Be graphic so that there is no question about how tragic your relative’s death was. Plead with your friends to get help so that they can stop. Tell them how much you love them and do not want to see them die.
(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)