Recently I feel like I have got into a bit of a wrong crowd and drink almost every night not necessarily much but just feel different if I don't and I have started to smoke weed very frequently and am scared that my mum will find out, I need to escape reality sometimes that's all I don't thing I am addicted as such.
Sam
Hi there,
Thanks for writing to me. Its really brave of you to share what is going on in your life at the moment.
It sounds like youve got mixed feelings about the fact that youve started smoking weed and drinking.
Youre also not wanting to be different from the people you hang out with, and youve told me that they are a bit of a wrong crowd which makes me think you might not be totally comfortable with whats happening. I can hear that youve really worried about your mum finding out. You havent told me what your relationship with your mum is like at the moment. Im guessing that if you continue to do these things, it increases the chance she will find out about it.
When someone drinks alcohol and takes drugs it can put them in danger. These dangers include causing direct harm to your body (e.g. alcohol poisoning, liver damage) as well as getting into unsafe situations because your thinking and judgment isnt clear and you are not able to control you mind or body as well as you normally do. I can hear you say that you dont think youre addicted, but it can be a lot easier to become addicted to drugs than a lot of people think.
Youve talked about using alcohol and drugs as a way to escape your reality. I wonder whats happening in your life that you want to escape from? It sounds like there might some things that youd like some support with, and I want you to know that the counsellors at ChildLine are here to listen if you feel like talking. Getting the support we need to feel safe and ok about ourselves makes it easier to make positive and healthy choices.
Talk to Frank is a free, confidential service for young people who want non-judgemental advice and support about anything to do with drugs or alcohol. You can call, text or email them 24 hours a day for support. Their website also has a page where you can search for a face to face service near you.
If you want to talk more generally in confidence about what is going on, you can always talk to one of the ChildLine counsellors by phone 0800 1111 (a free call), by logging in for a 1-2-1 chat or by sending them an email. The counsellor could talk through your options and explore how its making you feel, which could help you to feel less alone with this problem.
Remember there are always more than one way to cope with things.
Take care,
Sam
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