Ask Sam letter

Asker

To Sam

stole somthig from primark

My friend kayla stole somthing from primark and she lost her confidence and everything she is sad and neber wants to go outside becuase her friend was there with her and after she stole somthing her friend said she doesnt want to be friends anymore and after she said she will tell everyone about it and the primark manager and my friend is so scared to even live she feels like killing herself and feels scared to go outside to her other friends ane places.
Ask Sam

Sam

Hi there,

We all get it wrong sometimes and we can learn really valuable lessons from the mistakes we make in life. Doing something that we regret can leave us with feelings of guilt and embarrassment. How others react can also affect how we feel and being judged can make us feel worthless and rejected.

It seems as though your friend Kayla really regrets stealing from Primark and I’m concerned to hear that she feels suicidal, is too scared to go out and doesn’t want to see people. It sounds like Kayla is beating herself up for what she has done and needs help from supportive friends like you and trusted adults who won’t judge her. This way, she can start to forgive herself and get her confidence back. The way her other friend is threatening her is not okay and this behaviour sounds like bullying.

Deciding to take action and put things right can really help when we feel guilty about something. Perhaps Kayla could return the item to the shop or pay for it, taking you or another friend with her for moral support. If she didn’t feel able to go in person then she could send a letter.

If you ever feel like Kayla’s life is in danger, please tell a trusted adult who will be able help to help your friend. Remember, both you and Kayla can talk to a ChildLine counsellor any time.

Take care,
Sam

Need help straight away?

You can talk privately to a counsellor online or call 0800 1111 for free.

Ask me a question

You can ask me about anything you want, there's nothing too big or small. I read every single letter but I can only answer a few each week. My replies are published here on my page.

Write me a letter