Q: I have a friend who cuts, what can I do?

A: It can be hard to understand why a friend might injure himself or herself on purpose. Cutting — using a sharp object to cut your own skin on purpose until it bleeds — is a form of self-injury. Guys sometimes self-injure by burning their skin with the lit end of a cigarette, a lighter, or a match. Their skin won’t show cut marks, but it might show the small, round scars of a burn.

Some people turn to this behavior when they have problems or painful feelings and haven’t found another way to cope or get relief.

Q: I have a friend who I think drinks too much. What can I do?

A: So you think your friend or sibling has a problem with drugs or alcohol? Maybe he or she seems like a different person since starting to drink or get high.

Well, you are not alone. Many teens are facing the same issues all across the country. Many of us are afraid to discuss serious issues with our friends because we fear being rejected. It is not easy to tell a friend or loved one that they have a problem.