I hate my new school. My mum really wants me to like it here, so I can't let her down and tell her how everyone hates me and calls me names. The only way I get through it all is to have a drink. My brother has always said alcohol is great for courage, so I try to make sure I have a drink before I walk through the school gates every morning. No one suspects anything because he buys it for me and it looks like plain lemonade.

People take drugs or abuse alcohol because they can't handle something bad that's happening to them, if you are bullied, or being physically or sexually abused, drugs aren't the solution to your problem. Telling someone is the only way to solve what's happening to you. Don't worry about what people will say about the drugs; concentrate first on protecting yourself by talking through your problem with someone you trust.

The best way to tell if someone is contemplating suicide is that she talks about it. So the most effective response is to talk to her about it. Here are some dos and don'ts:

Do:

Places to get help:

Good friends are hard to find, at least that's how the saying goes. And if you think of what actually makes a good friend, it's true. There are 3 qualities healthy friendships have:

If you meet someone and find that you click, it's a good start. But to keep the friendship going, he / she should be:

When you see someone you would like to develop a friendship with, approach her or him with a big smile and a 'hello' whatever you do, don't hold back. Most people are flattered with the idea that someone wants to be a friend. So why not make the first move by introducing yourself?

Watch your body language. It's important to make eye contact when talking to someone to show that you're interested.

Once the ice has been broken, think of something you both have in common. For example, if the person is in your math class, ask her how she did on the last test. If you have similar testes in music, you could start a conversation about that. The key is to talk about something you feel comfortable with and the conversation will take off on its own course.

To meet new people, look into joining an organization that focuses on teen issues. Or if you're into the arts, join a dance club, or music group; if sports, hook up with an athletic team. Right off the bat, you know you have something in common with a potential friend so that it makes it easier to strike up a conversation.

Choice A:

Drop subtle but effective hints about your growing feelings. Be tactful. Rather than say, "Don't you and I make a great couple?" try "Don't you think it's funny how everyone thinks we've going out because we spend so much time together?" Wait for this reaction either in words or body language. If that doesn't work, resort to choice B.

Choice B:

Come right out and tell him how you feel. Do be prepared for rejection. "Obviously it's hard when you find out the person you have a crush on doesn't feel the same way, but in the end you have to realize that it's better knowing where you stand rather than spending a whole year pining after someone that isn't interested."

Sometimes romance starts as just friendship and can make a great relationship. Other times, former friends wish they had remained so instead of getting involved and ruining a perfectly good friendship. Before taking the step towards romance, think how it would feel to lose him as a friend. And remember that friends - real friends who you can talk to and trust - are hard to find.

Talk it out. Often we ignore the fact that something is wrong, hoping that it will mysteriously disappear. This does more damage than anything else. Don't smile in your friend's face and act like everything is OK when you are really buming inside. Be very specific and let her know what's bothering you. It's a possibility that she doesn't even understand that she has upset you. It's also your responsibility to the friendship to tell her how you're feeling. If she rejects you, then you know it wasn't a strong bond to begin with, and it might be time to rethink the friendship.

Apologize. An apology is very important when it comes to resolving a conflict, but it's often left unsaid. In order for things to start fresh between the two of you, you need to make a formal apology stating exactly why you are apologizing. This lets your friend know that you fully understand why she is upset. For example, if your feelings were hurt, tell her. If she's any kind of friend, the conversation will go something like this:

You: "I was really upset when I found out you blabbed my secret. I though I could trust you."

Her: "I feel really bad that I told your secret. I am sorry. I didn't think Joanne would tell anyone."

Reassert the rule. By restating to your friend that you cannot tolerate her behaviour, it opens the door for the friendship to either progress or fade away if the rule is broken again. You say, "OK, Julia, I really want to be friends with you but I can't have you telling people my business. Please don't do it again, OK?"

Never-Nevers in a friendship:

Peer pressure is the power that peers have to influence others to do or not do certain things. The more secure you are with yourself, the less likely you are to fall under the spell of anyone trying to tell you what to think and what to do. Knowing you'll face peer pressure will allow you to prepare yourself to be strong enough to resist it. If you ever find yourself in a situation where you're being pressured to do something, do ask yourself there questions before acting:

Teens who have a strong sense of self are less likely to fall prey to negative peer pressure. Knowing how to recognize a bad situation and learning to say 'no' are very important skills. Even if you did something you didn't want to or know you shouldn't, you can reevaluate the situation for the next time. Knowing you have choices of behaviour and friends to hang out with will give you the confidence to make the right decisions. When you leave these bases covered, fighting off negative peer pressures should be easier.

If you decided the clique isn't for you. Remember that not all friendships last, and that there's pain involved in change. You should take the memories and move on. You need to have the strength and courage to get out. This is especially true of young teenagers who have high self-esteem and don't need clique to define themselves anyway.

Popularity can seem very important when you are in your teens. If you are feeling unsure about yourself, the admiration and approval of others can boost your confidence. There can be a lot of pressure to be well liked and to be one of the gang. But popularity shouldn't come at any cost. If you constantly have to do, or pretend to be something you are not in order to be accepted, you won't be happy.

Some characteristics, such as friendliness and cheerfulness, make people popular. People like friends who are kind and trustworthy, who don't put them down, and aren't jealous or demanding. They also look for friends who are willing to contribute, listen, and see the other person's point of view. Popularity has very little to do with looks; good-looking people aren't always well liked, especially if they are vain or self-centered. Some things tend to put people off - talking too much, being too quiet or too shy, being 'different' in some way, or always needing to be the center of attention. Some of these qualities you can do something about; Others, such as being from a different ethnic or religious group, or being disabled, you obviously can't change. You might need to look harder for friends who are more open and fair-minded.

They also are very 'real' people, meaning they're not phony and don't spend all their time trying to please others to be liked. Some kids strive to be popular but popular kids don't focus on it. Trying to be popular is an empty goal. If you spend all your time trying to be liked, that means you're relying on other people to boost your ego. It's better to concentrate on gaining self-confidence in more constructive ways like getting good grades, volunteering in the community, or planning for the future. The more comfortable you are being yourself, the more people you'll attract and the more friends you'll make.

Don't worry my friend. Around one in five young people find it hard to make friends. Many suffer from shyness, even as adults. Other adolescents might not understand this and label a shy person as stuck-up. Everyone worries about being rejected. We have all been in situations where we have felt left out, where we don't know what to do or say. But often our problems are just in our head. We imagine people are judging or criticizing us, when actually we are the last thing no their mind. Tere is a knack to making friends. It's called making an effort. Start up a conversation. It doesn't matter what you talk about - the other person will probably appreciate your friendliness and respond. Popular people have learnt that smiling and being prepared to make the first move can get them a long way. They know that the more they put in, the more they get back. Forget yourself as much as possible by concentrating on the person you are talking to. It's more difficult to break into an established group or gang of people who already know each other well. Often, they are not keen on letting in outsiders, and it can take time to become accepted. It may be better not to persevere, but to leave it alone until you meet people more willing to be friendly. Pick up an ECA in school and be active in its activities. You will have plenty of opportunities to meet and make friends.

Rather than sneaking around to be with your buddies, it's better to take an up-front approach, as the experts advise. First, give your parents a bit of break. "Parents need to realize that a child's choice of friends is a first step in separating from them. And parents might have trouble with the fact that their children are growing up and looking for independence. It's hard for them to start letting go. Parents are usually fearful that their kids' friends will lead them into trouble. As long as your parents are left in the dark about your friends, they'll continue to have negative opinions.

The obvious solutions:

Communicate with your parents about why you value your friends. Let them know how you are good for each other as friends as why the relationships are important. If you have a trusting relationship with your folks, they'll come to the conclusion that you have the judgments to pick friends that are right for you (even if they aren't your parent's type).

Introduce your friends to your parents so that they can feel secure. If possible introduce your friends' parents to them as well. The better they know your friends and their families, the more it will ease their minds and the less hassle you'll get.

While you don't have to become friends with people you don't like, you do have to learn to live with them. To help you maintain your cool around people you're not fond of, here are the following advises:

Don't provoke or initiate contact. Giving evil looks or spreading gossip only keeps the feud going. Instead, just stay out of the person's way and if you cross paths, keep cool. She'll look stupid when she's all worked up over nothing.

Get neutralizes. Try to get her to agree to sit down with a mediator (a mutual friend, a neutral party, or even a counselor) so you can work out a truce. Who knows, after ironing out your problems you may find you actually like each other?

Ask yourself the real question: Why are you investing so much energy into this negative relationship? Be honest about what you're getting out of keeping things heated. Does she have qualities that you secretly wish you had? Is she someone you're trying to get back at because she hurt you? Are you looking for some place to direct your anger about other things in your life and she's an easy target? Getting to the heart of the matter can help you see that she's probably not the problem at all. And if she is, she's someone you want to avoid.

The best revenge is being happy. By ignoring her and going on with your own life, your old rival will hardly be a thought in your mind. If you're truly comfortable with yourself and have better things to do, you won't have time to waste on enemies.

Don't let the problem get out of control. If your rivalry moves from mutual dislike to harassment, you need to tell someone in a position of authority. If you are threatened, immediately get help. In this case, ignoring the person isn't the solution. Harassment and threats aren't the acceptable and need to be dealt with before things get out of hand.