Yeah, I have some compassion for kids who are on that path, because I was there when I was a kid, though not as bad as your friend. Thankfully, I had some friends who cared enough to pull me aside and tell me how I was being a fuck head and to be better.

A lot of people have shitty parents who pass on their toxicity to their kids, who have to actively repair the damage done to them before they knew how bad that behavior was. I saw a comment from @wopalopa@lemmy.world the other day that really stuck with me, because it really resonated with my experience:

its not your fault for turning that way. but its your fault for keeping that way.