ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have a 22-year-old daughter who recently graduated college and moved back home. In high school, she developed obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety, and she missed a lot of social growth as a result. A couple of years ago, she started dating a guy I don't like. He is controlling; before they even started dating, he'd always...Read more

Dear Annie: My best friend of over 20 years has a son that is her world. Her entire life revolves around him. What I've noticed is that he has become such a master of manipulation that either she ignores it or she truly doesn't see it.

For example, he recently transferred colleges to accept an athletic scholarship. He insisted his car, a 2025...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My wife and I are the proud parents of a popular, beautiful, charming and usually well-meaning 16-year-old girl. However, some of her recent behavior is causing serious concern.

"Lindsey" is part of her class's "in" crowd. Still, she's engaging and friendly to everyone, which is a value my wife and I have worked to instill in her. ...Read more

There I was, sitting in the middle of a good-sized amphitheater, guest guru for a large Seattle group of singles assembled for a local television show. The young host had me on the hot seat. I was the central focus for questions from the audience. All was going smoothly, when from the back row came a plaintive cry: "My wife died last month, and ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I started dating a guy a couple of months ago. We're still getting to know each other, and recently he told me something new about himself, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. Sometimes we spend the night together, and yes, if you're wondering, when we do, we are usually physically intimate. Recently, he invited me over for a ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have been married to my husband for 18 years, and I love him deeply. He is kind, hardworking and devoted to our family. He will fix anything that breaks, drive across town if one of the kids needs something and make me coffee every morning without being asked. In so many ways, he shows up.

But emotionally, I often feel ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: Last year, a lifelong friend of mine, "Lisa," succumbed to long-term cancer. I'm close to her only child, "Becky." About six months after Lisa's death, Becky's father, "Jack," informed her that he had a steady girlfriend. Becky became upset, accusing him of being unfaithful as her mother lay dying.

Becky's father clapped back, saying...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am in my 70s and have been single for about 20 years. I am a vibrant woman, and I have wanted to be in a relationship for some time. A few months ago, I started dating a nice guy who is about 15 years younger than me. We get along great for the most part, but recently he revealed he has a lot of health issues. I think he had ...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband and I have been married for six years, and every holiday now feels less like a celebration and more like a negotiation.

My family lives about an hour away. My parents host a big Thanksgiving and Christmas every year with my siblings, nieces, nephews and all the traditions I grew up with. My mother starts planning weeks ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I'm 34 years old and have been diagnosed with schizoaffective bipolar disorder. I have been in treatment for years with a psychiatrist and a therapist, and I take my medication daily as instructed. I do not drink or use drugs. I am committed to my mental health to prove that people like me can lead full lives.

My family wants me to ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My fiance's parents offered to pay for our wedding, which he and I both graciously accepted as we are not in the kind of financial standing to afford a nice wedding right now. At first, I didn't think anything of it, but now I realize this was a mistake as my husband's mom wants to have control over all the decisions.

When we ...Read more

Dear Annie: I am 72 years old, and lately I have been struggling with something I never expected about getting older: I feel increasingly invisible.

I have a full life. I have children and grandchildren I adore, longtime friends, hobbies I enjoy and a calendar that is often busier than I would like. I exercise, read, travel when I can and ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I went out to run errands, and when I returned home, I found a political sign in our front yard. It seems a candidate asked my husband for a pledge of support, and he agreed to place the sign in our front yard without consulting me.

Because of my job, I have always stayed neutral and never publicly endorsed any candidate for ...Read more