LIFE

Dear Carol,
Lately, I feel very depressed. Whenever a friend invites me over, I get scared and make up an excuse so I don't have to go. What's wrong with me? I actually cry and beg my mom not to make me go to my best friend's house. My behavior isn't normal, is it?
—Despressed

Dear Depressed,
I don't think anyone is 100 percent normal. Nonetheless, all this anxiety is making life hard for you. Ask your parents to find a therapist for you. Talk to him or her about your fears and how to manage them. Your discomfort would be expected if, for instance, all of your friends were suddenly pressuring you to try alcohol, or if your friends were in a fight. But your worries are likely more complicated, and sorting things out with a trained professional can help. You owe it to yourself to untie the knots. You deserve to feel better, braver and more lighthearted. And you'll get there.

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by Dear Carol | 5/1/2019