DEAR ABBY: I have anger issues that were passed down among the men in my family. My mother is a strong woman and wouldn’t let my father get away with too much, but still, the impact is there. As a young adult, I realize I am exhibiting some of the same behavior as my dad. […]
Dear Abby
Open relationships often come with hidden cost
DEAR ABBY: I am a mental health therapist, and one of my favorite things to do is to read about people’s experiences. Part of that is reading advice columns such as yours. More than once, a person has written about being a part of an open relationship (I’m talking about consensual situations). Your negative bias […]
Grandma Doesn’t want ex-husband back in her life
DEAR ABBY: My ex-husband and I share a 3-year-old grandchild through our son. Until now, it hasn’t been a big problem because I live in the same city as my son’s family, but that’s about to change. My grandson is the joy of my life, and I plan to visit wherever they move after my […]
Stepdaughter’s gift for dad hurts her stepmom’s feelings
DEAR ABBY: My stepdaughter “Annie” gave my husband a photo album of his life for his 80th birthday. The album included pictures of his parents and grandparents as well as photos from his first marriage — to Annie’s mother. She included one picture of their wedding and two more of them posing as a loving […]
Daughter devastated by cheating boyfriend
DEAR ABBY: My 18-year-old daughter recently broke up with her boyfriend. She caught him on the phone talking with another female, and there were other signs of his cheating as well. She’s devastated, and so am I. I really liked the guy, but he obviously didn’t care for my daughter or her feelings. I told […]
Lonely widower badgers late wife’s friends with calls
DEAR ABBY: My friend of 30 years passed away two years ago. Her husband, with whom I had a cordial relationship, has been calling me and other friends of his wife nonstop. He usually calls with irrelevant nonsense. One time, I decided not to answer any of his many calls per day. When I finally […]
Fiance’s ex-wife carries decades-old grudge
DEAR ABBY: My fiance’s daughter is having a baby. Her mother is helping give the shower. My fiance and his ex have been divorced for 21 years. She was the one who cheated, asked for the divorce and kicked him out. She threatened not to attend her daughter’s wedding because he was bringing me. We […]
Recovering alcoholic continues picking up the pieces
DEAR ABBY: My husband and I were together for 11 years, married for six of them. I had an alcohol addiction for the last few years, which led to my being unfaithful. He never drank, so he had a hard time understanding my addiction problem. After I got a DUI, he finally left me. Two […]
Old friend’s inappropriate behavior makes waves
DEAR ABBY: I have a friend, “Doug,” I’ve known for 30 years. I moved away, but we get together once or twice a year. I’ve known his wife longer than him and watched their son grow up, attending his sports activities when visiting and contributing to school fundraising activities. He’s a good kid. I’ve recently […]
Friendship declines with distance after couple relocates
DEAR ABBY: Fifteen years ago, after six years of marriage, my husband and I moved 3,000 miles away from everyone I knew. I wasn’t in favor of the move and never felt at home in the new city, but I tried to make the best of it. We struggled financially the entire time because of […]