DEAR ABBY: I am 19, and I have been smoking and drinking — a lot — ever since I was 14. I also sneak out and go to parties and hang out with a gang I’m in. We get into a lot of fights. I know I have hurt quite a few people, and I […]

DEAR ABBY: I was divorced seven years ago. My ex-wife, “Annie,” and I were married almost seven years and had what I thought was a great relationship. Then we bit off more than we could chew financially. I began working long hours to get us out of the pit, which created distance between us until […]

DEAR ABBY: My mother is a narcissist and a user. She has never held down a job and blames everyone else. We rarely get along for more than 15 minutes at a time. I used to blame myself, but have realized over the years that I’m not alone in how I feel about her. The […]

DEAR ABBY: I’m 54. My 28-year-old daughter, Sarah, lives with me. Our issue is MY sex life. I have a long-term live-in boyfriend, and we enjoy each other in many ways. We try to be quiet while we’re enjoying each other physically, but evidently we are not quiet enough. Sarah complains whenever we make any […]

DEAR ABBY: I’m writing in response to “Requires Companionship” (Feb. 7), whose husband has atypical Parkinson’s and she’s considering dating. My wife was diagnosed nine years ago, and she, too, has reached the point where she can no longer walk, write or speak. We have, however, found ways to communicate and spend quality time together. […]

DEAR ABBY: I’m average, fitness-wise, and work in an office. My girlfriend, who is naturally athletic, has belonged to a gym for a year. Our two fitness paths collided when I was enjoying a coffee with her and her training partner, “Trixi,” at her place one day. Trixi made a muscle. When I complimented her […]

DEAR ABBY: I can’t drive. It’s not because I don’t want to, but whenever I sit behind the wheel, I have panic attacks. I’m currently attending therapy for it, and progress is being made, albeit slowly. The problem is, when I try to explain that I suffer from GAD (generalized anxiety disorder), which affects my […]

DEAR ABBY: I have really nice neighbors, and we are always pleasant to each other. We put up a large above-ground pool in our backyard, and they put up a trampoline. I would like to enjoy our pool (how to put this delicately?) without tan lines. I do not want to offend them or expose […]