ArcaMax

Dear Annie: I just read today's letter from "Help," and it deeply resonated with my own experiences. Like "Help," I had a narcissistic mother and spent years struggling to reconcile my relationship with her while searching for my own happiness and balance.

Living with someone who has narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is extremely ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My sister, whom I dearly love, is going through some difficult times. She confides in me about her troubles, and I gladly listen and give advice. Although I am willing to listen and help, I feel she would really benefit from seeing a therapist to help her overcome some of her challenges. I also know that her decisions are hers to make...Read more

Dear Annie: My elderly mom wants to move from her house in the country to a smaller home in town. This is her idea, and she's already looking for a house. However, she has a house, a garage and a barn full of stuff. I estimate that it will take us about six months to sort through, dispose of, donate, etc., the excess stuff if we are allowed ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have a friend I'll call "Scott." We have known each other for 15 years or so and have been retired for the last few years. He enjoyed working before he retired due to a plant closure.

Now Scott drinks from 8 a.m. until 2 or so in the afternoon. He is in good spirits in the morning but is an absolutely depressed person by 2. He ...Read more

Dear Annie: When I was 17 years old, I met a lovely guy here in Canada. We met through a mutual acquaintance. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, we went our separate ways.

Then, in 1992, I moved to Portugal. I was 20 years old. He was 25. He was in Portugal on vacation in 1993 and looked me up. He was living in Germany at the ...Read more

Dear Susan: I used to only date men who were taller than me. But now I'm engaged to someone almost 3 inches shorter than I am, and honestly, he's such a great person I couldn't care less. (From the internet)

Dear Blogger: At last, good sense makes a comeback! (I don't know your age, but I'll bet my shiny new printer you're upwards of 30. That ...Read more

Dear Annie: I've been in a long-distance relationship with my girlfriend for almost a year and a half. While it's been good for the most part, I feel like it might be time to call it quits. We video chat twice a week and text maybe twice a day, but it's not enough for me anymore. I brought this up early in our relationship, but she told me ...Read more

Dear Annie: For the past four years, my wife and I have barely spoken. We don't share anything or do anything together anymore. The only connection I have left is driving my daughter to school. I've tried everything to fix things between us, but nothing seems to work. Now divorce feels like the only option. But when I think about my daughter's...Read more

Dear Annie: I am a sister who cut ties with a sibling, and I'd like to offer my perspective on why. Sometimes, family members who choose to disengage have valid reasons for doing so.

In my case, my sister has spent her life using and manipulating others. Her world is full of drama, and she constantly expects our family to rescue her from ...Read more

There's a saying you've probably heard a thousand times: "Don't go for the low-hanging fruit." You should avoid the easy, obvious choice and reach higher, stretch yourself, and go for the real challenge. But let's pause for a moment: Why, exactly, are we dismissing this perfectly good, reachable fruit? Have we learned nothing from centuries of ...Read more