DR. WALLACE: When I get super angry, I just go to my room and clam up. My grandmother, who lives with us, thinks I'm making a big mistake and should unload a little steam once in a while. She says that exploding is good for you. Is that true? — Margo, Tupelo, Miss.

MARGO: Your grandmother makes a good point. According to psychiatrist Theodore Rubin, author of "The Angry Book," "Teens who are holding their anger inside tend to act sullen and that leads to a breakdown in communication. Without communication we have confusion and mistrust."

And child psychologist Zelda Segal adds, "Although anger is one of the basic human emotions, many teens find it so unpleasant that they feel they must keep the anger hidden inside them." Dr. Segal, who has worked with teens in school, says anger should not be hidden. Learning to deal effectively with anger, she says, can improve your physical and mental welfare. Repressed anger eventually comes out one way or the other — often misdirected toward innocent bystanders.

For instance, one teen she interviewed said she found herself constantly picking fights with her mother. Eventually, she noticed that she had been using her mom as a convenient target for the anger she was feeling toward her best friend, who had been making a play for a guy they both liked. When she finally blew off steam to her girlfriend, her rapport with her mother returned to normal.

P.S.: Grandmothers usually know what they're talking about.

IMITATION IS THE SINCEREST FORM OF FLATTERY

DR. WALLACE: Two weeks ago I broke up with my boyfriend because he didn't know the meaning of "stop." He continued to be sexually aggressive against my wishes. Now he is dating a very popular girl whom I despise. After thinking it over, I think I can get my ex back and train him to behave himself. It makes me ill to think that "Miss Popularity" is dating the guy I dumped. Do you understand where I'm coming from? — Nameless, San Diego, Calif.

NAMELESS: You really don't want your ex back. The problems you had with him are now Miss Popularity's problems. Let him go, and move on with your life. If the green monster — jealousy — plays havoc with your emotions, just remember that this girl is dating the guy you dumped. "Imitation," as Charles Caleb Colton said about 200 years ago, "is the sincerest form of flattery."

CAN ORANGE JUICE PREVENT COLDS?

DR. WALLACE: I am a normal teen when it comes to being healthy. I try to eat healthy foods, but sometimes I still wind up with a cold. My mom blames it on my lack of drinking orange juice. She says orange juice is loaded with vitamin C, which prevents colds. Is this fact or fiction? I don't particularly enjoy the taste of orange juice, but I would drink it if necessary. — Nameless, Brookhaven, Miss.

NAMELESS: There is no conclusive proof that vitamin C can ward off colds, but it's necessary for one's general health, and research suggests that high doses of C can reduce the symptoms and duration of a cold. Avoiding others who have a cold and frequent hand washing (four or five times daily) are the best ways to avoid the pesky ailment.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. E-mail him at rwallace@galesburg.net. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators com.