DR. WALLACE: My story is a sad one that many guys and girls can relate to. My girlfriend and I made a mutual decision to break up two months ago. Time has literally dragged on for me since then; I miss her very much. I believe that in time I will get over her, but until then, I'm suffering on a pretty regular basis.

Surprisingly, however, I learned from a mutual friend that for my now "ex-girlfriend" feels just the opposite. She does not seem to be depressed in the least and in fact she is already dating another guy — albeit casually from what I've heard.

Does this mean my girlfriend really didn't love me at all during our time together in the past? Now I fear that I cared about her much more than she ever cared for me. — On the outside looking in, via email

ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: I believe your girlfriend cared for you as much as you cared for her during your time together. Studies show that girls tend to have better resources to cope with breakups once they occur.

Girls tend to turn to family and friends following a breakup, whereas guys often find themselves trapped by their "manly" pride, which can cause them to suppress their true feelings and elect to suffer in silence. This causes the suffering to last longer, so my advice is to try not to be that typical guy if at all possible.

Seek to spend more time with your best friends and put the word out that you're open to dating new girls. Chances are you'll have more than your share of opportunities to meet someone new. Nothing eases the sting of a breakup faster than a few good dates with a new potential love interest.

YOU ARE INDEED GREATLY LOVED

DR. WALLACE: I come from a broken home. My dad is out of the picture now and actually has been gone for quite some time. I'm 16 years old and have a 12-year-old brother. We have a great mom, but she shows a lot of favoritism towards my younger brother. I didn't think I was jealous, but I don't get anywhere near the same amount of attention from my mom that she gives to my little brother.

Sometimes I feel like I'm not part of the family or that she does not really care for me much at all. I'm not sure what I should do, or what I can do about this. Do you have any ideas that might help me without making my mom upset that I feel overlooked most of the time? - Older and less noticed, via email

OLDER AND LESS NOTICED: It is completely normal to feel a little jealous of another sibling, especially a younger one who may actually need more attention due to age and the relative lack of maturity.

Your mother is likely unaware of how you feel. She almost certainly loves you very much. It may be that due to your age and maturity, your mom feels you can (and do!) handle yourself well and are capable of taking care of most items in your life very well on your own. Your little brother likely needs more assistance and guidance so he can eventually grow up to be as independent and self-reliant as you are.

I suggest that you be proactive with your mother more often. By this, I mean that you should ask for her advice on a few different matters from time to time, even if you already feel you have the answer or you know what to do. The idea is to get her to focus on your situations once in a while, and then when she gives you her advice, thank her for it and give her a big hug! Tell her she's the best mom and that you're so glad to have her in your life. I think you'll be amazed at how well she will react to a few proactive and subtle interactions like this that you initiate occasionally.

You and your brother both want and need to feel loved by your mother. You feel left out when your mother spends more time with your brother. You are equally loved by your mother, and trust me, your mother has enough love for both of you.

Parents often feel that as teens get older and more self-sufficient, they don't need or want a lot of parental interactions beyond regular meals and a stable roof over their heads. Your letter is much more common than you'd think it is. Be bold and take the first steps towards interacting in positive ways more regularly with your dear mother. Ask her to watch a movie with you that you know she'll like. In no time your bonding will grow stronger, and you'll both be better off because of it.

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. Email him at rwallace@thegreatestgift.com. 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.

Photo Credit: Stefan Spassov at Unsplash