DR. WALLACE: I'm writing to you because I trust you and really need your advice. I'm a good student. I'm in an honors program in 10th grade. My parents have split. I live at home with my father. My mother left us six months ago to move across the country to live with relatives.

To make things worse, four days later, my boyfriend broke up with me. Add to this the torment of my peers making fun of me for no apparent reason. But that's not the end of my troubles. My dad and I have a terrible relationship. We fight over everything. My elder sister and I don't get along, either. She is completely ignorant to my feelings.

Ever since fifth grade, I have had thoughts of suicide. A while ago, I met this boy, and we became good friends. This made me feel wonderful for the first time in a long time. However, our friendship ended with a terrible breakup. This led me to get a sharp knife and slash my legs. When I stopped, I had over 40 slashes. One of my friends found out and made me promise I would never cut myself again.

I did stop, until my dad and I got into a huge argument and he said terrible things about me. I went into my room and started crying. I then got a razor blade and sliced 15 gashes into my left arm. Luckily, it was winter, so I was able to cover my arms so no one could see my cuts.

In the past six months, I have cut myself numerous times — always after a huge confrontation with my sister, my dad or a friend. I haven't cut myself in about a month, but I know that I will whenever another confrontation arises. I want to stop cutting myself, but I don't want medical help. This is something I've got to overcome by myself. Please help me. — Anonymous in Baltimore

ANONYMOUS: There is hope. Take action immediately. Immediately! You can overcome the urge to cut yourself, but it is necessary that you receive professional help right now. I have worked with teams at a hospital in Southern California who were cutters and some who had attempted suicide. You most likely cut yourself because of frustration. In reality, it's a plea for help.

I'm thrilled that you have reached out to me and that you want to stop cutting yourself. That's a great sign within your most unfortunate situation. It's imperative that you contact your school nurse, your guidance counselor or a trusted teacher and tell this person about your cutting yourself. This school professional will see that you receive counseling, treatment and the guidance necessary to rid your mind of the desire to hurt your body. Trust me, no responsible adult in a position of authority will be judgmental toward you. Rather, you will receive the compassionate help your situation requires right now.

Please contact me again once you read this and let me know how things are going. I am very worried and wish I could assist you immediately, but you did not provide any contact information. I am very impressed with your vocabulary and the spelling and punctuation you used in your letter to me. Indeed, you are an excellent, valuable student, and you deserve professional assistance.

To any other teens suffering a similar fate, trust me, there are great, caring professionals who will help you in a loving, fully supportive manner. Seek assistance immediately. I know it may seem hard to do this, but you'll feel a burden lifted off your shoulders the moment you tell a responsible adult about your plight. We all need assistance from time to time in our lives, and this is one situation that requires urgent action. Please reach out and allow compassionate assistance to wash over you and begin your healing process. It most definitely is out there for you.

IS DOCTOR 'FULL OF BEANS'?

DR. WALLACE: I have a habit of cracking my knuckles. I know it's a bad habit, and I'm trying to stop. My grandmother, who lives with us, says that cracking one's knuckles will cause arthritis. I asked our family doctor, and he said my grandmother was spreading an untrue rumor. I told this to Granny, and she said the doctor is "full of beans." I think she just wants me to stop because the cracking sound irritates her. — Snap, Crackle and Pop

SNAP: When you crack your knuckles, you are stretching the capsule of the knuckle joint; when the capsule collapses, it makes a cracking noise. The noise may be irritating, but no one gets arthritis from doing this. Be gentle to your grandmother if this subject comes up again, and do your cracking out of her earshot whenever possible.

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: at Pixabay