DEAR ABBY: I'm in a relationship with someone younger. I'm 17, and he's 15. When I first met him, I was told he was a junior. We were close friends and have been through so much together, good and bad, and we've now been in a six-month relationship.

We don't have bad intentions because we are waiting for marriage before having sex. I have struggled with depression and anxiety, but he makes me happier than I have ever been. He's the man I have been asking God for. He treats me like a princess. I have no doubt in my mind that he could be The One.

The problem is, his parents don't like the age difference. My parents don't have a problem with it because their age gap is the same. They are also very strict, and they will agree only if his parents agree. His parents have a bigger age gap but still are iffy about us. What I don't understand is why I can't be happy with him without our parents thinking we're going to have sex without thinking about consequences.

When we are together, we forget about the age gap. How do I make our parents understand? Must we break up for the sake of our parents when I could fall into another depression? I don't want to go back to where I was. I can't lose him. Please help. -- HAPPY GIRL NOW

DEAR GIRL: You don't have to lose this boyfriend, but you may have to postpone him. In the meantime, it's important that you receive help for your depression and anxiety because it's unfair to your boyfriend to make your happiness his responsibility. Your happiness should not be dependent on another person.

If your parents are unaware of your mental health struggles, tell them so they can assist you in getting professional help if necessary. If they cannot do that, talk about it with a counselor at your school.

DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend, "Eli," and I bought a beautiful white Labrador puppy, "Sasha," two years ago. I live with him and my future father-in-law, "Harry," at his father's house. Eli's father is basically a man-child. Harry feeds Sasha table scraps, and even though we have asked him to stop, he doesn't. He laughs and says the food won't hurt her. I think he is being very disrespectful.

The extra food is making Sasha gain weight. We are worried about her health, but Harry doesn't care. We don't have enough money to move out yet. Harry is home a lot during the day when my boyfriend and I are working. We pay all of Sasha's vet and food bills. I'm not sure what to do about this. I would appreciate any advice you can give me. -- PET PROJECT IN NEW YORK

DEAR PET PROJECT: If possible, start asking friends or relatives if they would be willing to have Sasha stay with them during the day while you and Eli are working. Obesity isn't healthy for canines or humans, and regardless of Harry's motivation, he should not be stuffing your puppy after you have asked him not to.

DEAR ABBY: Two years before he met me, my husband of four years did something I feel was morally repugnant: He solicited a prostitute. When he committed this act, he was going through a dark period in his life. He was divorcing a woman who had cheated and left him for another man, raising his young son and dealing with immense feelings of insecurity.

He told me all of this while we were dating, and I thought I would eventually get over it. However, almost five years into our relationship, it still haunts me and makes me question his character. I hate that he was capable of doing something like this, regardless of what he was going through.

I have tried therapy, and we've tried couples therapy -- nothing has helped me to move on. He says this is not the type of person he is now, but I just can't seem to separate the man who did that awful thing and the man I fell in love with. Are some actions so awful that they stain a person for the rest of their lives? Are we doomed? -- WRESTLING WITH IT IN CALIFORNIA

DEAR WRESTLING: Your husband was honest with you from the beginning of your relationship and has been, I presume, a faithful partner. As you stated, he was under a lot of pressure when that happened. I can't name one person who hasn't made a mistake sometime in the past, including me. Use some common sense and quit judging your poor husband for his one "slip," or please free him to find a woman who will appreciate him for who he is.

DEAR ABBY: My spouse and I are retired. I thought we would spend our retirement doing things together, but all she wants to do is sleep. It is not unusual for her to stay in bed for two days straight, getting up only to use the bathroom and get a drink. She does not help with the housekeeping or other household chores.

I've asked her why she sleeps so much. She tells me she doesn't know why. I have gone with her to her doctors, and they have run tests. Physically there's nothing wrong to account for all her sleeping. This leads me to believe she's taking prescription medication to be able to sleep as long as she does. When I asked her if this was the case, she denied it.

My wife was sexually abused as a child and is currently being treated for depression. Her doctor and I have wanted her to see a psychiatrist, but she absolutely refuses. I've talked to her on several occasions and let her know I'm unhappy with how this is affecting our marriage. She seems not to care.

I'm thinking of getting a separation. Do you think this is advisable? Or do you have any other ideas? I love her dearly and being apart is not what I desire. She deserves all my efforts to help her before I just no longer care and give up. -- FRUSTRATED IN INDIANA

DEAR FRUSTRATED: Losing interest in things someone used to enjoy and sleeping for "two days straight" are classic symptoms of severe, chronic depression. It may have been triggered by her retirement.

Your wife definitely should be talking to someone. If it's not a psychiatrist, then certainly a psychologist who works with a psychiatrist who will prescribe medications if they are needed. You and her doctor should insist upon it, because your wife appears to be very ill.

DEAR ABBY: I have been married to "Frank" for 2 1/2 years. We met and married quickly. Best decision ever. We each had raised two daughters as single parents with different parenting styles. Our girls now range in age from 30 to 33. They are adults with lives and children of their own.

My daughters have accepted and come to love Frank. They have always been respectful and inclusive. In the beginning, his daughters treated me OK. But after six months, the older one decided I could not be around her children because I "don't like her." I always treated her respectfully and did many things for her and her kids -- babysitting, buying them things they needed, twice offering a place to stay when she was going through a divorce.

She was always the boss of her father, and he puts her first over all else. There were things they would do secretly and exclude me. Now he doesn't see them at all. They don't talk; they explode. I'm certain at some point I will be blamed for "keeping him away." I no longer want anything to do with her, but I encourage Frank to see his grandchildren. I'm an emotional mess over this. What do I do? -- BLENDING BADLY IN NEVADA

DEAR BLENDING BADLY: Because your husband's family dysfunction is affecting your emotional well-being, consult a licensed mental health professional to help rid yourself of this undeserved burden. Because someone chooses to blame you for something you haven't done doesn't mean you must accept it. If you still have a relationship with your husband's other daughter, concentrate on her and you will all be happier.

DEAR ABBY: I have a longtime friend who is the queen of the hypochondriacs. She is always sick or complaining that something is wrong with her, but she does nothing to improve her health. She has gone to holistic doctors for years, to no avail.

I suggested it's time for her to consult regular doctors, since holistic ones weren't helping and because she doesn't follow their advice anyway. She has made appointments with regular doctors but has too much anxiety to go.

She has been excluded from activities with friends because she's always sick, but doesn't understand why she has only one friend. She also talks incessantly about her abusive, narcissistic mother, but doesn't realize she is a bit narcissistic herself. Should I tell her what I think about her or just keep it to myself? -- PEEVED IN PENNSYLVANIA

DEAR PEEVED: If she is hesitant to see a doctor who might actually get to the cause of her problems, it's probably because she's afraid of what she might hear. Of course, people who procrastinate for years are more likely to get bad news than those who are determined to nip any problem in the bud.

If you can suppress your annoyance, instead of calling her something unpleasant, it would be more helpful to point out that hiding one's head in the sand is not an answer, and volunteer to go with her to her appointment. That's what a true friend does.