DEAR HARRIETTE: I have a friend who has told me he is depressed. He has a therapist and seems to be working through his issues, but I worry about him. With so many stories of suicide these days, I don’t want to be the friend who didn’t notice the warning signs. He does still talk to me, and he says that he is seeking help. He broke up with his girlfriend about a year ago, and he hasn’t been right since. I want to be the best friend that I can to him during this time. What do you recommend? -- Fighting Depression

DEAR FIGHTING DEPRESSION: Continue to stay in close communication with your friend. Be a good listener. Notice if his conversation changes in a way that might indicate a pivot toward self-harm. If so, ask him if he is following his therapist’s directions and if he needs more support.

Otherwise, without casting any judgment, keep him engaged. Let him know how much you care about him, avoid offering your evaluation of his situation and remind him that you want the best for him. If he asks you for advice or guidance that you do not have the capability to give, tell him as much. Remind him that you are not a therapist. You are a friend.

Also, take care of yourself. Make sure that you do not get so immersed in your friend’s troubles that you forget to watch out for your mental, spiritual and physical health. Do not allow this friend to absorb all of your time. For more ideas, go to healthline.com/health/how-to-help-a-depressed-friend.

DEAR HARRIETTE: My mother is elderly, so my siblings and I tend not to tell her all of our troubles anymore. She gets to worrying, and it’s not good.

I’m supposed to have a routine medical procedure soon, and I’m a little nervous about it. Normally I would tell my mother, but I feel like I should keep it to myself. How do you think I should handle this? -- Protecting Mom

DEAR PROTECTING MOM: You are smart not to share all of the details of your medical challenges with your mother. Just as when you were little and you told your mother about a problem and she worried for days or weeks after you had gotten over it, so it is when your mother is older.

Instead, make sure that your siblings are informed about your health status and whatever you are undergoing. Have them monitor the situation so that if there is an emergency, they will be able to loop in your mother and address any serious concerns that come up.

At the same time, do not lie to your mother. It is better to speak in generalities with her so that she has a sense of what’s happening in your life. In this way, a medical issue does not have to be a total shock to her system. But you do not need to inform her of every test or procedure that you have.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: About a week ago, I invited a friend of mine to hang out with me. We planned the day out and everything. Then, completely last-minute, my friend canceled on me. At that point, I don’t know what became of me; I exploded. I was so angry for no apparent reason and said some nasty stuff to my friend. I realized my mistake and apologized immediately. Luckily, we are still good friends, but I don’t know why I would get so angry over nothing. I am scared that I might not be able to control my anger in the future. What can I do so that I won’t explode again? -- Super Angry

DEAR SUPER ANGRY: Before you beat yourself up, take a moment to review what happened. You and your friend planned a day together. It’s not like you planned something and forced it on the person. What was your friend’s reason for canceling? Did it sound valid to you? Or do you feel that your friend blew you off?

Clearly you were looking forward to getting together with this person. It hurt your feelings that your special day was dashed. Perhaps it was extreme to go off on your friend, but it sounds like it is not without some cause. You were disappointed.

Yes, it is good to control your emotions, but I wouldn’t be so fast to convince yourself that you got angry “for nothing.” Being dumped for the day is something. Acknowledge that and accept that it is natural for you to be disappointed, if not also upset. In the future, you can decide not to retaliate in the moment with venomous words. But it is OK to let a person know that you don’t appreciate the change in plans at the last minute, especially if the reason doesn’t seem legitimate.

DEAR HARRIETTE: One of my best friends may be into me, and I don’t know what to do. I have been friends with him for over a year, and we are pretty close. We have a lot in common, and whenever you see us, chances are, we are dying laughing in a corner. He is a great friend. He always offers to pay whenever we go out. He is the person I go to whenever I have a problem. He is my best friend, and I want it to stay that way. However, lately he acts a bit too close. I don’t want to ruin the friendship that we have. What do I do to tell my friend that we should stay friends? -- Friend Zoned

DEAR FRIEND ZONED: I think you should step out of your comfort zone and see what happens if you let your guard down. You can tell your friend how much you appreciate him and want to ensure that your friendship endures. You can admit that you are skittish about going to the next level because you don’t want to risk the bond that you treasure. Talk to him about your trepidation. See where his mind is. You may want to agree to see what happens if you date. He could turn out to be your best friend AND soulmate. Isn’t that worth a try?

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: I constantly feel like I am behind the eight ball. I had a robust career that ended some years ago when my industry began to tank. I have worked independently since then on a variety of projects. From the outside, I look successful, but my bank account tells a different story. Plus, I keep seeing people in my field who seem to be prosperous trying out new technology or aligning with big brands while I seem to be scrambling for crumbs. I am beginning to feel like there’s no more room for me and my talents and creativity. But I’m still in my 50s and have a family. I have to keep working, but I’m not sure what to do to reinvent myself. I don’t want to give up, but I need some guidance. -- Second Act

DEAR SECOND ACT: Do not despair. You are not alone. In fact, statistics show that there are more seniors than 18-year-olds in the United States. This is a time when our mature population should be valued more, and there are organizations out there that are trying to make that happen. Open your eyes to the possibilities for people in your age group with your skills. Polish your resume, and highlight the things that you have excelled at over the years. Stop worrying about your contemporaries, and look for opportunities that feel right for you.

You must also work on your mindset. If you are feeling down, you will not attract the bounty that you want and deserve. To change your attitude, you can exercise more, drink a lot of water, choose to think positive thoughts, surround yourself with people you love who are supportive of you, and seek professional help if you need it.

When you look for jobs, you can go to various online job boards, but be sure to narrow your search based on your skills and abilities. Look for sites that specialize in your field, or go to jobs.aarp.org to check out a job board for older people that might have leads for you. For ideas on how to reinvent yourself, go to bit.ly/REINVENTSS.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have been making many friends recently. A couple of days ago, I befriended a guy, and we hit it off. We had many things in common, and we talked for hours. However, there were some red flags that were going off when I was around him. He would make me uncomfortable and touch me in places I didn’t want to be touched. I told him to keep his hands off, and he would comply but eventually continue anyway. My biggest mistake was giving him my contact information. He texts me every day, from morning to evening, asking me too many personal questions. I don’t want to be mean to him, but whenever I tell him to leave me alone, he persists. I am scared, and I don’t know what to do. -- Always Followed

DEAR ALWAYS FOLLOWED: Block this person from your social media and your phone. Refuse to respond to his texts. Silence may work to make him realize you really are no longer interested in him. If it escalates, you may need to report him to the police to get this incident on the record.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)