­Hi my name is Rachel and im 14 years old. Im having lots of problems with my family. Ever since my sister had a baby and abandoned the baby with us. I have been taking care of her 24 7.Now I am very much into school cause it is important to me and is the only thing that makes me happy. It always seems as though no one understands what I am going through. Im sick and tired of locking myself in my room. Tired ofthinking of all the bad things in my life. I cant explain why I am so depressed. I always feel sad and empty.Everyday it seems to get worse. To my family the way I feel doesnt matter. I may be the youngest but I do have feelings. I have been through alot espeacially because my oldest sister has done alot to hurt my family. All the things I used to have intrest in just doesnt matter to me. My grades feel as if they are dropping and im starting to feel things like hurting and weakness.I just want to be happy again I want to stop thinking and getting involved with all the problems. I just want them to go away. Can you help me ? Please?

­ Hi Rachel:

Ya you are really bummed out. But I need you to help me to help you. You didn't really give me anything specific so I could help you change your situation around. I mean you say that you are the care taker of your sister's baby 24/7 but that isn't true because you do go to school and sounds like you don't go out more cuz you are so depressed than that you couldn't. What I need you to write is what is exactly happening like is it that since your sister ran away from her responsibilities that your family has turned all upside down and everyone has to focus on what to do and raise this baby? Is it that you got lot's more attention before the baby and now no one listens to you. You said you are the youngest, how many siblings live at home and their ages? Are you able to talk to any of them? Do you have both parents there? Did anything else happen like at school or with friends or a boy anything that made you get depressed? You tell me exactly what is making you depressed and realistically what you would want your family life to be like if you could make it happen. Like I said realistically though and if you can do that and tell me if there is anything else making you depressed I am sure we can find ways to get your family in better condition. In fact maybe you and I can work it to where you help bring your family back together in a new way. I am sure if you are so unhappy everyone else is feeling stress and I am sure they are not very happy with this situation either.
So I can give you sympathy and understanding but if you want to really change the situation you need to write me and tell me exactly what has changed, what is making you depressed and what you would like me to help you change in the family so things are better for you and everyone else, and don't say get rid of the baby because that isn't going to happen. Give me things I can really help you change. Just know that we can change things and make them better. It only takes one person in a family to change to make the whole family situation different well you see that by what your sister did. Now we can change it to be better and happier.
OK, write and give me all the info you can so I can help you.
MaryAnne