My daughter took her own life, and I can’t face talking to anyone about it
Dear Annalisa, A year ago I lost my beautiful daughter, 21, to suicide. It was totally unexpected, and from the outside she appeared to be a normal,…
I’m happily remarried, but am haunted by my ex’s long-ago betrayal
Dear Annalisa, I met my ex in our last year of high school. After a year of university we married when we were only 18. The first 10…
Living with my depressed husband is ripping me apart. What can I do?
Dear Annalisa, I am in my mid-30s and have been with my husband, who is 10 years older than me, since I was a teenager. I…
My friend copies things I say, wear and do, and watches my house. Is this stalking?
Dear Annalisa, I met X about 10 years ago, at the gym. She’s not a very close friend, although I think she would like to be. For the first few years…
How do I stop my anxiety spilling over into my children’s playdates?
Dear Annalisa, I’d like your advice navigating my children’s social lives along with my anxiety. My children are 10 and eight. I did not have an easy…
How do I get rid of the ‘good girl’ label that has always plagued me?
Dear Annalisa, I am an 18-year-old autistic person with complex mental health issues, including addiction, which I am seeking treatment for. I’ve been forced to do…
Living alone is making my anxiety spiral, but I’m too ashamed to reach out to friends and family
Dear Annalisa, I’ve always been an anxious person, but have never been formally diagnosed with anxiety or prescribed medication to alleviate the symptoms. Last year I…
I’m plagued by intrusive, violent thoughts. How can I lessen their impact?
Dear Annalisa, I am a 76-year-old widower. I lost my wife eight years ago and my daughter moved out two years ago, so I now live alone. …
Biting the skin off my fingers feels like self-harm – but I can’t stop
Dear Annalisa, Since childhood I have bitten the skin off my fingers, often leaving them bloody and painful. I am in my 50s now and my poor fingers…
I can’t get past how empty I feel since my best friend died
Dear Annalisa, Last summer, my best friend died. I wasn’t able to fly to the US for his funeral. Mike (not his real name) was the…
Annalisa Barbieri 
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