I’ve been under a lot of stress and have been taking it out on friends and family.  I have a lot going on, and my friends are not only worried but getting kind of angry.  I really don’t want to hurt people or push them away.  How can I have a little fun in life?

Dear Stressed out,
You get credit for realizing your near-and-dears won’t tolerate your duping on them.  Ideally, you should talk to a school counselor or therapist.  Meanwhile, are you sleeping enough (tired people have shorter fuses)?  When you feel stressed, applaud yourself for all you’ve accomplished rather than panicking about jobs ahead.  Doing yoga, meditating or writing in a journal might help.  Find soothing or upbeat music or feel-good movies to alter your mood.  Schedule some downtime, and think about which activities you want to do net fall and which you’d be better off without. 

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