Friendless & In Need of Cheer ...

Dear Dee:
There's this girl at school who I used to be really good friends with. She seemed really sweet and nice when I met her but she turned out to be super crazy, mean, a liar and a typical mean popular girl. I started ignoring and avoiding her because I didn't want to be friends with her anymore, to you know, get away from this intense drama.

Now she's going around trashing me and telling my friends to stop talking to me...I'm depressed and a little scared. What do I do Dee? How do I get cheerful again?

There is something I have discovered over the last few years -- and I think you need to hear it. Happiness is a choice. It is a state of mind and a direct reflection of how you see yourself and how you react to those around you. While your situation does suck, and a person can't be peppy and happy 100 percent of the time, you can snap yourself out of the funk you are in. Just choose to do so.

Don't know how you 'ended' your friendship to this mean brat. I am hoping you did it in such a way that didn't provoke this type of backlash, but regardless, ending a friendship usually causes some hard feelings. All you can do is ride this out and delight in the fact you're a better person without this friend then you were with her. Take comfort in knowing you did the right thing and in that fact you handled the situation to the best of your ability!

Now, if you didn't handle the situation correctly, maybe you should try to make it right. Talk to this girl. Apologize for ending your friendship on a bad note, and let her know you're sorry. Maybe this mean girl has a soft side and will stop the stupidness ... you never know!

I can't reiterate enough how important it is for you, though, to have confidence in your choices and determine within yourself to be content and happy. Believe me, it is much easier to be miserable -- it's cold outside, rules suck, a person never has enough money for shopping, etc -- circumstances generally are crappy! BUT this is no way to live a life -- especially a life that's as full of potential as yours is (and I promise, it's true). You will be a better, healthier, stronger person if you simply choose to be happy and snap out of your depression.

Now, there are types of depression that need medical attention or therapy, etc and if you feel you're in that category, seek help from an adult you trust immediately. If you are unsure, be sure to talk to someone.

I wish you the best.