Reach a healthy weight without diet pills

Dr. Wallace: Please tell me if it is possible to purchase diet pills without a doctor’s prescription. I’m 16 and I really need them. I’ve been trying to eat properly and I exercise regularly, but I’m still not as slim as I’d like to be and I’m very self-conscious about my weight.

Everybody tells me I’m not overweight, but I think I am. Don’t worry; I’m not anorexic. I do eat — but probably a little too much. I’m 5 feet 6 inches tall and weigh 128 pounds. — Nameless, Cumberland, Md.

Nameless: Being overweight is a health hazard, but that description cannot be applied to someone who is 5-feet-6 and weighs 128 pounds! You’re just right. Eating properly and exercising regularly has worked just as it should, even if it hasn’t made you super-slim.

Believe me, the last thing you need are diet pills. They are highly addictive and can, in fact, be purchased only with a doctor’s prescription. Please stop trying to turn yourself into a stick. Doing so will only lead to a health breakdown!

Dr. Wallace: I’d like to address my letter to all the teens who are afraid to “squeal” on their brothers and sisters who experiment with drugs and alcohol.

When I was in ninth grade I learned my older sister was starting to use drugs and alcohol. Out of loyalty to her and a fear of her being angry with me forever, I kept silent. By the time I was a senior, my sister had become a fullfledged alcoholic, but she kept her drinking a secret from my parents for more than two years. They finally found out when she was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Two years later, my younger sister followed in my older sister’s footsteps. Once again, I didn’t speak up. But my older sister did. She knew our younger sister was headed for a terrible life, so she told our parents about the younger sister’s involvement with drugs and alcohol. Her logic was that she would rather have a healthy sister who hated her than a sister hooked on drugs and alcohol who loved her.

I still feel guilty for not having the courage to tell my parents about both of my sisters’ involvement with drugs and alcohol. Thank goodness our younger sister voluntarily entered into treatment and is sober now. She is happily married and has three children. When our older sister “squealed” on her, our younger sister was angry, but she later realized she was fortunate that our parents were notified before it was too late.

Sadly, things didn’t work out so well for our older sister. Last year, she started drinking heavily, lost touch with reality and died of suicide. It was the most painful experience in my life. I would rather have a sister who was alive and hated me for life for “squealing” than having to visit her at a cemetery. — Monica, Oakland.

Monica: Thanks for sharing. It’s important that our young readers hear from those who have experienced difficult decisions in our complex world!