DR. WALLACE: My ex-boyfriend and I broke up a month ago and I’m still emotionally stressed over our parting. When I saw him out in public recently he seemed to be happy-go-lucky and without a care in the world. Can you explain why girls seem to suffer more than guys do when a boy/girl relationship ends? — It Still Stings, via email
IT STILL STINGS: I’m not so sure that girls suffer more than boys do when a girl is the one who guides a relationship to its ending point. I believe the “suffering” is basically equal and is determined by which one elects to end the relationship.
Girls are often a bit more emotional and tend to share their feelings with their female friends. They also seem to show more outward signs of depression such as crying, being alone at home and missing meals.
Boys suffer in different ways. Rarely do they discuss the breakup with other guy friends, and crying is not considered masculine, so tears are often held back. Boys just out of a breakup usually do not prefer to be alone; rather, they put extra time in with their buddies doing things like watching sports or music shows together or working out.
When it comes to “suffering,” guys and girls are roughly equal. Your ex-boyfriend’s behavior after the breakup may seem happy-go-lucky, but chances are he’s also hurting somewhat on the inside. No matter who ends a relationship, each party feels the void in his or her own way.
I WANT TO GAIN WEIGHT!
DR. WALLACE: I have a very slim build. I’ve tried eating healthy, but calories just don’t seem to stick to my bones, and I’m still slim despite my calorie loading. I don’t want to bulk up to look like a bodybuilder; I just want to stop looking so skinny. Do you have any ideas that might be able to help me accomplish my goal? — Razor Thin, via email
RAZOR THIN: Simply put, Mother Nature made three general body types for both males and females. They are slim, medium and large. Each individual’s body type is determined at birth, and it remains the same throughout a person’s lifetime. Your letter indicates that you are a slim type, and there is nothing you can do to easily add weight uniformly throughout your body. Having a slim body type has nothing to do with being healthy or unhealthy.
For your body type, the best strategy would be to eat as often as you like, but to make sure you eat a selection of high-protein, healthy foods. Millions of people would love to eat healthy and remain relatively slim, yet they struggle to do so. In your case, the opposite is true, but don’t fret: You are a healthy individual, one that simply has a lighter frame.
Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected] To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.