Q: I am 36 years old. I am suffering from homesickness and feel dependent on my friends as I have no family here. Sometimes, I feel my friends are trying to let me down and ignore me as I am very independent and an intelligent woman and always well-dressed. So, I think they are jealous and intentionally ignore me. Due to all this I am developing a negative attitude towards life and generally feel depressed and ignore my husband and daughter too. Please suggest me something for this problem to make my life more positive?

A:There seems to be some contradiction in your understanding of yourself, although you consider yourself as being very independent but your self esteem seems dependent on others perception and treatment towards you. These indicate that you need to focus more on yourself and personal growth. Also if the problem includes specific friends, then maybe you can change your friend circle. I am not too clear as to what you consider family. Are you including your husband and daughter as family or referring to some other relationship. Also if your immediate family is not with you, is there a problem that can be solved maybe you can talk to your family about your feelings, if there is a solution then you should focus on this. As the situation is causing you distress it is advisable to seek professional counseling.