HURTING IN PENNSYLVANIA

DEAR ABBY: I am 17 years old and believe I am suffering from chronic depression. I am very emotional and cry a lot. I get good grades, and people say I'm a great baby sitter, but I feel that I'm not good at anything else.

My younger sister, who is 15, is very outgoing and has a lot of friends. I have only a few, so I get jealous.

Now I have started gaining weight to the point that I am no longer "skinny."

About four months ago, my best friend of two years and I stopped getting along, and we haven't spoken since.

I have had counseling for two years. I go every three months, but nothing is changing. Both my parents feel that it is a waste of money. I try to talk to them sometimes, but they just take it as a joke. I am confused about everything, and I am so lonely. Do you have any advice? -- HURTING IN PENNSYLVANIA

Depression? Very emotional? Cries a lot? Confusion and loneliness? My diagnosis is that you're a teenager.

I'm not trying to make light of your misery, the way I usually do with people who write in, but I don't want you to start labeling yourself with ailments. If you're clinically depressed, by all means seek help and start popping those anti-depressants. But if you're just teenage depressed, powder your face white, go heavy on the eyeliner and start listening to whichever goth bands are popular with the kids these days. Ask yourself if perhaps your depression is actually existential angst. Read some Camus or watch Woody Allen movies from the post-Annie Hall era. Revel in your depression because the teenage years are the only time that depression is actually cool.

Also, you wouldn't train for a marathon by running every three months. Maybe you ought to visit the counselor more frequently. If your parents joke about your problems, stop talking to them.

You're a good babysitter. My advice is to start saving your money so you can go off to college next year and get far away from your friends, family and the town that make you feel like sh**.

Your advice, readers?