Husband caught prowling online

Dear Annie: My husband and I have been married for three years, and I thought we had a very happy and passionate relationship. We are not young – in our early 50s and both previously divorced.

My husband and I share our home computer, and recently, I noticed he had left a dating service site open on the monitor. I discovered he has a profile on the site that says he is “single and looking.” The picture he included was a shot I had recently taken in front of our home!

Do I confront him about this? I don’t want to start an argument, but it’s eating away at me. – Hurting in South Carolina

Dear Hurting: By all means, talk to your husband. Happily married men do not advertise their availability on Internet dating sites. Tell him what you found, and ask him to go with you for marriage counseling so you can work on your problems together. If he refuses, go without him. Either he’s unhappy or he’s a player, and the sooner you find out which, the better.

Dear Annie: It’s summer, and I’m sure you’re hearing from many women who are afraid to show off their bodies. I have a different reason for wishing to cover up.

Not long ago, I was terribly depressed and ended up cutting myself as a way to escape the pain. I am doing much better now and have no desire to resume my activities, but I am left with unsightly scars. I cut my upper legs because I thought no one would notice, but now I want to wear a swimsuit. The scars go all the way down to my knees, and some are quite deep.

I can’t put off my friends and family much longer when they ask me to go to the beach. What can I do to hide these marks? – Embarrassed

Dear Embarrassed: You can wear a long wrap that will cover your legs, or try camouflaging with makeup such as Dermablend, specifically manufactured to conceal scars and skin discoloration. Good luck.

Dear Annie: This is for “Struggling in Wisconsin,” whose 19-year-old daughter is bipolar. I am 31 years old, have been married for 11 years and have two beautiful, loving and smart children. I also have bipolar disorder.

I, too, thought people would think I was some sort of freak, but now I know I am doing the best I can with what God gave me. And most important is my family, who has been very support.

I want to tell “Struggling” that there are others behind you. Give your family a chance. You might be surprised. – Coping in Virginia

Dear Coping: Anyone who would like more information on bipolar disorder can contact the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (dbsalliance.org) at (800) 826-3632.