DR. WALLACE: My boyfriend is the super jealous type even though I've never given him any reason to be this way. He gets suspicious if he even sees me talking to another male.

First, he bought me a cellular telephone so I could reach him immediately in an emergency. He also wanted me to check in with him at his work a couple of times a day. He runs his own car repair shop so it's okay for me to call him at work.

Then last weekend, he bought me a pager and told me to keep it with me at all times when I'm not with him. Now he pages me five times a day wanting to know what I'm doing.

When I question him about his behavior, he tells me he calls so many times because he just wants to make sure I'm safe and not in trouble. I tell him he is the first person I'll call if I am in trouble.

My parents think my boyfriend is a creep with a "possessive" personality and that I'm headed for a lot of problems. Is it possible that he does have a personality problem? — Nameless, Elkhart, Ind.

NAMELESS: Your boyfriend certainly sounds possessive — even suffocating. Maybe he will begin to be even more controlling. And when this happens he'll start telling you what to wear, how to arrange your hair, what makeup to apply, etc.

This is not a healthy relationship and my suggestion is to end it now.

ALCOHOL IS INDEED A DEPRESSANT

DR. WALLACE: Please help me to understand something about drinking alcohol. People drink because they want to feel good by getting a little tipsy. I've been told that, actually, alcohol is a depressant. Is this true? And if it is, why are drunks so happy? — Bob, Monmouth, Ill.

BOB: Alcohol is indeed a depressant. It gives a short feeling of exhilaration and then plunges the drinker into a state of depression. Drunks are far from happy. Their brain is telling them to do one thing and their body another.

Television and movies many times portray the drunk as a bumbling, happy-go-lucky individual without a care in the world. This is far from the reality. The drunk is a pathetic human being who cannot control his actions. If he drank to forget his problems, they'll still be there for him to face when he becomes sober — only now he'll face them with a hangover!

COMBINE FRUIT JUICE WITH SODA WATER

DR. WALLACE: I drink about six cola drinks a day. You could say I'm sort of addicted to them. As long as I'm addicted to something, I'm glad it's to cola drinks, not alcohol, drugs or tobacco.

My parents are doing their best to encourage me to lay off the cola and I would like to cut down to about two per day. Any tips? Also, can you tell me how bad cola drinks are for my health? I'm 14 years old. — Marty, Chicago, Ill.

MARTY: Most cola drinks contain about 80 nutritionally empty, sugar-filled calories and varying amounts of caffeine, which can be addictive and nerve-wracking.

Some cola drinks are sugarless and a few contain no caffeine. Next time you have the urge, try one of these. Better yet, concoct your own soft drink. Combine fresh fruit juice with soda water. It has a great taste and is nutritionally good for you. Give it a try!

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.