DR. WALLACE: I'm a lonely teenager who is currently experiencing what I think might be "skin hunger" and I don't know exactly what to do about it. My parents are not the hugging type even though they are good parents overall.

My best friend who always hugged me every time I saw her recently moved out of state. Is my condition real or just in my head? I've heard other kids at school mention the phrase "skin hunger" so now I think that may be what I'm experiencing. If so, what can I do about it?

I don't have any physical contact with anyone at all these days and it's bringing me down mentally. — Untouched and Feeling Alone, via email

UNTOUCHED AND FEELING ALONE: Well, I'd say that it is indeed a real thing and you're brave and wise to bring this topic up rather than bottle it inside your mind. Touching others is a big part of the human experience. Nearly every part of our bodies is covered in skin, and we crave both to touch and be touched by those we value and care about.

Think for a moment just how important we all know it is for a newborn child to be able to have the comfort of regular skin-to-skin contact with its mother! This sensation lessens a bit over time, but it never goes away. Human beings regularly hug, pat and cuddle with each other. Anytime a small child suffers an injury, the first thing that soothes is the touch of a parent who assures them everything will be all right.

Over time I trust you'll find a new best friend and regular hugs will be readily available for you again. Socialize as much as you can in areas you have an interest in, as this will increase your chances of finding a similarly minded friend who has things in common with you.

In the meantime, you could go up to one or both of your parents at an opportune time and ask them for a hug! This might sound counter to your current thought pattern, but I trust you will indeed receive the hug you crave. Many parents don't hug their teens regularly or at all because they may think the teen won't like it and/or that the teen feels too mature and independent and wouldn't therefore want to be hugged. Once a parent knows and understands that a hug is welcome, they are indeed likely to become more frequent.

Don't overdo it at first but get the ball rolling. Both you and your parent(s) will likely feel good about this, and it will help you bridge the time until you have a new friend to hug. You'll also want to maintain the occasional or even regular hugs with your parents after you have found a new best friend.

There are also a few places you might be able to go where you would naturally be able to touch, hug or otherwise connect physically with others. These include concerts that are crowded, volunteer work at a senior living center plus sporting events where you may be able to "high-five" another fan of your favorite team during an exciting moment of the game.

Finally, there is value beyond — and in addition to — human touch found by connecting with domestic pets like dogs and cats. Mix in a bit of head-scratching or cuddling with a pet or a family friend's pet whenever you get the opportunity. This of course will not entirely replace the need for human touch but interacting with a nice pet is a good supplement to help fill the void you're currently experiencing.

I'M WORRIED ABOUT WHAT I'VE BEEN HEARING

DR. WALLACE: I've noticed that my best friend's parents seem to be having a lot of trouble these days. I understand her father recently lost his job and when I visit my friend at her house after school sometimes, I can hear her parents literally screaming at each other. We are both 16-year-old girls and we sometimes just stare at each other when we hear the screaming.

My friend does not say much and does not appear to want to talk about this. I want to support my friend, but I don't know what to do about this. Sometimes I've even heard some things crash in their house like something got broken. Now I'm scared to go over there anymore after school. This is sad because her house is only a block and half away from our school and it is right on my way home.

Now I feel really lucky that both of my parents are nice to each other and that our family is stable. — Worried Friend, via email

WORRIED FRIEND: First, it's good that you two can still be good friends, especially since at a time like this it's important to receive friendship and support.

Instead of going to her home each day after school, see if your friend can get permission to visit your home for a while after school. This can provide her a quiet environment at your home that will be free from the strife she's around at her house, at least for a few hours.

Check first with your mother and father to see if they are all right with her visiting your home after school and explain the reason why. You don't need to get into too many details or repeat exactly what you may have heard in her home, but just tell your parents that you've heard loud screaming back and forth.

If it works out, perhaps your parents can even spend some time talking to your friend about safe topics like school and current events in her life, so that everything won't always be focused on the problems in her home.

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.

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