Dear Thelma: My parents call me weak and have no time for me

I am a 17-year-old girl who just finished Pre-U and currently enrolling in a university. Although I realise many of my peers are on the same path as I am – like many of my friends – I find the reality quite hard to fathom and am constantly stressed about it.

The thing is, I do not feel like discussing how I’m feeling with my parents or siblings. I do not feel close to them and although I do appreciate their presence, opening up to them is something I constantly fret over in my mind.

My parents are demanding in terms of my studies, my mother mostly, even though I have been performing very well in my examinations these past few years.

I feel stressed and there were many instances when I wanted to convey my feelings to them but my lips failed. But my eyes succeeded in leaking out tears, which only led to my mother questioning why I’m crying, which only made it worse. I hate being told that, but they don’t know.

Also, I feel angry very quickly when my parents criticise me – partly for not being able to understand why I’m feeling irritated, and partly I blame myself for not being able to explain to them why.