I am an 27-year-old man. I am only 5'4" tall and I am thin. Because of this I am depressed. I am afraid to meet people, as I feel everyone I meet laughs at me. Are my fears real? I know that the root cause of the problem cannot be corrected, but I would like to know whether my condition can be medically treated. I would also like to know what are the typical problems faced by short people and what will happen as I age further.

--G.N.

You ask whether your fears are real and whether your condition can be medically treated. I doubt that your situation is as bleak as you feel it is or that everyone you meet laughs at you.

A lot of people are self-conscious about their appearance in some way, and in some that self-consciousness becomes so intense that it affects their relationships with others and even their ability to function on a daily basis. They feel everyone else sees them the way they see themselves, even though that's not true. People with eating disorders, for instance, see themselves as fat -- sometimes hideously so -- even when they're not. (And even people who are extremely fat have loving relationships with partners who think they're beautiful.)

I doubt whether your height can be medically treated or changed, although a physician, not a psychologist, is the professional to consult about that. But your emotional distress and social difficulties -- yes, those can be addressed. Psychotherapy may be your best bet for lasting change. Sometimes antidepressant or anti-obsessional medication can help in situations such as yours, as well.

You ask about the typical problems faced by short people and what may happen as you grow older. I'm not aware of problems specific to short people, although some research has indicated that taller men are rewarded more at work with promotions and raises than are short men. It may be that short men are subject to prejudice in some of the ways fat people often are.

But there are plenty of successful short men. The actors Michael J. Fox and Tom Cruise come to my mind -- I believe they're both about 5'6", which is below average height for men. And of course history provides us with Napoleon Bonaparte, the warrior and emperor whose diminutive figure and feisty nature gave the name to the "Napoleon Complex," in which a short man is seen to overcompensate for feelings of inferiority by attacking others.

One thing I can tell you for sure: Personality, intelligence, humor, talent, generosity, kindness and a slew of other characteristics are more important than height to most women -- the sensible ones, anyway -- and to men, too. Cultivate those features, and you'll find much more personal success in life and relationships than does the tallest jerk.