Problem: Article: Talking through your worries and insecurities with someone can be more helpful than you think. If you think you have a real problem with clinginess, it might be best to talk it through with a professional counsellor. Your school may have one that is there for exactly this purpose, and you can talk to them about anything that's worrying you. It can be helpful to talk with a professional because they can be more objective than friends or family sometimes.  If you can't or don't want to talk with a counsellor, consider talking with a parent or a trusted adult. Talk to them about how you're feeling and what's going on in your life. Tell them that you are worried you are being too clingy with friends, but you're not sure what to do about it. They have probably been there before and can offer advice about how to handle it. Try to remember that friends are not all there is to life even if they do play a big and important part in it. Remember that you have responsibilities at home and at school or work. Make sure that you are taking care of all of those things instead of neglecting them to always be around your friends.  The same goes for your family. Besides your friends, you have a family that cares about you. Spend time nurturing your relationships with your siblings, parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. These are the people that will be there for you no matter what. Spending time with family can be a great way to start feeling more secure. In most cases, your family knows you better than anyone else and accepts you all the same. If you have secure relationships with your family members, you can learn how to act that way with friends, too. In addition to making sure that you are taking care of your responsibilities and family, find things that you enjoy doing alone. It is good to learn to just be with yourself and feel comfortable with it. If you already have a hobby that you enjoy, then great. If you don't, try out a few things you've been curious about and see what grabs your attention. Many hobbies have their way of making you more confident in yourself. For example, they may teach you a cool skill. Although there are many indirect ways of building confidence in yourself, you can also take steps to work on your self-confidence more directly. In order to build self-confidence, you will need to become aware of the bad things you are thinking about yourself. Any time you catch yourself getting mad at yourself or thinking something negative about yourself, try to become aware of it, and remind yourself that you aren't going to think that way anymore. This also means that you need to give yourself credit when you do something good. If you say something funny that makes people laugh or you do a good deed, let yourself feel proud.
Summary: Talk with someone about your insecurities. Keep up with your family and responsibilities. Have hobbies that you do on your own. Build your self-confidence.

Problem: Article: When you’re around your friend or family member, model positive thinking and optimism for them. Offer to help them come up with some mantras or affirmations to use when they start to feel paranoid.  For instance, the person might find it helpful to repeat something like, “Everyone is too busy worrying about themselves to think about me,” or “Even though I feel scared, I’m not really in danger.” Encourage the person to write down the mantra and keep it with them so they can read it when they need it. Invite the person to share their thoughts with you or someone else they trust if they need a reality check. Encourage them to give people the benefit of the doubt if they aren’t sure about someone’s intentions towards them. This strategy works best for people with mild paranoia who can accept that their judgment is sometimes unsound. Severely paranoid people may not be willing to ask for other people’s perspectives. A healthy lifestyle can make mental health issues easier to manage. Help your friend or family member find ways to cut down on stress, get enough rest, and maintain good diet and exercise habits. For example, including physical activity as a part of their daily routine can help improve their mood and boost cognitive functioning that may be impaired with paranoia. Many people with paranoia-related issues have unique talents or a successful career. Recognize the areas where your friend or family member shines, and encourage them to keep doing things they enjoy and are good at. Let's say your friend is really creative. You might encourage them to submit their artwork to a local art contest to keep them occupied and focus on positive activities. If your friend or family member has an illness like schizophrenia, help them come up with an emergency plan when they’re stable. Gather important contact information like their doctor’s phone number, and discuss who will take care of any children or pets they have if they are hospitalized. Have the person keep this information with them at all times, such as written on a card or on a piece of paper.
Summary: Help the person maintain a positive state of mind. Help the person put their paranoid thoughts into perspective. Encourage the person to adopt balanced habits. Encourage the person to contribute in areas of life where they excel. Prepare for crisis situations.

Problem: Article: Many couples find that, after living together for a few months, they still have strong feelings for each other and want to stay together as a couple, but struggle to actually live with one another. It is possible to keep a relationship together—the relationship may even become stronger! You should still be clear about what you want; try saying:  “I still want this to be a serious relationship; I care deeply about you.” “I still want to see you regularly (or 'a few times a week,' etc.), but I would like more space than I have now.” “I want you to still feel welcome here, and I want to feel welcome at your new apartment." Asking someone to move out is usually thought of as a negative act, and associated with breakups and unhappy feelings. If you're planning to stay together as a couple, it will be important to the health of your relationship to focus on the good things about your relationship. For example, explain to your boyfriend the ways that living separately will strengthen your relationship. Try saying:  “I think that us living in separate places will allow us to have more feeling of romance and affection in our relationship.” “I feel like you and I will have less conflict and fewer arguments if we don't live together.” “I think you and I will grow closer to each other if don't spend all of our time together.” This is a sensitive and emotional issue, and should be treated as such. Your boyfriend may be hurt that you are asking him to move out, or confused about how this new phase of your relationship is going to work. Remember that relationships involve compromise—if he moves out at your request, you may need to make other compromises in the future. Talk to him and let him know that he's still important to you; make your reasoning clear, then ask if he has any concerns about how moving out will affect your relationship.  Let him know that you see this as a step forward in the relationship; things are improving between you and him, not getting worse. Shortly after your boyfriend has moved out, spend extra time with him or buy him a gift to show that you care about how he feels. Try to keep most other aspects of your relationships stable. If you're staying together after asking your boyfriend to move out, you and he will need to establish some boundaries. Many couples feel that they lose important parts of their personal identity and social lives while living with a partner; talk with your boyfriend about how you and he can each maintain a distinct personal and social life. Now that you don't live together anymore, how will the relationship work? What will it look like on a day-to-day basis? How often will you see one another? This should not only be a conversation that you have inside your head—sit down with your boyfriend and discuss specific activities that you and him can routinely do together that will help your relationship feel fun and normal, and allow you both to get used to the new living situation. For example, try saying:  “I think it would be fun if we had weekly date nights.” “We should spend time together meeting new people outside of our usual social circle.”
Summary:
Define how you want your relationship with your boyfriend to work. Focus on the positive aspects of your relationship. Protect your boyfriend's feelings. Create your own personal and social space. Plan for the future.