Watch for the warning signs in a dating partner:
- Extreme jealousy
- A dating partner becomes jealous about the time you spend with members of the opposite sex.
- A dating partner becomes jealous about the time you spend in other activities, school, and your family.
- A dating partner requires constant monitoring of you, where you are, who you are with. They become agitated if it takes more than a minute to respond to text messages, calls, or emails.
- Controlling behavior
- Quickly moving the relationship forward
- Unpredictable moods
- Verbal abuse
- Hypersensitivity
- Working to isolate you from your friends and family
- Using force during an argument
- Threatening violence either to you or to him or herself
Watch for the changes in your teen/student:
- The teen is spending less time with friends and family.
- They are showing a lack of involvement in activities that previously occupied most of their time.
- They are online at late hours of the night, and feel a need to keep their laptop/computer on.
- They begin sleeping with a cell phone under the pillow or right next to the bed.
- They are constantly monitoring their phone for calls/texts.
- They begin falling behind on schoolwork.
- They get very defensive, making excuses about their partner.
- There is a dramatic, quick change in mood.
