A stalker may begin to immediately reach out to you and contact you incessantly. This person may begin to call, text, email and visit you to a degree that feels invasive to you. If the contact feels outside of social norms and exceeds your comfort level, the behavior may be related to stalking. Perhaps the person reaches out to you over several social media platforms and “friends” you, then begins to text you non-stop. You may begin to feel uncomfortable. A person with stalker tendencies may insist you bring him or her to events, or to tag along to meetups with friends or family. The person may insist on knowing where you’re going or knowing your plans. You may begin to feel uneasy with someone always wanting to know your whereabouts or plans for the day.  If someone insists on knowing what you do each day, this can be a red flag. There’s a difference between being interested in your life and becoming obsessed with your whereabouts. If you begin to date someone who shows these traits, reconsider seeing him or her again. A stalker may have information about you that you have never provided. The person may research you and know information about you, your workplace, your friends, family members, and favorite places. They may know your route to and from work, what time you go to the gym, and any other patterns in your schedule. You may notice that the person slips up and says something you never told them. This can be a warning sign. A stalker may not know the boundaries of acceptable social behavior. The person may be socially awkward, have little to no social awareness, and not “fit in” in groups. The stalker may have little awareness as to how people interact with others or make assumptions for how others see them. Often, the person has no or few personal relationships and has low self-esteem. Some people are simply awkward, not stalkers. If the person doesn't seem to obsess over you, isn't threatening, and doesn't seem attached to you in particular, then they probably just aren't good at socializing. Notice what happens if you politely set a boundary with them, such as "please don't talk to me when I'm working" or "please don't call after 9pm; I need this time to unwind alone." While regular people will respect this, a stalker will not. They may ignore your boundaries, try a different technique to invade your space (e.g. spying), or intimidate you so that you are afraid to set boundaries. Some socially awkward people, and people with developmental disabilities, have trouble reading body language. But, if you clearly ask them not to do something, they are capable of respecting that. Someone with stalking tendencies may drop in and visit you unannounced. This is troubling if you tell someone you have plans and the person shows up without telling you first. Pay attention to this warning sign that the person is not attending to your boundaries or respecting your privacy.  The person may act innocent enough, but pay attention to your own feelings. Do you feel uneasy or threatened, even just a little? Does the visit feel a bit aggressive or invasive to you? You might also notice that you bump into the person often when you are out. This may be because the person has memorized your schedule and knows where to find you throughout the day. A stalker may want to have you all to themselves. If you begin to distance yourself, the person may become increasingly aggressive and intimidating. Any thoughts of you leaving can cause severe distress to the person and trigger feelings of abandonment. The person may get physically aggressive. This person may follow you closely or stand near you as if to say, “you cannot get away from me, even if you try.” Stalking can take many forms. If you feel that the behavior someone if showing you may be considered stalking, then seek help from your local authorities. Some other serious behaviors that you should report immediately include:  Vandalizing your property. Sending things to you in the mail, such as pictures, letters, or other items. Driving by your house frequently. Making false police reports about you. If you believe you are being stalked, take some action. If someone is familiar to you and begins to feel threatening, clearly communicate on no uncertain terms that you wish to be left alone. Limit your social media usage and increase your security everywhere: change your house locks, lock your windows, change your phone number, and adjust your daily patterns. Avoid going places alone and tell your friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors about your situation and ask for their help in keeping you safe. Never confront your stalker alone. Always have someone - a friend, a family member, or an acquaintance - present with you. If necessary, alert the police.
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One-sentence summary -- Notice an immediate and persistent need to contact you. Recognize someone who is clingy or keeping tabs on you. Be aware if they know more about you than you’ve told them. Identify social awkwardness. Consider how they respond to boundaries. Be alert to unannounced visits. Recognize physically aggressive behavior. Watch out for other serious behaviors. Respond to the stalking.


The Facebook icon looks like a blue box with a white "f" in it. If you're not automatically logged in, log in with your Facebook account. You will have to enter your email or phone number and your password. The Home button icon looks like your Home screen page.  For iPhone, this button is located in the lower-left corner of your screen. For Android, this button will be in the upper-left corner of your screen below the Search field. You can tap your photo on your status bar at the top of your Home screen, or the thumbnail in the upper-right corner of your screen. Tapping on one of these icons will take you to your Profile page. Your Intro statement is located below your profile picture, name, and navigation bar. Your keyboard will appear and you will start editing your Intro. Think about how you want to introduce your profile to visitors, and type in an Intro statement for yourself. You can use text and emoji. This button will be in the upper-right corner of your screen, and it will save your new Intro.
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One-sentence summary -- Open the Facebook app. Tap the Home button. Tap on your profile picture thumbnail. Tap on your Intro text. Edit your Intro. Tap Save.


There are many fun kinds of jewelry you can get for your new tongue piercing. While these flashy options may be exciting and tempting, they will also be much more visible. Choose a standard barbell option that is easier to conceal. Try to pick a clear plastic ball or a flesh-colored ball for the ends of your tongue piercing barbell. These will be less obvious than flashy metal or a colorful ball, so they are easier to hide. The best way to minimize visibility of a new piercing is by getting a clear plastic retainer. These are much harder to see, especially in a darker place like inside your mouth. However, these plastic jewelry options are not good for fresh piercings. You need to give your tongue piercing several months of healing time before you use any plastic jewelry in it.
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One-sentence summary --
Choose a standard barbell. Choose the ball for your jewelry wisely. Get a clear plastic retainer.