It might be hard to admit or recognize, but the first step is to acknowledge that you're the target of emotionally abusive behavior. If a friend or relative has brought their concerns to you, listen to them. If you think that a romantic partner or friend might be mistreating you but are unsure, discuss your feelings with a trusted loved one or mental health professional. Keep in mind an emotionally abusive person will try to excuse their behavior, make you think their actions are normal, or blame you. You're not responsible for someone else's abusive behavior. You might ask yourself how you could have prevented the situation or scold yourself for letting it happen. While these are valid responses to abuse, an abuser chose to be abusive, and you are not responsible for those choices. Don't dwell on prior signs you think you should have recognized or decisions you could have made in the past. Remember that emotional abuse can be subtle and barely noticeable at first, or it can occur suddenly with no warning signs. Look online or ask your primary doctor for a referral to a therapist or counselor that specializes in emotional abuse. If money is a concern, look up state-administered mental health services available in your county. If you're a student, contact your school's health center or counselor. If you find that you are in a codependent relationship with your abuser, a counselor can help you refocus. Some signs of codependency include difficulty making decisions, difficulty communicating, valuing your partner's approval above your own, poor self-esteem, and making excuses for your partner's behavior. If you're in a romantic relationship with the abuser, seeking couples counseling to save the relationship is a difficult, personal decision. For instance, it's normal to feel like you should try to save your relationship if you've spent 10 happy years with someone who's behavior has changed only recently. A counselor can help you understand how serious the situation is, affirm that the abusive behavior is unacceptable, and help you both develop skills to improve your relationship. Involving a mental health professional might help your partner understand that they need to change their behavior or the relationship must end. Couples counseling is unlikely to remedy cases of long-term emotional abuse. If your situation is long-term, has escalated, or you've been threatened with physical violence, focus on empowering yourself to end the relationship and move forward. Don't make excuses for abusive actions or try to change the abuser's behavior. Whether it's a friendship or romantic relationship, cut ties with the person who's mistreating you. Accentuate the positive, and remind yourself that you deserve to be treated better. End the relationship as long as it's safe to do so. If you live with an emotionally abusive partner and are concerned they might become violent, you might not be able to safely leave right away. If necessary, develop a safety plan and get help from your loved ones and legal authorities. If you feel afraid or alone, you can always reach out to support organizations for help and guidance. In the U.S., for example, you could call the National Domestic Violence Hotline. You might be able to leave an abusive situation immediately, especially if you live with the abuser. Do your best to ignore their behavior, as long as it's safe to do so. If they become physically violent, call emergency services and put your safety plan into action. For example, if they insult you or dismiss your opinions, try to stay calm and ignore them. Instead of engaging them by showing them you're upset or explaining your opinion, try visualizing calm surroundings or singing a happy song to yourself. Do what they say if you think you need to comply in order to prevent physical violence. For instance, you might need to let them look through your phone if they threaten violence. Remember to get help and leave a physically abusive situation as soon as you can safely do so. If you're upset about ending a relationship, lean on your trusted loved ones for emotional support. If you're leaving an unsafe situation, ask your loved ones if they can offer a place to live, accompany you to court appointments, provide childcare, and help you get back on your feet. In addition to reaching out to friends and relatives, you can also get help from a local domestic abuse shelter or community organization, talk to a counselor, and look for legal resources from local criminal justice organizations.

Summary: Acknowledge that your relationship is unhealthy. Remind yourself that you are not to blame. Talk to a mental health professional. End the relationship in the safest way possible. Disengage from abusive interactions if leaving isn't possible. Lean on your support system.

You want to be yourself around your crush, so don't center all the conversations around him and his interests let him get to know you, too. Once you're talking regularly, try to look for shared interests to discuss. This way, you'll get to know each other better and bond through common traits. For example, say you find out you both like Dancing With The Stars. Try asking him about the latest episodes after they air. For example, "Did you see Dancing With The Stars last night? It was so crazy." From there, you can look for broader topics of shared interests to discuss. For example, "Do you like dancing? I just love dancing and musicals." If a conversation is slowing down, ask a question. Asking someone about themselves will usually keep a conversation interesting. This will also give you a sense of whether you want to eventually ask your crush out. If you have a lot of shared interests and opinions, you're more likely to be compatible. You can ask questions like: "What's your favorite movie?" "Do you have any hobbies?" "What's your favorite subjects in school?" "What's the coolest place you've ever visited?" "Who's your favorite television character?" When you really like someone, it can be very tempting to try and be the type of person you think they would be interested in dating. For instance, if the guy is really sporty but you couldn't care less about sports, you might be tempted to pretend you're also a big fan. Avoid this. Don't deny your own interests, hobbies, and friends out of fear of judgement or rejection. You can be polite about it ("Oh, I'm not really into football."), and use it as an opportunity to help him learn a little about you ("I actually really love going to see live music."). It can be hard to keep this in mind when you are crushing hard, but remember that someone who doesn't like you for who you really are ultimately isn't a good match for you. If you get his number, texting can be a great form of communication that can help you get to know him better. Try to text him once in awhile and see how he responds. This can help you see if he likes you as well. A guy who texts back eagerly is more likely to be interested. Be yourself when you text. If he asks you questions, give honest answers. Use your own unique voice and sense of humor. Throw in an occasional emoji. Don't overdo it, but a few smiley faces now and then can come off as flirty. Allow him to initiate texting on occasion. You don't want to overwhelm him. As you're getting to know a guy, try to do some light flirting. This will convey your interest and allow you to get a sense of whether a guy likes you. If he flirts back, it's likely he's interested. Smile. Smiling is contagious. Keeping eye-contact while smiling is key. This keeps the tension in the air flirty and fun. A smile to a guy gives him motivation to pursue you. Give him a brief smile and then look away. Make eye contact. This will convey interest. Try to introduce gentle touch. Lightly brush his arm when you're talking to him, for example. Some topics can tank a conversation, so they should be avoided. If you're trying to get to know a potential romantic interest, stay away from topics that may make him uncomfortable. Avoid putting yourself down. You want to show that you like yourself and you're not insecure. Never say anything negative about his friends or family.
Summary: Discuss shared interests. Get to know him by asking questions. Be yourself. Text him regularly. Try to flirt some. Avoid certain topics.