1. They get easily upset and overly concerned when you don’t text or call them back right away
This one is a given, but it never fails to be true. There’s nothing more annoying than being at work, out with friends or at the gym and having your phone being blown up with five consecutive “where are youuu??” or “are you ignoring me?!” texts.
2. They have little to no friends or social life other than you
If you’re all they’ve got, that means they likely have nothing else to do except go to work or school and then be up your ass all the time. There’s also something fishy about someone who has no friends, and this alone should raise a red flag.
3. They can’t understand why you’d possibly want some alone time here and there
If they need to always be around you, that’s a major cause for concern. Of course we all love hanging with our partners, but it’s also very important to allocate some time with just ourselves because at the end of the day, we’re all that we’ve got. Spending too much time together can cause tension that leads to arguments and potentially even an ugly breakup.
4. They always seem to appear in public wherever you are; almost though as if they’re following you around
This is creepy but also classic stage five clinger behavior. Sure it’s romantic to randomly bump into the person you’re dating in public; but when it keeps happening and becomes more than a coincidence, you know you officially have a stage five clinger alert.
5. They can’t see things from your point of view no matter how many times you explain it
An important part of being in a relationship with someone is having boundaries and respecting the other person’s wishes .Sometimes a person is who they are and they’re wired a certain way that can’t be changed. They can’t understand how invasive it is to be followed around in public or how annoying it is to have their phone blown up all day because they’re unhealthily obsessed with you. They’ll always act this way no matter who is on their radar.
6. When you want to hang out separately with your friends, they give you a hard time about it
If the person you’re dating has an issue with you spending time with your friends, then they either don’t trust you or are a stage five (or both), but either way it’s not an ideal situation to be apart of. Cut em loose and find someone normal who actually respects and trusts you.
7. You can’t post things on social media without their knowledge or approval; and when you do, they’re alllll over your posts
Ahh yes, we’ve all seen those cringeworthy posts where one person’s boyfriend or girlfriend always comments underneath with a million heart or kissy face emojis. Sure it may come off as cute at first.. but why do stage fives feel the need to comment on every post their partner uploads..? Super annoying and flat out weird if you ask me. Also, if you have to run it by your partner before posting something on social media, please do yourself a huge favor and drop that stage five.. and then post as much as you’d like!
8. They always ask “who are you texting” or “what you are looking at” when you’re on your phone
It’s one thing if you’re dying laughing at something on your phone and they ask what you’re looking at, but if the person you’re dating is constantly bugging you about what you’re doing on YOUR phone, then it’s likely you‘ve got a stage 5 on your hands. If they can’t learn to respect your privacy, send them packing because it only will get worse the longer they’re around.
9. They call you “babe”, “boo” or “baby” almost immediately after you meet them
Textbook stage five clinger behavior is wanting to jump into a full-fledged relationship right after the first date. Beware of those who try to rush into things too fast, it’s not a healthy way to nurture a genuine connection, and it doesn’t usually end well. It’s also a sign of someone who is looking for a rebound, so be sure to protect your heart.
10. You’ve caught them going through your phone before
This is the ultimate invasion of privacy (shoutout to Cardi B) and I can’t fathom how this is deemed acceptable in any relationship, let alone when you’re first starting to date someone. Stage five clingers will attempt to gaslight you into thinking that they should be allowed to check your phone, but please (I beg you) don’t put up with this crap. No matter how attractive or “perfect” this person initially may seem, you deserve way better; it will not end well.
11. They obnoxiously overdo PDA whenever you’re out on dates together
If you’re out in public with your date and they keep trying to force you into some extreme PDA, sound the alarm! It’s a clear red flag for someone to be all over you in public when you’re early in the dating process; plus the fact that it can be flat-out awkward and extremely uncomfortable.
12. They constantly try to push you away from your friends and loved ones by telling you “I’m all you need”
This has happened multiple times with my friends where the person they were dating has said something like this to them. It’s manipulative, gaslighting and definite stage five clinger behavior. You can have a healthy relationship while also having plenty of other close relationships with loved ones.. and don’t let any stage five tell you otherwise!
13. They freak the f*** out when a boy or girl comes near the two of you in public
It is completely normal to not want anyone to flirt with or steal your partner, but stage five really take it to another level. An ex of mine once flipped out on me because I was using a treadmill at the gym next to a random girl; safe to say that was the final straw. We’ve all likely had instances like this where something similar has happened with a stage five. None of us need that toxic energy in our lives, especially during a pandemic.
Thank you very much for reading! Please let me know what you think in the comments and check out some more of my articles below!
