"How do I tell my bf about his bad breath?" "I'm dating 3 different guys. Is this bad?" , "I've given up all my friends for my bf and now I miss them!" and more!

Q: I'm 17 years old and I have been dating my boyfriend for 19 months next week. I like him but I'm starting to realize that I have no friends anymore. I'm missing out on my teenage years because we spend every second together. We work together and we only hang out with other couples that are his friends. My friends don't really like him, so I never get to hang out with them. I want to back off, but I don't want to make him feel like I don't like him anymore. Because he gets jealous very easily. Help!

A: You're letting this guy control your life and you are right to feel that you are missing out on a lot. There are quite a few warning signs, or red flags, in your letter that lead me to believe that this guy is trouble.

A) You only hang out with his friends. This indicates that he needs to control and limit your circle to people that have already shown that they are on his side. He's not secure enough to take a chance on people who might not like him and he doesn't trust you to make your own choices. C) The fact that you say you want to "back off" makes me think that you really mean you want out of the relationship. See, in a healthy relationship, you would be able to tell him that you need more time to yourself and that you want to see your friends more often. But you seem to think you need a bigger change in the relationship. Trust your instincts
D) He gets jealous very easily. That's not good. Jealousy is another sign of insecurity. If after a year and a half of being together constantly, he is still a jealous guy, then it doesn't matter what you do, he's never going to trust you unless he gets some serious therapy!

Tell him that you've made up your mind and that you need space. Don't be wishy-washy and act like there's something he can say or do to change your mind. You deserve to have friends and you deserve to hang out with whomever you choose. It's not up to him! If he can't handle giving you a little more space then tell him that you're giving him a LOT of space. It's your life. Make the choices that allow you to live it fully and freely.

Q: My boyfriend is in a gang and I want him out of it because I am afraid for his safety. But the thing is he doesn't think he can get out without being hurt. Not too long ago he got jumped at a local mall and he got beat up pretty badly. He has a hole through his cheek and he had to get x-rays of his head. I don't want to be involved with a guy in that mess but I love him so much. Should I stick by him or leave him?

A: What a sad situation. Unfortunately, he's right in saying that he could get hurt if he tried to leave the gang. That's how gangs keep up their memberships, they threaten or beat up people who try to put their lives in order. Sometimes it's just a onetime thing, they beat the defector savagely and then leave him alone. Other times, they stalk, harass and intimidate the person into staying. However, he got himself into this mess and he's the only one who can get himself out.

But that doesn't mean you have to stick around. Gang members are trouble. The fact that he belongs to a gang makes him a target for members of some other gang. So what if you happen to be with him when they decide to strike at him? The last time they only beat him up. The next time they might take a couple of shots at him. These guys aren't known for their great aim and you could get take a bullet meant for him. And this might not happen tomorrow or next week. Say you two stay together and start a family. You want the father of your kids to be a gang member?

You've got smart instincts. You know that you "don't want to be involved with a guy in that mess." Listen to what your head is telling you. It's right!