How do I deal with my (very insecure and overly sensitive) friend's tendency to take things said in passing as deep, personal criticisms? I used to be able to take it in stride but his recent prescription steroid treatments have ramped this trait up to stratospheric levels. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on May 4, 2012 - 8 answers

A few months ago, a group of people I'd been hanging out with regularly dumped me without saying anything--they just stopped including me in plans and stopped responding to me. I realized that something was up and didn't push. I've been making new friends since then, but I'm often worried that these new people (or any friends) might also secretly dislike me or be considering friend-dumping me too. What should I do? [more inside]
posted by clever anonymous username on Jul 25, 2010 - 27 answers

My best friend appears to be sliding into psychosis. Who and how should I approach in order to help him out? I know IANAD and YANAD - but I need less info on diagnosis and more info/personal experiences/stories about reaching out to someone who has a undiagnosed mental illness in order to help them. [more inside]
posted by operaposthuma on Mar 10, 2010 - 29 answers

I see the world, and all in it, as something vicious and ready to attack me, and that influences far too much stuff in my life. Help. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Dec 8, 2008 - 30 answers

A friend of mine, who is highly educated (married with two kids, accomplished medical researcher), is absolutely convinced that September 11 was a huge conspiracy initiated by members of the US government. She has a detailed complex explanation for everything. She takes it deeply personally when I scoff at her, telling me I should read the evidence before forming an opinion. I see her as gullible and she sees me as ignorant. Is there an analysis available comprehensively somewhere addressing the conspiracy theorists to the satisfaction of the leading academics in the relevant areas (material engineering, aerodynamics, media relations, architecture etc)? How do you deal with people like this? [more inside]
posted by vizsla on Mar 19, 2008 - 62 answers