Most of us can tell when we are being manipulated, however, when someone we love is doing it we overlook things because of our emotions. Emotional influence is an extremely powerful tool and tons of people abuse it.
If you are in a toxic relationship you should get out right now, don’t spend one more day in something that is dragging you down. You are amazing no matter what anyone says and you deserve better. Are you dealing with someone toxic?
Here are ten signs that should help you recognize an emotional manipulator when you are dealing with one:
1. They always feel worse than you.
No matter what is going on in your life they will always try to make you believe that they have it worse than you. They will remind you on more than one occasion that they have it worse off than you, even if they do not.
2. They pay attention to your weaknesses and use them against you.
If you think you weigh more than you should they will pick at you over it even though they are aware of how it makes you feel. They will use anything they can against you, this is something they do to trap you. They want to make you feel like you are not good enough for them or anyone else. Manipulators can read your emotions, they will do whatever it takes to keep you down in the dirt.
3. They will help only when it benefits them.
They will offer to do things in order to bring it up later. This is how they convince you to do things for them.
4. They rush everything no matter what it is.
They act sensitive but only as means to make you feel special and close to them. They make you take responsibility for their emotional state. No matter what it is they will always hurry trying to get ahead and expect the same from you.
5. They play the victim all the time.
When it boils down to it they are never to blame for anything. No matter what happens it is always someone else’s fault, most often yours.
6. They make you feel guilty when you shouldn’t.
These people will use your feelings of guilt to benefit themselves. When it comes to sharing any of your troubles with them they will make you feel guilty for even bothering them. (Then when you don’t share they make you feel guilty for keeping secrets.) You can never win with people like this. They will make you feel like everything you do is wrong.
7. Their actions are always contradicting their words.
They will tell you exactly what they think you want to hear but they will never show this through their actions. They will pretend that your requests are not reasonable when it boils down to actually doing anything for you.
8. They make you out to be crazy.
They will insist on not having done something that you saw them do and they will lie about things you know without a doubt. They will do this so much that they will have you doubting your sanity.
9. They will cut you off from your friends and family.
This will begin slowly and by the time you notice it you won’t have anyone to turn to. At first, they will want you to stay in and hang out with them rather than going out with friends and things will progress from here.
10. They will begin controlling the things you do.
When things get to the point where you have to ask them if it is okay to do something you want to do, or you fear the answer a red flag should go off. This is no way to live. If you become afraid of this person you are well past the point where you should have gotten out.
Emotional manipulators can drive you insane and nothing good will come from being with them. You should not attempt to change them or win at their game. You are better than them in every way and deserve so much more than they will let you believe. Do not stay with anyone who does the things listed above to you.