They would crush your soul through psychological manipulation. This post will help you know recognize the signs you are being psychologically manipulated so that you can save yourself from unwanted consequences.
“I’ve been doing this a long time- manipulating people to get my way. That’s why you think you love me. Because I’ve broken you down and built you back up to believe it. It wasn’t an accident. Once you leave this behind….. you’ll see that. – Caleb” ― C.J. Roberts, Seduced in the Dark.
Psychological manipulators don’t come into our lives as strangers. They roam around us in the garb of our family and friends.
Unlike the good people we meet, they use us to their own advantage and leave us damaged once the work is done. They inflict harm on us in such a way that it becomes quite difficult for us to know their evil intentions in the beginning.
If you notice carefully, there are 12 signs someone is psychologically manipulating you. Let’s find out more about the signs of psychological manipulation.
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12 Signs You Are Being Psychologically Manipulated
(1) They cash upon your insecurities.
The manipulator will never want you to feel empowered. So they will try their best to earn your confidence so that they can get to know your insecurities.
Once they have these secrets, they will use them against you, subtly attack you in the form of sarcastic jokes or dark humor, and might even attack you directly.
(2) They will put immense pressure on you.
One of the major signs someone is psychologically manipulating you.
Manipulators always need to get things done faster. If they want something from you, they will make it an emergency, pushing you towards an uncomfortable situation so that you can get it done for them.
If this is happening to you, then this is one of the biggest signs you are being psychologically manipulated.
(3) They will gaslight you.
Gaslighting is one of the techniques used by the manipulator.
Avoiding their own responsibilities, they will make you feel guilty of everything and once the victim succumbs to it, they will do their best to please the manipulator and come out of this feeling of being guilty.
(4) They will shower statistics on you to overwhelm you.
If they are giving too much of facts and showing too many data in an argument, it doesn’t mean they know a lot more than you.
It means they are using statistics just to make you feel they are far superior to you and that’s how they stop you from winning the argument. The end result is you accept they are the ones who are right.
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(5) They use the form of passive-aggression.
Another glaring sign someone is psychologically manipulating you.
Being silent and indifferent is one of their ways to make you do things for them. They will probably stop responding to your calls or texts, they will pretend they have forgotten to do certain things they were supposed to, they will act as if you don’t exist at all.
Eventually, you are the one who will try to get the communication back and give in to their wishes.
(6) They constantly judge you and criticize you.
Do you relate to this sign? Then you are being psychologically manipulated.
We are all full of flaws but continuously judging someone and criticizing someone isn’t healthy either. By giving these negative criticisms about you, they point out your flaws, lowering your confidence-level and you soon start losing your self-worth.
This gives them an upper-hand over you and you tend to depend on them which they use to their advantage.
(7) They will always ask you to speak first.
No, speaking first isn’t a sign of respect. When your manipulator is letting you speak first, that means they are listening to whatever you need to say.
Once you are done, they have all the information with them and they can manipulate you accordingly.
(8) They will raise their voice and show negative emotions.
They become aggressive in terms of body and verbal language whenever you don’t accede to their wishes. They give negative vibes to get their things done.
By the use of body language as well as a loud voice, they make you feel weak and plant the fear psychosis within you to make you do things for them.
Related: 10+ Warning Signs You Are Dealing With An Evil Person
(9) Displaying of negative gestures.
Often the manipulator shows negative gestures like not delivering things they were supposed to. By doing this, they seek for additional concessions and it’s their technique to keep you around.
(10) Giving you little or no time to take decisions.
Do you relate to this sign? Then you are being psychologically manipulated.
While they think a lot before doing things, they would never let you take a decision slowly. This is because, if they do, it might happen that you could understand their intentions and back away.
So they will push you into doing things immediately.
(11) They will manipulate facts.
When you are being subjected to emotional manipulation, one of the important techniques used by the manipulator is distortion of facts. They will present it to you in such a convincing way by lying or saying half-truths that you will believe in their version.
(12) They will insist you to meet them physically.
Manipulators are experts in body language. They know how to dominate you by eye-contact or bodily gesture. Hence, they will always try to interact with you by meeting you at your place or call you over at theirs or offer to take you out for a coffee.
It is by these mental manipulation and emotional exploitations, psychological manipulators control their victims and exploit them.
Related: 5 Devious Things Narcissists Do to Keep You Hanging Around
So, do you think you are a victim of mental manipulation or emotional manipulation? Do you relate to any of these signs you are being psychologically manipulated? Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below!
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