Behind the Mask: The Subtle Psychological Games Manipulators Play to Lower Your Self-Esteem
This might be your sign to finally stop talking to that toxic friend.
It’s a sad reality fact that some of our friends or even relatives can actually turn out to be professional manipulators seeking some profit from us.
However, the good news is that it’s now much easier to see those manipulations and quickly cut off all ties with people trying to make you act against your own will. According to many experts, there are several ways you can learn the unpleasant truth about your closest ones.
How to See You’re Being Manipulated?
As psychologists suggest, the biggest red flag appears when a person you’re talking to makes you feel like they’re helpless and struggling, eventually prompting you to reach out and help them out; in this case, you tend to ignore your own feelings and decide to help no matter what.
Next, if you feel like you’re left with a negative aftertaste every time you meet up with that friend or relative, it also might be some sort of manipulation, especially if that person nags at you or blames you for not doing something (for instance, calling or texting them).
Apart from that, manipulators tend to critisize others and give advice they weren’t ask for, later reacting sarcastically to make an insult even more effective.
Is It Possible to Protect Yourself from Manipulation?
Though every person has to experience something like this at a certain stage of their life, it’s possible to stay away from manipulators if you learn to see the signs described above.
Don’t proceed with much communication if you feel drained after each time you meet up with that person; set your own boundaries and don’t let people cross them, even if it seems difficult at first. Also, make sure you differentiate your own emotions from the manipulator’s, thus keeping your mind clear.
