Some people reveal their true faces and intentions only after they have already hooked us and fallen in love with them.
Obviously this is not a great situation. However, how can you be sure they are manipulating you?
Well, that’s where this article comes in. In it, you’ll discover the warning signs that you are, in fact, in love with a master manipulator.
So, let’s get started!
1) You find yourself doing things that you are uncomfortable with because you feel stressed by them
Master manipulators are adept at using a range of tactics to get you to do things that make you uncomfortable.
These often include emotional manipulation, constant persuasion, or even threats.
In this way, they exploit your weaknesses, making it nearly impossible to set and assert your own boundaries.
It’s an incredibly thankless situation, because no one should feel pressured to do things they’re not comfortable with.
2) You are constantly second guessing yourself and your decisions in the relationship
Another thing manipulators are (unfortunately) good at is undermining your self-confidence.
Their constant criticism, contradictory statements, and emotional turmoil simply make you question yourself.
So much so that you begin to question your competence and judgment. Now, this isn’t something that should happen in a normal, healthy relationship, right?
Moreover, they also have an uncanny ability to explain their behavior or actions.
They make reasonable-sounding excuses, making it difficult for you to question their motives.
This constant deflection leads to doubting your intuition, as they seem to have an answer for everything.
It’s actually terrifying that they have these skills to manipulate others. And you’re probably not the only person they manipulate in their orbit.
I bet they do it to their co-workers, their families, and even their bosses.
3) You feel like you can’t escape the relationship, because they have financial or emotional control over you
They also often control your emotions, always making you feel like you owe them something or that you’re not good enough without them.
On the other hand, they may be the ones controlling your finances, making you dependent on them for money or resources.
If they have all this control, it’s normal to make you feel trapped, like you’re stuck in this situation, even if deep down you know this isn’t healthy.
Breaking free may seem like an uphill battle because they have set things up in a way that makes it difficult to leave without feeling like you are losing everything.
4) They often use guilt trips to get their way, making you feel responsible for their happiness
Another warning sign that you like a master manipulator is if he uses sob stories or emotional appeals to make you feel responsible for his happiness.
As you can see, guilt is a powerful weapon in the manipulator’s arsenal.
This guilt can override your desires and boundaries, causing you to prioritize their needs above your own.
It’s as if you’re walking down a path dictated by their emotional manipulation instead of making choices based on your feelings and values.
5) Your feelings and needs don’t seem to matter to them, and they prioritize their own agenda
In a manipulative relationship, your needs and desires often take a back seat to the manipulator’s desires.
It’s as if they think the relationship should be about them, and that your concerns aren’t as important.
This is an unfortunate situation in which many victims of master manipulators easily find themselves.
Like I said before, they usually reveal their true colors when you’re already in a relationship or marriage with them, and that complicates things a lot, especially if you don’t have a firm bone in your body.
6) They are excellent at playing the victim and making you feel sorry for them
Manipulators have a wonderful talent for acting as if they are the ones being hurt and mistreated, even when they are the cause of the problem.
They put on a show, like pretending to be sad or hurt, or insisting that they were treated unfairly, all to make you feel sorry for them.
This is a clever way to deflect attention from their hurtful actions or mistakes, making it seem like they are the ones who need sympathy and support rather than taking responsibility for their actions.
For example, let’s say your partner frequently resorts to emotional manipulation, such as giving you the silent treatment.
When you confront them with this unhealthy behavior, they act as if they are deeply hurt by your accusation and say, “I thought you understood me better than that. I’m just trying to protect myself because I’m afraid I’ll get hurt again.”
O’Brother!
7) They are skilled at shifting blame and responsibility onto others, including you
So, you’re dealing with a manipulator, right? When they make mistakes or do something wrong, instead of admitting it like most people, they are professionals at shifting the blame elsewhere.
For them, it is never about taking responsibility for their actions. They may point the finger at external factors, such as saying they were stressed, tired, or had a bad day.
This underhanded tactic makes it very difficult to hold them accountable because they constantly evade responsibility for their actions.
It’s like trying to pin a moving donkey’s tail at a kid’s birthday party – they’re always out of reach, which makes it difficult to pin because of what they’ve done.
8) They use gaslighting techniques to make you doubt your memory and perception of reality
Gaslighting is a mind game that manipulators love to play. Gaslighting occurs when someone messes with your head to make you doubt yourself and what you remember.
They say things like, “I never said that,” even though you’re sure they did. This makes you feel like you’re losing your grip on reality, making you wonder if you’re going crazy or just forgetful.
They like to create confusion and doubt in themselves to keep you under their control.
9) You feel isolated from friends and family because they have created a gap between you and your loved ones
They can be very cunning about this. They create conflicts, gossip, or make you feel like you can’t trust your loved ones.
It’s a bit like building an invisible wall between you and the people who truly care about you.
This isolation makes you more dependent on the manipulator because he becomes your primary source of communication and support.
Before you know it, you find yourself feeling more and more dependent on the manipulator for everything, which is a very difficult situation to be in.
10) They often use flattery and charm to manipulate your emotions and gain your trust
Manipulators can be really smooth speakers. They often pay you compliments and affection, especially when they want something from you. They turn on the magic to froth you up, and you start feeling like the most amazing person in the world.
It’s like a rollercoaster of emotions, with magic being the high point and manipulation lurking behind it.
So, it’s important to be aware of this because although compliments and affection are nice, they should not be used as tools to control or manipulate you.
It’s all about recognizing when someone is feeling truly appreciated versus when they’re trying to control things.
11) You are always walking on eggshells, afraid of their reactions and mood swings
Being in a relationship with a master manipulator is like you’re constantly tiptoeing around, trying not to set off a landmine.
You walk on eggshells, always on edge because you’re afraid of your partner’s reaction.
One minute, they may seem perfectly fine, and the next, they may feel upset or even explode with anger.
This type of environment makes you feel stressed, anxious, and like you’re always on guard, which is not a healthy or sustainable way to be in a relationship.
finalthoughts
If you don’t stand up to them, manipulators will slowly destroy your self-esteem. They use constant criticism, devaluation, or comparisons with others, making you feel inadequate or unworthy.
They also often change the rules of the relationship. They move the goalposts, change their expectations, or introduce new boundaries to their advantage.
