If you are in an abusive relationship, there is a good chance that the person who abused you is a narcissist, a sociopath, or both. A narcissistic (or dysfunctional) sociopath is what you might call someone who has both narcissistic and sociopathic traits—a really dangerous type of person.

What makes them so cunning is that they know how to hurt their victims and how to keep their victims around.

Here are some of the most common things narcissistic sociopaths use to torture and control their victims, and why you should bail when you notice their presence in your relationship.

RELATED: 3 Ways To Spot Covert Narcissists Before They Strike

1. Emotional blackmail
   This abuse tactic mainly takes advantage of the fact that you have a conscience. They will blame you when you stand up for yourself, make you feel bad for rejecting them, and basically tell you that if you love them, you will do what they say.

Drug patients like to use this because it will make you think you’re the bad guy, even if you haven’t done anything wrong – and this makes it easier for them to blame you for their mistakes.

2. Isolation
   Have you ever noticed how most people in abusive relationships tend to isolate themselves from friends? This is because drug addicts hate positive people in their victims’ lives because that makes them feel more powerful.

Empowered people have the strength to stand up to drug addicts, and drug addicts don’t like that. the solution? Forcing you to exclude your

5. Withdrawal of affection
   Drug patients are about controlling people and boosting their self-esteem at any cost. If they know you love them, they will sometimes withdraw your affection just to make you nervous. Withdrawal of affection can also be used as punishment for refusing to do what the drug addict asks of you.
6. Love bombing
   What gets most people addicted to narcissists in the first place is love bombing, which is a tactic that revolves around attracting someone into a relationship with them. The goal of Lovebombing is to make a person feel special and happy, and then make them dependent on their affection. Beware if someone is too affectionate too quickly – this is often a sign that he or she is bombarding you with love.
7. Triangulation
   If there’s one thing drug addicts are known for, it’s pitting people against each other in order to maintain control over someone. They may invent love triangles that don’t exist, or try to get people to compete over them.

They may also start using other people to “pool” with you when you try to leave them. For example, they may try to convince your family members to stay if they think you will leave them.

8. Using threats or physical violence
   Drug addicts use threats and physical violence to get their way, but most of the time, this is a last resort. Their need for control is what makes them do it, not “because they like you.”

If you are experiencing domestic violence, you are not alone.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline reports that approximately 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States. More than 12 million women and men suffer from domestic violence and abuse throughout the year. .

Experiencing domestic violence can happen to anyone and is not a reflection of who you are.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline defines domestic violence, domestic abuse, or relationship abuse as “a pattern of behaviors used by one partner to maintain power and control over another person in an intimate relationship.” Anyone of any race, age, sexual orientation, religion or gender can experience domestic violence. According to the NDVH, approximately 3 in 10 women and 1 in 10 men in the United States have experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by a partner.