We’ve all met someone who seems to have a habit of waking up in the morning, drinking coffee, and thinking about how they can hurt others.
Although they don’t necessarily do it through physical means, this type of person will hurt your self-esteem, sabotage your work, or upset you in some way. They love seeing you squirm, and they live for it.
Everyday sadists, as psychologists call them, are people who like to hurt others for one reason or another.
Fortunately, they are easily spotted and can be avoided, at least to some extent, in many situations.
Related: 7 signs it’s finally time to end a friendship, according to psychology
Here are 10 signs that you are dealing with a sadistic person every day:
- They make casual jokes at someone else’s expense
Sadists like to throw dirt and dig holes at people, even if those people are nice to them. They do it because they know that those “jokes” undermine people’s confidence and because they like to see others suffer.
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- They tend to stir up drama just so others can gang up on an innocent person
This is one of the easiest ways sadists daily to tear others down. They love to see others hurt and they love to see others cry. If they can manipulate others into harming the target on their behalf, so much the better. This is why many sadists engage in mud-slinging and gossip-mongering.
- They are rude to the people they manage
This is actually why people are asked to avoid people who are rude to servers. They can be ordinary sadists.
- You feel that they love seeing you in pain and hurting you
From personal experience, I can tell you that these feelings are always spot on. They may say, “I’m not trying to hurt you,” or “I’m just saying my opinion,” but make no mistake about it: they need blood.
Related: 4 Signs Your “Perfect” Boyfriend Is Actually A Psychopath
- Trying to get them to sympathize with you is a lost cause
No matter how much you argue, plead, and try to convince a sadistic person, he or she will not sympathize with you. This is because they love seeing you in pain. Nothing will change that because that’s who they are.
- They insult others
These are the people who set out to see others suffer. As a result, they will put you in the spotlight, shame you, and embarrass you for fun.
- They have no problem using violence, intimidation, or extreme cruelty in any relationship for any reason
Normal people will hesitate to use violence or cruelty because they know that it is not nice. Sadists don’t care. They will use it to get what they want, to exert control, or because they think it’s funny. For many sadists, dominance is the name of the game.
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- They control people with whom they have close relationships
For sadists, control is part of the happiness they get from being cruel to others. That’s why they often tell their spouses that they’re not allowed to go out without them, or why they might issue an ultimatum to best friends about meeting new people.
- They are online trolls
Studies have shown that this is the most common indicator that a person will be sadistic with people they meet in person as well. After all, the whole reason people troll online is to hurt people for fun. Who’s to say they wouldn’t do the same for “loved ones”?
- People should avoid them, bow down to them, and beware of them
If someone warns you and tells you that this person brings bad news, you might want to listen to them. This is especially true if you notice people saying they are cruel human beings. Although you may want to consider giving them the benefit of the doubt, keeping your guard up is the best course of action.
Related: People with self-respect never tolerate these 10 behaviors from others
