They make you feel guilty
Playing with your emotions is the ultimate weapon of manipulators. These are great at making you feel guilty for things (or thoughts!) You haven't even done. If you can manage not to comply with their demands, they will manage to make you feel guilty for hours ... even days! They may even throw out phrases like "What could I have done to deserve your treatment of me like this ...". And here you go to live with the guilt! Be firm and confident in your decisions. If necessary, write down why you stood up to a manipulator and reread yourself so that the guilt doesn't eat away at you.
You doubt yourself
When you are under manipulation, people are playing with your mind. You are constantly made to doubt yourself. You can no longer make a simple decision without thinking about the consequences or the comments you will be told. In front of a manipulator (admit that you already have a face in mind!), You lose all your means when you were usually more sure of yourself. This is a sign that you are being manipulated when you have to be ultra-vulnerable to the point where you no longer trust your judgment.
Your words are distorted
Chatting with a manipulator is difficult ... almost impossible. You don't even want to have the last word, but be able to slip in just one. When you do, you're surprised how the other twists your words. Sometimes even if you are aware of his speaking skills, it even turns against you. You say something and then BANG, without realizing it, you are accused of something else. And of course, you are made to pass for the "bad guy", because the manipulator does everything in his power to be the perfect pain-reliever! This is his favorite role.
You have no peace of mind
When a manipulator is lurking around you, you never have peace of mind. You are constantly tormented. You go over the past, your actions, your words (and hers), and you worry about the future. We also notice a drop in your self-esteem: you are afraid of disappointing everyone (not just the manipulator!). If your inner calm is gone, you should examine your personal and professional relationships to determine if a few are toxic to you. Learn to recognize the obvious signs of a toxic friendship.
They use flattery towards you
To achieve his ends, a manipulator is ready for anything. He knows what your chords are to play on to get what he wants. Warning! This flattery is just a bunch of lies: you know it, but it's hard to resist. These false compliments sometimes dazzle you and make you flinch. Then you regret it. Because once he wins, none of this remains.
You are threatened
When a manipulator feels that you are resisting them, they can go so far as to threaten you. This is one of the most pernicious issues in manipulation. One of the last entrenchments of these beings capable of many meanings. Indeed, manipulators can tell you sentences like "If you do (this), I will do (that) ..." (or it's opposite "If you don't do [this], don't think that I will do [ that] ”),“ This is how you show me that you love me / that you thank me / that you help me ”or other phrases full of threatening innuendos. Here is a worrying spiral in which to never set foot (or get out of it as quickly as possible): no one has the right to harm you
They change the facts
To fabricate excuses, to find proof of everything they put forward, to invent facts or to advance all kinds of arguments (sometimes wacky or exaggerated), the manipulators are the champions! They would even be bold enough to claim that 2 + 2 = 3. Without hesitation, they claim to be experts and are capable of doing (and saying!) Anything to convince you that they are right.
In their speech, you often find categorical terms like "never", "always", "everyone", "nobody", etc. And if they are wrong and find out, they blamed others, of course! Don't believe everything manipulative people say. Question them, question their word, and dare to assert yourself. You are not fooled and do not have to put up with their big talk.
You have changed
Sometimes, by being around manipulators daily, it could be that several parts of your life have suffered from these relationships. Your sleep is disturbed. Your stress level rarely goes down. You have a hard time picking up the phone. You have a hard time relaxing. You are more nervous. These are signs that you are feeling the physical and mental repercussions of the manipulation.
Also, pay attention to comments from those who know you best. If those around you are told that you have changed, that you are not like you used to be, or that you seem different, it might be time to do a little examination of what caused these likely unintentional changes.
