7 signs your partner is manipulating you

Although honesty is widely valued in our society, many people resort to manipulative tactics at one point or another to get what they want. And romantic relationships are no exception.

If some individuals do manipulate their other half, most of the time, these are small actions that are not voluntary or not serious. However, when this attitude becomes the norm rather than the exception, your partner may have more nefarious intentions than you imagine. Here then, according to Hack Spirit7 signs to spot that prove your partner is manipulating you without you knowing.

1) He constantly flatters you

While there’s nothing wrong with enthusiasm, having your new partner move too quickly and bombard you with displays of affection and exaggerated compliments can cause problems. Psychologists call this tactic “love bombing” and say it can be a warning sign of manipulation and abuse.

The problem is that it is sometimes difficult to assess your other half’s intentions. These could turn out to be bad if she gives you unnecessary, excessive or extravagant gifts, if she insists that she fell in love at first sight, if she calls you her soul mate even though you only dated Sometimes, if she’s in a hurry to make the relationship official and if she has a hard time accepting a “no” when you cancel or reschedule a date. The goal of this type of manipulation? Charm you as much as possible in order to have control and influence over you.

2) He makes you feel guilty

We’re told you have to compromise for a relationship to work, but there’s a fine line between finding common ground and abandoning your own desires to keep the peace. Especially when your partner knows how to play with your emotions. According to psychology, guilt-tripping is a form of emotional or emotional blackmail aimed at making you do something you don’t want to do.

Although it may be unconscious, a skilled manipulator will use it intentionally to get what they want. This generally involves comments such as “If you really loved me, you would do this.”which makes you feel like a monster if you don’t comply with his request.

3) You lose your identity

Manipulation can have profound and lasting effects, often leading individuals to lose a sense of their own identity. When you have been subject to it for a while, you find yourself entangled in a mass of doubts about yourself.

The manipulator skillfully attacks your self-esteem, subtly suggesting that your worth depends on meeting his or her expectations. But this makes you more and more dependent on external validation and approval from your mate. In other words, you are not staying true to yourself.

4) He ignores your concerns

Your partner can make you doubt everything (and your own sanity). How ? By using the gaslighting technique: in short, it systematically gives you false information, which leads you to question everything you think.

Some examples of typical gaslighting sentences, which aim to question your emotions, your behavior, your attention to him and even your doubts about his own words: “I never said that, you have to make up your mind”, “You’re too sensitive, I don’t understand why you’re making a big deal out of it”, “I’m not secretive, it’s you who always hide things from me”, “I already said it, you never pay attention to me”. Gaslighting is subtle and gradual, making this tactic difficult to recognize.

5) He responds to you… in silence

By remaining silent, withholding information and emotions, and preventing dialogue, your spouse is manipulating the power dynamics within the relationship. For example, he refuses to express his feelings, leaving you in the dark about his thoughts or concerns. He may also not respond to your messages and calls. Or he uses affection as a tool, refusing physical intimacy or emotional closeness as a means of control. All of this makes you uncertain, vulnerable and dependent.

This form of control through silence allows him to exploit your fear of abandonment and rejection to push you to comply with his demands. Not only does he have the upper hand, but above all he inflicts a deep emotional wound on you.

6) He puts you down

According to psychology, skilled manipulators manage to undermine your self-confidence by making mean and derogatory remarks about your appearance, intelligence, or circumstances. However, you don’t necessarily realize it since their way of doing things is quite sneaky.

For example, he compares you to others and tells you that you are never good enough. Instead of celebrating your successes, he neglects your efforts. He openly criticizes you, but when you point it out to him, he insists he was joking. Instead of encouraging you to progress, it highlights your flaws by suggesting that you are better off in your comfort zone. In short, manipulators easily identify your insecurities and use them against you.

7) He isolates you and distances you from your supporters

When your partner tries to manipulate you, he wants you to be as vulnerable as possible. To achieve this, he will try to cut you off from your loved ones and sources of support so that you become as dependent on him as possible. He will often insist that those around you do not have your best interests at heart, that they do not treat you well enough or will even provoke conflicts so that you distance yourself further from him.

This type of manipulation happens gradually, without you realizing it, with your other half hiding their true intentions and telling you how much they appreciate and need your presence by their side. According to psychology, isolation is one of the first signs of psychological abuse.

Section head Society / Psychology / Couple /

Rights of women and children, violence, feminism, gender, discrimination, parenthood, education, psychology, health, sexuality…. Joséphine loves deciphering all the social issues that drive our world today. She you …