7 tricks of a manipulative person you need to watch out for

Manipulative people attempt to be subtle, but spotting them is relatively easy if you know what to look for. People who intend to manipulate will find any weaknesses and attempt to exploit them. Manipulative people have an uncanny way of making us believe that they are charming, supportive, and kind until they are not. By that time, we are caught up in their web of subtle deceit, mind games, and control. Extricating yourself from a relationship with a manipulative person can be excruciating, especially if you attempt to be gracious and mature about it. You will simply not be met with anything but more manipulation and attempts to exploit your kindness.

Here are 7 tactics of manipulative people you need to watch out for:

1. They hone in on your weaknesses.

Manipulative people look out for your weakness and your insecurities. They are keen observers of your behavior and will ask probing questions to uncover any dark secrets or flaws you might possess. They might also cozy up to you because you are sensitive and generous which are qualities they know they can twist for their own purposes. Manipulative people view your kind heart as a weakness, not a positive character trait.

2. They exploit your weaknesses and your generosity.

Manipulative people will use your weaknesses to bend you to their will. They might covertly threaten to blackmail you by intimating that they possess embarrassing information about you. They are masters at using your insecurities as a tool to force you to give up some part of yourself to serve their own interests. Knowing how kind and generous you are, a manipulator will ask too much of you and take advantage of your time and resources.

3. They use guilt trips.

One of the favorite tactics of a controlling manipulator is the guilt trip. This tactic works especially well on people who are insecure or people pleasers, and the manipulator often seeks out this type of person because he or she knows they are easy prey. Manipulators like to divert responsibility away from themselves, and they take a weird pleasure in making others feel bad or uncomfortable.

4. They play the victim.

Guilt trips are just one of the many ways a manipulator will play the victim. A manipulator will do this not only to get his or her way, but also to gain attention. Most of these manipulative people learn very early in life that if they act helpless, wounded, and incapable, they can get others to step up and take action.

5. They bend the truth.

Manipulative people are masters at half truths. They will twist their own words to lend an element of doubt or confusion to a situation. They will leave out important information, or pretend they meant one thing when they said another. “ A good manipulator knows how to cover their tracks and confuse their language to the extent that you begin to doubt yourself.

6. They blame others.

Part of a manipulator’s victim game is blaming other people for any problems, failures, or moral lapses. The manipulator can masterfully point the finger at anyone but themselves, even when it’s painfully obvious who is at fault. Even when they are caught red-handed doing or saying something wrong or inappropriate, there’s always someone else who made them do or say it. Manipulators will take credit for everything that goes right in their lives or around them, but they refuse to take any responsibility when things go wrong.

7. They lack boundaries.

Manipulative people do not respect your boundaries. As long as they do not meet much resistance, they will continue to say and do things that cross the line. Sometimes they cross the line even when you ask them to stop. They may take up too much of your time, insert themselves into your life inappropriately, and do many other things that are out of line with your values and personal limits.