Instead, it can be a form of psychological aggression, with behaviors often associated withintimate partner violence.
Manipulative behavior can serve other purposes.
For instance, control and manipulation can help the manipulator by sowing doubt and confusion.
PixelsEffect / Getty Images
It can help them to avoid responsibility or conflict by blame-shifting or playing the victim.
It’s important to recognize that emotional manipulation is abusive.
Understanding tactics like the ones listed here can help you to spot them.
Consulting a trusted individual or professional can help you to assess the situation.
They may recommend approaches for specific situations:
Your approach with friends can be similar.
Knowing how to identify them can help.
2021;21:934945. doi:10.1002/capr.12409
NOCD.How can I tell if Im a manipulator?
Ferreiros L, Clemente M.Dark personality and intimate partner relationships in young adults.Acta Psychol (Amst).
2022 May;225:103549. doi:10.1016/j.actpsy.2022.103549
Newport Healthcare.Identifying Manipulative Behavior in Your Teen.
2022;13:1095318. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1095318.
2019;14(3):e0213276.
Day NJS, Townsend ML, Grenyer BFS.Living with pathological narcissism: a qualitative study.Borderline Personal Disord Emot Dysregul.
2020;7(1):19. doi:10.1186/s40479-020-00132-8
National Domestic Violence Hotline.What is emotional abuse?
Sweet PL.The sociology of gaslighting.Am Sociol Rev.
2019;207(10):820-825. doi:10.1097/NMD.0000000000001044.
2023;38(1):39-50. doi:10.1007/s10896-021-00355-5.
Stark E, Hester M.Coercive control: Update and review.Violence Against Women.
2019;25(1):81-104. doi:10.1177/1077801218816191.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About Intimate Partner Violence.
2017;1(6):317-26.
Weinberg I, Ronningstam E, Ravichandran C, Gunderson JG.Can Patients With Narcissistic Personality Disorder Change?
A Case Series.J Nerv Ment Dis.
