8 Situations That Reveal A Manipulator
Image: Shutterstock
Conventionally, infidelity is touted as one of the worst traits a partner can possess in a relationship. However, there are many other such negative traits that exist, and if you ask me, MANIPULATION is by far the worst!
You see, manipulation can often be confused with the manifestation of love. Hence, it might be very hard to draw a line between the two and you’d never quite understand when you’re getting played. Unlike cheating, where it’s all black or white, with manipulation you step into the gray area.
That said, we are here to take your rose-tinted glasses off and help you see the real picture so you can know if you’re being manipulated. Here are eight situations that can help you understand if your partner is a manipulator!
1. They Keep Tabs On Your Location
Even if you go across the street to get a recharge done, your partner insists you call them when you reach or leave, saying that they’re just worried about your safety. Heck, your partner also goes to the extent of keeping the location tracking feature of your phone on to see where you are at all times!
In such a case, you need to think – Is so much tracking really justified? If it’s not, chances are your partner doesn’t trust you and wants to constantly know of your whereabouts so that he can control you.
2. They Use Love As An Excuse To Justify Bad Behavior
This is one of the worst things that your partner can do to you and if that happens, run in the opposite direction! Love is meant to make both of you better people. But some partners, use love as an excuse to be overly rude, aggressive, and even downright dangerous in order to control you! Such kind of bad behavior usually arises of jealousy and can be triggered at any time.
3. They LITERALLY Can’t Live Without You
When your partner makes you the focal point of their lives, you can safely assume they are obsessed with you. This obsession can not only be a source of annoyance but can even get frightening and is the trademark of a classic blackmailer and manipulator. Such a partner can even go to the extent of cutting you off from your friends and family, and never giving you space.
4. They Try To Change You According To Their Taste
When you’re in a relationship, some amount of change is normal. That’s called growth and it happens naturally. However, if your partner constantly nags you about your choices, tastes, and hobbies, and tries to change them, you can be sure you are dealing with a true manipulator. Such a person will get you gifts not keeping your tastes into account, but theirs. They will even try to change the décor of the house to their liking, not giving you any say.
5. They Try To Bind You Within The Household
This might sound crazy but it is a classic sign of a manipulator. The talk of future planning often gives them a chance of manipulating you and making sure that you do what they want you to. For example, if you are career-oriented and don’t want children anytime soon, your partner may try to convince you otherwise, by hook or by crook. They may even force you to compromise. You should know that in such situations, compromising should not be an option.
6. They Flatter You
Since a manipulator always wants your favor, the weapon they resort to in order to get that is flattery. But in cases when flattery is mingled with a direct comparison to others, you can be certain that your partner has a secret ulterior motive. You have to learn to see through these flattering comments, so you can avoid the disagreeable consequences of such compliments.
7. They Treat You Like A Child
Manipulators have the tendency to treat their partner like a child and have a reward and punishment system in place too for that! And that’s not all. To drive home the lesson they want to teach you, they may resort to insulting jokes and act surprised if you get offended. The purpose of babying you is to make you lose confidence in your own strengths, and help you understand that you need a ‘wise’ figure in your life to guide you.
8. They Hold You Guilty For A Fight They Started
Every couple fights. Period. But if your partner puts the blame on your for a fire they started, they’re trying to manipulate you into believing that it is your fault. For example, a manipulator will take the first step to apologize but will do so in such a way that you end up feeling guilty even when you didn’t do anything wrong. Unfortunately, this will keep happening again and again, even when you try to confront them.
Manipulators are extremely vicious and can be very toxic to your mental wellbeing. Hence, it’s important to know if your partner is the manipulative kind so you can nip it in the bud before it gets too late!
