13 manipulation strategies Narcissists use relationships based on manipulation. Are abusive and harmful. It can even be the worst thing that ever happens to a person. Most people who experience this kind of abuse don’t realize they’re being manipulated. Those who should love them the most are often the least likely to suspect that they are actually using psychological control strategies. These family members, instead of bringing joy, and bolstering success, become roadblocks. So, how should we handle these kinds of relationships?
There is no sugar-coating the fact that a narcissist is extremely difficult to influence. In most cases, leaving is the wisest course of action. Having a narcissist in your life is already challenging, but it’s exponentially more so when that person is a parent, relative spouse, or other significant figure in your life. By understanding their manipulation techniques, you can take preventative measures and come out on top. here are 13 manipulation strategies narcissists use.
1. Enmeshment
Narcissists have no problem stepping over boundaries, and eventually, this callous attitude can become manipulative. When there is a lack of clarity between two people in a relationship, it is said to involve enmeshment. Manipulators have no regard for your uniqueness or your needs, so they will say or do whatever they please, whether it be directly to you or behind your back. Even protesting and appealing to morality won’t change anything. This can happen insidiously, wreaking havoc gradually until it’s too late to do anything about it. Enmeshment prevents you from expressing your feelings, seeking help from others, and setting appropriate limits with them. Because of this, it’s more challenging to make improvements in one’s life or the lives of those one cares about.
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2. Deflection diversion and evasion
This is a common strategy employed by narcissists to avoid having to admit wrongdoing or admit Any Lies they may have told. They might try to shift the focus back to you, changing the subject, or simply not answering the question directly by saying something irrelevant. It is the narcissist’s intention to cause chaos and divert the target’s attention. Because of this, they can avoid having to account for their actions.
3. Amplification
When it comes to their personal connections, narcissists tend to play up the negatives and ignore the positives. Your successes will go unrecognized and unheralded, while your failures and errors will be described in excruciating detail. The point is to make you feel small so the narcissist can feel important again. Finding success is more difficult when you are emotionally and physically spent.
4. Emotional blocks
Narcissists or manipulators who will play on your feelings. When you express your displeasure with something they did, they shift the conversation away from their actions and onto your feelings. When you speak up against the way they treat you, they will insult you, and may even try to hurt you physically. Over time, this manipulative strategy will make you unable to express your true feelings. By doing so, the narcissist can avoid responsibility while keeping the Power.
5. Shaming
Most manipulators are aware of how powerful shame can be as a weapon. Because of this, they find humiliation to be immensely satisfying. They like to use their favorite insults in front of an audience, and these are the ones that most often highlight disgust, contempt, or disappointment. The point is to make you feel stupid and inadequate so that you’ll give in. If you let yourself be persuaded by this strategy, you risk getting mired in a never-ending cycle of negative emotions, and thoughts.
6. Infantilize
This is yet another manipulative technique. Narcissists will dismiss your emotional or psychological development and instead focus on your ignorance, and inexperience. Their attempt to have you see yourself as a child will have the same effect on you as it does on them; a lower status in society and no longer being able to make your own choices. This ensures that the manipulator keeps all the power.
7. Rationalization
When a narcissist can’t change the consequences of their actions, they’ll make excuses for them. Most of the time, the justifications and excuses they offer are based on bogus premises. These justifications are usually full of lies, but people tend to believe them and see their side as understandable or even acceptable, especially if they are spread behind your back.
It’s also likely that the manipulator’s story will shift depending on the person they’re speaking with. The point is to get away from mockery. The narcissist wants you to stop worrying about them so they can continue acting self-righteous. They aim to make you feel incompetent clueless, or unable to comprehend what they are saying.
8. Triangulation
If you’re being triangulated against, the manipulator isn’t communicating with you on purpose but that is turning the rest of your group against you. Depending on the circumstances, this kind of bullying can come in many different forms, but it always involves gaslighting or something subtle that sets you against others. Even if you have some idea, that knowledge may not be complete. The plan is to use internal strife to gain control of the situation. The manipulator gains power once you’ve been cut off from your safety net.
10. Hidden abuse
Abusive behavior is often disguised by narcissists. Insults will be recast as suggestions for improvement or constructive criticism. The person trying to manipulate you might make it seem like they have your best interests at heart. When the narcissists or their minions, who share their low opinion of you, give you “advice” it’s possible that they’ll criticize or be disappointed in you. This is an aggressive form of manipulation designed to lower the other person’s self-esteem. The Narcissist has the ability to manipulate you while simultaneously hiding their destructive behavior.
11. Designed to fail
Narcissists take pleasure in creating difficult circumstances for their victims. For this reason, they always ensure that their targets will fall short of their expectations. The target of their manipulation is then made the scapegoat for their failure. Subtly sabotaging or otherwise undermining an otherwise attainable goal is a common method of using this manipulation strategy. It’s possible that narcissists do this to project their own feelings of inadequacy onto their victims.
12. Vilification
You’ll come across as defensive while shifting the focus away from yourself and onto the narcissist. When you speak up about the manipulator’s behavior or your own needs and boundaries, they may respond by falsely accusing you of being the abuser. This may sound familiar it’s called gaslighting. Finally, you’ll start to doubt your beliefs and feelings. Vilification is meant to make you feel bad about yourself by making you believe you did something wrong before you have all the facts.
13. Playing the victim
Narcissists enjoy playing the victim even though they are the ones who cause harm to others. They’ll blame external cause causes or other people for their problems to justify their actions or attract sympathy. The use of the phrase “had no other option” or a consistent pattern of complaining or telltale signs of this strategy. The person they are manipulating may also accuse them of being the manipulator. Narcissists act this way because they crave the attention and concern of those around them. This allows them to avoid accountability while winning over additional gullible victims. the ultimate goal of a narcissist is control.
Victims’ autonomy, sense of self, and social standing are all harmed by these manipulative strategies. When their victim’s defenses are down, manipulators have complete control. Almost everyone exhibits at least one of these behaviors at some point, despite their potential significance as indicators of antisocial traits indicative of personality disorders. Identifying patterns is the key to understanding the signs of an unhealthy relationship with a manipulative person.
It may take years to recognize the subtle patterns of abuse, especially if you have a history of abuse or are an especially forgiving person because many of these tactics are covert. Knowing and identifying these tactics can make it harder for a narcissist to use them on you. I am grateful to you if you have persisted to this point.
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