The Application Of Psychological Manipulation Techniques

They can be found everywhere. It could be your boss, your neighbor, a colleague, a distant or close relative or even a friend. We are talking about people who are masters of psychological manipulation techniques and of using them to confuse us.

Even though they are around us, it is not always easy to spot these people. Their characteristics and personality traits are not obvious. They show no obvious signs that they are a narcissist or sociopath. So, how can we avoid them?

Why am I a victim of these psychological manipulation techniques?

These people live off the pain of others. Therefore, it is not you who is weak, vulnerable or special, but instead you are just another one of their victims.

We have all experienced guilt or mistrust after we have been in certain situations. And the worst part is that we feel it without knowing how or why. But the fact is that the consequences hit us, undermine our morals, complicate our lives and increase our insecurity. How do they use these psychological manipulation techniques against us without us realizing it?

Psychological manipulation techniques

In general, there are many kinds of manipulative people, sociopaths, narcissists, liars or so-called psychological vampires. And revealing them is more practical than theoretical. So if you have been a victim of one of them at some point, it will be easier for you to anticipate and reveal them.

The goals of manipulative people can be seen very clearly and they follow a certain pattern. Some of these psychological manipulation techniques include:

• Remove your willpower:  Trying to make you doubt so that you can remain under the ‘protection’ of the manipulator.

• Destroy your self-esteem:  Eliminate everything you do or have done. They are not constructive in their criticism; they only try to highlight defects.

• Passive-aggressive revenge:  They punish you by ignoring you. When you need them, they push you aside. Even if you ask them something, they will not talk to you.

• Distortion of reality:  They take pleasure in confusing people and creates arguments and misunderstandings between others. After creating a rift, they stay on the sidelines, enjoying watching other people discuss.

Learn to avoid being exposed to psychological manipulation techniques

Manipulation can create a deep impression in all of us. Therefore, it is necessary for us to know more about the most commonly used psychological manipulation techniques. The goal is to learn to anticipate their actions and not become one of their puppets.

These people often laugh at our opinions, accuse us of something or make us guilty, interrogate us, do not do what does not interest them, try to create self-pity, deny the truth… All these things are necessary to control the situation. But what psychological manipulation techniques do they use to achieve it?

Gaslighting

Gaslighting is one of the most insidious psychological manipulation techniques. ‘It never happened’, ‘It’s something you imagine’ or ‘Are you crazy?’ are common things they say to distort and confuse your perception of reality so that you believe in something that has not happened.

It gives victims a sense of anxiety and confusion  to such an extent that they completely stop trusting themselves, their own memory and judgment.

Projection

The manipulator transfers his negative traits or responsibility for his behavior to another person. Narcissists and psychopaths use it constantly, confirming that the evil that surrounds them is not their fault, but the fault of others.

Meaningless conversations

Ten minutes of conversation. Then you will surely leave the conversation. Manipulators talk nonsense, give illogical explanations, create smoke screens, etc.

They talk in monologues and try to surround you with their talk. A good advice? Make it short for your own sake. If you can walk after 5 minutes, it’s better for you. Your mind will thank you.

Generalizations and disqualifications

They speak in general, vague statements. They may seem intellectual, but in reality they are vague. Their conclusions are far too general. Their goal is to reject you and override your views.

For example, they may say, “You’ll always be right,” “Everything annoys you,” or “You never agree with me.” Just keep calm. You can give them sarcasm with a simple “thank you” or ignore them with a resounding “I think you’re a little sorry we’ll talk later”.

The absurd

Remember that manipulators try to undermine your morals and make you doubt what you believe. They may put words in your mouth that you have not said. They will make you believe that they have the ability to read your thoughts. But no, those are just tricks. You can tell them they have a right to their opinion, but you stand by yours. You can also answer their blackmail with a concise sentence and reject them.

The important thing is that you move your self-esteem away from their power. They want to throw your self-esteem on the ground, in order to control you. When you are weak, the task is much easier for them.

Good-natured costume

‘Yes, but…’ If you just bought a house, they will tell you how unfortunate it is that you do not have another at the beach. Or if you look incredibly elegant, they will still criticize your appearance.

But it should not affect you. You know your worth! Your achievements and virtues are worth more than their manipulation techniques. Do not make them credible and be with people who spend more time highlighting what is right and encourage you with constructive criticism, not destructive comments.

Resist their attacks

When you oppose a manipulator, it is most normal for their anger to increase rapidly, especially if you do not follow their rules of the game. Their tolerance level is usually not very high. It is possible that they will start insulting you and speaking disparagingly of you.

These are the most subtle and frequent psychological manipulation techniques that people use to humiliate you. Control your emotions and keep your head cool. This is the only way to escape their control. If you do not succumb, they will start to get bored and end up looking for another victim. Life will always be better, far away from toxic people.