8 Signs Of Emotional Manipulation + What To Do About It

Remember that time your friend was dating that person you absolutely hated? You could see from a mile away that this partner was manipulative and conniving, but there was no convincing your bestie. Rather than heed your advice, your pal quickly reminded you of the skeletons in your closet by pointing out all the times you were totally enamored with absolute jerks.

The reality is that it is very easy to spot emotional manipulation when it happens to people you love, but professionals say it is hard to spot the puppetmaster pulling your own strings. We spoke with licensed psychologist Kate Balestrieri, Ph.D., CST, and mental health counselor Destiny McCoy, LMSW, about the different types of manipulation that exist, telltale signs to confirm it’s happening to you, and solutions to curb manipulation in relationships.

In the context of relationships, manipulation refers to actions taken by a person to try to control others, usually in a deceptive or harmful way. Psychological manipulation involves pressure to change behaviors or beliefs by applying deceptive or distorted tactics. Emotional manipulation uses those same tactics to trigger intense emotional reactions deliberately meant to drain another person’s energy or to destabilize their emotional well-being.

Psychologists say the root cause of manipulative behavior can often be toxic cycles of violence, narcissism, or unhealthy relationships in the manipulator’s own childhood.

Manipulation can happen in any relational context, Balestrieri says, including family, friends, professional, romantic, or sexual relationships.

Manipulation has many facets, but Balestrieri says one of the most important is gaslighting, which is a conversational tactic designed to “separate you from your gut instinct or logical appraisals of the world.”

McCoy says that if you’re feeling yourself questioning your integrity or “sanity,” that’s a sign that something’s wrong and manipulation may be occurring. 

“When you doubt your reality, it makes it easier for a manipulator to convince and persuade you to align with their vision,” Balestrieri continues. “The sole purpose of gaslighting is to separate someone from their own reality and elicit doubt in their minds, or the minds of others, so that the person who is gaslighting can get away with something or retain the upper hand when it comes to the perceived control of others.” 

Manipulation in romantic relationships often involves facilitating an intense, passionate connection that lays the groundwork for trying to maintain control.

“Love bombing, chaos, and intensity are frequent and foundational elements, necessary for successful manipulation,” Balestrieri explains. “Keeping relational partners confused and disoriented and distracted by fantasies of what is to come or the good times that have happened is a common tactic employed by manipulative and abusive partners.”

“If someone is being manipulated, they may begin to feel uncertainty, fear, or confusion,” McCoy says.

Many victims may dismiss manipulation signs as the normal give and take in a relationship, but McCoy says you can tell the difference between healthy compromise and unhealthy manipulation by whether there’s fear involved. “With compromise, there won't be the thought ‘If I don't do what that person says they are going to leave me or hurt me,’” she says.

If that fear crosses your mind or you feel it in your gut, then chances are you’re being manipulated.

“Listening to your gut instinct is essential in assessing manipulation,” Balestrieri explains. “The enteric nervous system, part of the Autonomic Nervous System, lives in our intestines and gut and is responsible for discerning sensory cues and transmitting that information to the brain. Their efforts together are designed to appraise threat, and often this happens outside of our conscious awareness, which we notice as a ‘gut feeling.’” 

The goal of manipulation is to maintain control over you, and making you feel bad about yourself can be one way manipulators exert their power over you and keep you complacent. “They use your weakness against you,” Balestrieri explains. “When you are vulnerable, they weaponize your fears and insecurities to feel superior.”

If you have no one else to turn to, it’s easier for the manipulator to control you. That’s why attempts at isolation or extreme codependence can be a sign of manipulation. “They attempt to isolate you (physically, socially, and financially) and try to engender dependence on them,” Balestrieri explains. “Limiting your resources and outside influences gives them control.” 

Comparing you to others can be a form of manipulation, according to Balestrieri. "Manipulative people thrive on the idea that people will compete for them,” she explains. “Constant comparison to others can be a form of manipulation, as it is designed to evoke feelings of inadequacy and competition.” 

Balestrieri cautions that it’s not just the bad traits we need to keep an eye out for. “Watch for ingratiating behaviors or other attempts to be seen in a favorable light, as this is often a deliberate attempt to drive more isolation between the victim and their support system by creating the illusion of doubt.” She offers an example: “The first person to write ‘Happy birthday!’ on your grandmother’s social media page can’t be a manipulative or abusive person, right? Wrong! Impression management is a daily endeavor for the manipulator, who works hard to make others like them as a shield.” 

She says manipulators may reach out to loved ones or close friends without telling their partner. If it were a positive gesture, it would end in more fun outings or a wider social circle for both partners in the couple. Instead, it’s manipulation when those side conversations put up a smoke screen, increase in-fighting, or worsen isolation. In such cases, the victim’s family and friends may be unwitting pawns in a psychological game the manipulator is trying to win. 

While manipulation tactics are similar in every setting, there is no one-size-fits all approach to what it might look like in a romantic relationship. Sometimes it comes on quickly as control and intimidation, but other times partners notice an asymmetrical combo of lies, guilt trips, omissions, denials, rationalizations, or passive aggression strung together over time. There’s certainly a broad spectrum of experiences.

Selective manipulation can center on one recurring issue, and it can be annoying but innocuous. For example: one partner conveniently dodges the housework, or they always work late on the nights your parents come over. These issues can be addressed by communication and boundary setting, but what you really want to look out for is the toxic manipulation that can lead to abuse. If a romantic partner demands secrecy, has unpredictable mood swings, and downplays others’ distress, these manipulative behaviors may lead to abuse. 

RELATED: Gaslighting Parents: 27 Signs, Examples & Phrases They Use

Define the limits of what are acceptable behaviors toward you and declare the kinds of treatment you will not tolerate.“Creating a firm boundary plan is essential in any relationship, but especially one in which the other person pushes your boundaries regularly,” says Balestrieri. “Be sure to only set boundaries you are willing to sustain. Otherwise you are simply teaching an abusive person that all they need to do is push harder to get their way.”

To know what your boundaries should be, McCoy recommends reflecting on your previous experiences throughout the current relationship and from your previous ones. “Identify what you want and need. Then advocate for yourself.”  

If your partner is willing to respect your boundaries and meet you from a place of mutual respect and compromise, the relationship can potentially move forward, so long as you both avoid repeating toxic behaviors that will trigger old patterns. But McCoy warns: “If there is an unwillingness on your partner's behalf, then you may begin to start reimagining your life outside of the relationship.”

You should leave any situation that causes you danger or harm.

“Sometimes an effective boundary plan and adjusted expectations for the relationship can help make the decision to stay in it manageable and pleasurable,” says Balestrieri. “However, if the other person continuously bulldozes your boundaries, deflects, lies, obfuscates and is otherwise incongruent in their walk and talk, going no-contact may be a useful strategy. Working with a trauma-informed therapist can help you make the decision that is right for you.”

Here’s our full guide on how to leave an abusive relationship safely. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence also has an exhaustive online list of resources to help individuals and families manage a safe start on the road to reclaiming their lives as survivors.

Is manipulation a common theme in your relationships? If so, McCoy recommends doing some reflection to figure out what’s going on.

“Explore past relationships and even revisit childhood and adolescent relationships,” McCoy suggests. “Were there behaviors, including manipulation, that might have seemed normal or prosocial growing up but looking back you now realize that behavior was anything but normal?”

She says those same manipulative behaviors and patterns from your past can follow you into your adult relationships.

If patterns of victimization are identified, it is important to invest in your own mental health and self-care, so that you’ll be resilient and resolute in addressing permissive behaviors in the manipulative relationship. In such a situation, it is worthwhile to seek a licensed professional for individual counselling.

Seeking help can come in the form of a licensed and trained clinical social worker, therapist, psychologist, psychotherapist, and/or psychiatrist. Don’t allow shame or fear to keep you away from the skilled professional who can guide you to resolution.

With the help of a pro, you (and potentially your partner, if they’re willing to do the work with you) can learn new communication tools--like using open-ended questions and non-blaming language—to improve two-way dialogue and to instill a culture of respect for each other’s ideas.

Reconnect with a support system outside of the manipulator. Refuse to be emotionally isolated again. Envelope yourself in stable and loving relationships with family and friends. If they too have been bought into the positive image of your partner, consider reconnecting with old friends who haven’t yet met your partner. Or make new ones by taking up a hobby or sport that will allow you to interact with a different circle of people. The healthier the hobby, the better. Think, Zumba class or hiking group over mixology course or bar hopping. Physical activity that engages with nature will help you reconnect with your intuition and release pent up emotional stress. 

“When someone you care about mistreats you, it doesn’t make sense and can feel extremely confusing,” Balestrieri says. “Many people are socialized to be kind in the face of conflict, and as such they avoid conflict or indirectly try to get their needs met.”

Stay true to your gut. Decide which course of action is best for your physical, emotional, and psychological health, whether that means advocating yourself in the relationship or walking away. Know that love and mind games do not go well together. Go boldly toward happiness.