 Many horror stories exist out there that stem from one common cause, manipulation. Even the word has a scary, slimy tone to it. But have no fear, Psych2Goer. There are measures you can take to protect yourself. Here are 10 signs you're being manipulated. Number 1. They constantly make you prove yourself. They never respect your boundaries and always ask for your love and attention. They are usually impatient, demanding, and selfish. You often overextend yourself because you fear upsetting or letting them down. They never let you off the hook and guilt-trip you into doing things for them, even if it's inconvenient for your schedule. Two. They communicate passive-aggressively. Manipulators are rarely ever direct with their sly and cunning behavior. They prefer to communicate passive-aggressively and won't hesitate to talk about you behind your back. This protects their good guy or good girl image. If they also turn to a middleman to communicate for them, this shows they are afraid to confront you personally. Manipulators desire control, which means they have a hard time facing their fears because it means letting go. Three. They gaslight you. Gaslighting is a manipulative technique that makes you feel like you can't rely on your own memory anymore. When someone gaslights you, they will pretend like they didn't say something that hurt you in the past. They will often twist the truth and reinvent it, which makes you question your sanity. Gaslighting isn't just manipulative, it's a form of serious abuse that is dangerous. To learn more about it, check out our video Ten Gaslighting Signs in an Abusive Relationship. Four. They're always just joking. It might seem harmless at first, but manipulators can take their jokes too far that end up hurting you. When you stand up for yourself and confront them about it, they will try to brush it off and tell you that you're being too sensitive. Manipulators won't mind embarrassing you in public either. This gives them an audience and their experts at getting others to laugh at you with their jokes. When you tell them to cut it out, they'll tell you that you're either making a scene or being a party pooper. Five. They play the victim card. When the two of you fight, manipulators will always make you feel like it's your fault. They try to play the innocent victim who is badly hurt by your words and actions. Manipulators are experts at looking like helpless small creatures. They never believe they've done anything wrong. As a result, you find yourself apologizing all the time because they avoid taking responsibility for their own mistakes. Six. They kill you with kindness. Manipulators will try to be the nice guy or nice girl and do favors for you that make you feel pressured to return them. On the surface, they will buy you gifts or give you compliments. But then, the next time you guys hang out, they might hint at wanting an expensive watch that's out of their budget. In reality, they were only kind to you because they had other motives. Seven. They make your problems feel small. Manipulators always want the spotlight. If you ever complain about a bad day you're having or all the difficult situations you're going through, they will play the comparison game and minimize them by talking about their problems. For instance, if you complain about a sunburn you got, they might talk about the aches and pains they got from exercising. Manipulators do everything they can to get the attention they want, even if it means buying your pity. Eight. They emphasize their calm, cool, and collected side. If you express your anger and frustrations openly, manipulators might keep calm just to make you feel like you're overreacting. This technique makes them feel superior over you because they know you look like you're being dramatic while they stay cool and detached. They will be dismissive of your emotions and often refuse to talk to you until you've sorted your feelings out. Nine. They use emotional blackmail. If they tell you that they will die or harm themselves if you leave or break up with them, then they are trying to gain control by threatening to hurt themselves. This leaves you in a highly uncomfortable and unfair position where you feel obligated to stay against your own will. Not only is this toxic, but it risks their own health on the line. It's best to contact the police before things get out of hand. Ten. They take advantage of your trusting and sensitive nature. Manipulators often target insecure, sensitive, and overly trusting individuals. If you're usually told by others that you're too nice or tend to wear your heart on your sleeve, take precaution and keep your vulnerability at bay. Manipulators are skillful at spotting people pleasers who often put their needs on hold to take care of others first. Initially, it might seem like they care about you when they give you attention, but later down the road, they'll start to use you for their own benefits. It's their subtle way of luring you into their trap, so watch out. Do you think you're being manipulated? Please share your thoughts with us below. Also, don't forget to subscribe for more content from Psych2Go and check out our Patreon. Thanks for watching!