While it might not always feel like it there are people around you who wish to do nothing more than to use you. These people might try their best to come across as caring and loving, but they are nothing of the sort at their cores.
If you have ever been in a relationship with a narcissist or a sociopath, you know exactly what I mean. One minute things are great, but the next you’re falling apart and nothing you can do will be capable of calming this person down. Narcissists and sociopaths are overall inherently abusive, sure some of them might not be as bad as others, but they are all rough to deal with on different levels.
These types of people trap their prey and from there they break them down as best they can. If you are experiencing the following things you’re face to face with one of these two types of people, and you should be running for the hills.
10 Ways Narcissistic People And Sociopaths Trap Those They Wish To Use:
1. They make them out to be nuts.
Gaslighting is one of the more common things narcissists and sociopaths do. They typically do this to gain control. The more they can make you out to be crazy, the more control they can find over your life. If you’re questioning yourself, other people will also be questioning you.
2. They love bomb more than anyone else ever would.
If you ever show them that you’re thinking about leaving or things of that nature, they will love bomb the shit out of you. They do this to draw you back in. They know that if they give you what you want for a little while, you’ll keep putting up with their crap.
3. They use emotional blackmail.
They use your own emotions against you over and over again. The more you try to get free from them, the more they break you down. It’s like everything you say and do is used against you.
“Emotional Blackmail: When the People in Your Life Use Fear, Obligation, and Guilt to Manipulate You” by Susan Forward and Donna Frazier is a crucial book for anyone looking to understand and navigate the complexities of emotional manipulation in relationships.
4. They pretend to change and draw their victims back in.
Because you’re so attached to this person, they will try to trick you when they think they’re losing you. They will make you think they are working on things and trying to change, only to fall back into that toxic cycle. These types of people never change.
5. They break down any and all confidence they find.
Narcissists and sociopaths are all about breaking others down. They want you to feel bad about yourself. The worse you feel the more in control they are of your life, period.
6. They completely isolate their victims.
These types of people love to cut the people they’re using off from those who care for them. This again, gives them more control. How could you ever leave if you have no one to turn to? That’s how they think.
7. They make threats or are physically violent.
Sometimes these types of people are more than just emotionally and psychologically abusive. They will make physical threats an actually become violent in some situations. You should never tolerate this.
8. They play the victim over and over.
Because you always cave, they make you out to be the bad guy over and over. They want you to feel bad for them, and they’re really good at getting exactly that out of you. It might not always seem like it, but this is very toxic.
9. They refuse to show their true colors until their victim is already in over his/her head.
When you first met you were head over heels in love. This person really swept you off of your feet. You never knew what was coming until it hit you right smack dab in the face.
10. They shift blame for every little thing.
The more they can pin on you the more they will pin on you. Nothing is ever their fault. It’s always your fault or the result of something you made them do. This is exhausting.
Understanding the dynamics at play with narcissists and sociopaths is crucial. “Psychopath Free: Recovering from Emotionally Abusive Relationships With Narcissists, Sociopaths, and Other Toxic People” by Jackson MacKenzie offers guidance on healing from these toxic relationships.