I know a lot of people who weren’t aware they’re in a manipulative and abusive relationship with a narcissist until they left it.
Manipulative people are always one step ahead of you. These tricksters are known as the masters of deception.
You could try to understand their world, you could try to decipher their actions, you could try to penetrate their thoughts in an attempt to control them, but it is most likely that in the end you’ll end up manipulated yourself.
The thing is, these people do not follow the same values and societal rules as us, instead, they develop a particular set of mad skills and employ ridiculously effective tactics that have the power to distort the reality you are familiar with and make you completely blind to the truth out there.
Here are 8 effective and wicked diversion tactics manipulators use to hunt you down:
1. GASLIGHTING
Gaslighting is a form of mental manipulation where the perpetrator uses different kind of psychological and emotional methods in order to intimidate the victim, convince them they’re going insane, or in other words turn the victims against their own minds. By depriving people from their ability to make a clear judgment and distorting their reality manipulators get closer and closer to their desired goal.
2. PROJECTION
This is the most effective method manipulators use to skillfully avoid taking responsibility for their actions. Projection is a way of putting the emphasis on another person and making up a negative aspect of their life in order to avoid taking the blame for their wrongdoings.
For example, a cheating husband would rather call her wife clingy and crazy instead of admitting and apologizing for his affair.
3. FRUSTRATING AND PERPLEXING CONVERSATIONS
Beware the masters of deception. They use their words like bullets and they’ll do anything to get you far away from the truth. Especially if they see that you are challenging them. A manipulator will do anything to confuse you and frustrate you until you finally give in and fall into their trap.
4. IGNORING THE SUBJECT
Don’t be surprised when a narcissist heartlessly changes the subject you were so passionate about. They simply cannot stand to live in the shadow. But, try to face them about a certain thing they did, and they will get back to you armed with offensive insults and brutal lies. That’s how self-centered they are.
5. OFFENSIVE HUMOR AND WICKED COMMENTS DISGUISED AS JOKES
Is there anything crueler than offensive humor?
This method is what manipulators often use to belittle the victims. At first, it may look silly, innocent and naïve, but after a while, that innocent humor escalates and it gets more personal. And when it gets personal, it strikes without warning.
Their targets are usually insecure people who can be easily influenced and controlled.
6. LOVE-BOMBING AND DEVALUATION
Manipulators will shower you with attention, affection and incredible adoration. But, that’s all just a game to get you hooked on. Once they have you in their web of lies, it’s just a matter of time until they start abusing you.
7. A DANGEROUS LOVE TRIANGLE
Adding a third person in the relationship that suddenly agrees with them is maybe the most convenient trick up their sleeve, don’t you think?
Manipulators usually use people from their close circles to validate their abusive behavior and convince the victim of their unreasonable accusations. By making the victims question their own sanity they gain absolute power and freedom to continue with their abuse.
8. ABSOLUTE CONTROL
At the end of the day, whether it’s in the form of an offensive joke, a brutal insult, manipulation, devaluation, belittling, gaslighting or projection, their ultimate goal is to gain absolute control over their victims.
Image: Kit Carruthers
