I am sure many of you are familiar with the various dating techniques out there, such as ghosting (when someone suddenly “disappears” from someone’s life and cuts all communication with them) or benching (when someone keeps you at their disposal to escape feeling totally alone and yet they refuse to commit to you in a real way).
I am also sure that you are sick of them. These dating games can be extremely dangerous when it comes to matters of love. Someone can really break your heart and leave you in the dark if you don’t see their game from the beginning.
There is one particular new game in the dating world that is probably the most dangerous and the most manipulative of all, and that is ‘love bombing.’
‘Love bombing’ is a manipulative, seductive technique where someone lavishes another person with ‘love bombs’ that come in the form of extreme attention, love, gifts etc. to make the other person feel like they’ve finally met the love of their life, their destined person only to find later on that it was all just an act.
This tactic happens in romances where one person tries to influence the other with false attention, affection, promises and plans for the future. As a result, things move on very quickly in the relationship which makes the victims become infatuated very quickly and thus removing any lingering feelings of doubt about the relationship.
The victim is unable to see that they are being manipulated because of the constant attention they get from the predator, through calls, texts, and meetings. The victim becomes even co-dependent on them. And the worst thing is that the person who uses this tactic is most often a sociopath or a narcissist.
This “honeymoon” phase, however, doesn’t last long. As soon as the victim shows weakness and starts putting their partner on a pedestal and prioritizing their partner’s needs over their own – it is all over. The predator is done with the victim and they are moving to the next one.
However, bear in mind that ‘love bombing’ can not be a bad and manipulative thing when there is a person whose actions match their words. If their feelings are genuine then it is not ‘love bombing.’
On the other hand, if there is a noticeable and abrupt shift from loving and affection to angry and controlling – then it is a clear red flag.
Finally, you should remember that an abuse is an abuse no matter in which shape comes from. When one person manipulates another by exploiting their insecurities and weaknesses it is an abuse and everyone should stay away from a partner like that.
I hope that this article resonated with you.
Take care.
