12 signs to recognize an ungrateful person

It is true that you do not need to be thanked every moment. But what you do expect from someone you help, support or show affection to is respect and some reciprocity. Perhaps that is why it is necessary to know how to recognize an ungrateful person, that figure who combines selfishness with a lack of empathy. That way, you would avoid more than one uncomfortable disappointment.

In general, Behavioral ingratitude hides behind the inability to recognize the value of things. They are hearts barren of appreciation and very skillful when it comes to taking advantage of the kindness of others. They love to ask for favors that they never return and that they appreciate even less. If you are interested in detecting this type of presence, below we give you all the keys.

How to recognize an ungrateful person

Human Development points out in a work that Ingratitude has always been a dimension somewhat neglected by science. It is seen as the opposite of gratitude and a dynamic that disrupts the bonds that hold society together. Indeed, you will agree that its impact on an interpersonal level is enormous and exhausting.

An ungrateful person is someone without emotional intelligence skills. and unable to connect deeply with others. Because gratitude is nourished by appreciation. If this last sphere is not present, they will rarely give you back what you offer or recognize every effort made. Next, we detail what these types of men and women are like.

1. They do not recognize or appreciate your efforts or sacrifices

Did you leave the house in a hurry because that person needed your help? Did you sacrifice time with your loved ones to attend to one of their emergencies? Do you dedicate hours, efforts and even your mental health to someone who does not appreciate everything you have done? The ungrateful personality presents great blindness to the emotional investment of others.

Not only do they not thank you, but They assume that your role is that: to be there for whatever they need. They are figures who do not know what other people’s appreciation is and who never exercise that word called “reciprocity.”

2. They always ask you for favors

When recognizing an ungrateful person, pay attention to their demands. There are those who are addicted to asking you for favors on a daily basis. They normalize and assume that they are your priority and you will have deference with them. They lack filters and measurement, no matter the time or moment. There is always something they urgently need and that only you can solve.

3. At first they are very friendly

There are profiles with great skills for lying and manipulation. In fact, It is common for ungrateful people to deceive you first with their false kindness. These behaviors, dominated at first by said deference, are nothing more than a decoy. This is an attempt to gain your trust so that you will give in to their demands.

After time, they will remove the mask and act according to their essence: with selfishness and ingratitude. But first they will make you believe that they are trustworthy people and this sudden change, of course, is experienced in a painful way. Realizing that you fell into this trap is frustrating.

4. Low emotional intelligence

We described it to you a little above. When recognizing an ungrateful person, you have to look at their emotional abilities. What’s more, research published in the Journal of Health Psychology indicates that gratitude mediates one’s own emotional intelligence; so it is common to observe the following in them:

Low empathy. They poorly regulate their emotions. They do not know how to resolve conflicts. Their communication is not very skillful. They get angry more easily. They usually act impulsively. They do not realize your needs.

5. They can’t tolerate being told “no”

When recognizing an ungrateful person, look at their reactions. Generally, they are men and women who were raised without values ​​and without setting limits. In addition, they are used to having what they want and get instantly frustrated when someone refuses them. This will make If at any time you refuse to do them a favor, they will angrily tell you that you are selfish.

6. They have a deep sense of entitlement

Do you know a person who assumes they are above the rest and can have anything they want? Indeed, There are those who feel that their rights are more important and urgent. This gives them carte blanche to ask for whatever they want and not thank them for anything. They take for granted that the rest will do whatever it takes for them and that it is the usual thing to do because of who they are. Often, behind this pattern of behavior is narcissism.

7. They lack personal responsibility

Ungrateful people are incapable of acting ethically and maturely because they do not know how to exercise personal responsibility. They are not aware that their actions have consequences. Instead, when something goes wrong or someone opposes their demands, they react with anger and discomfort because the world is not how they want and desire.

8. More independent, but less satisfied

This information will seem striking and curious to you. According to the magazine Cognition & Emotion, greater autonomy is related to less grateful behavior. It can be said, therefore, that Those figures with a lower capacity to show you reciprocity or gratitude tend more towards relational independence.

Now, there is another characteristic nuance and it is the fact that They are individuals who never feel satisfied. Typically, you will see this through the following behaviors:

They victimize themselves persistently. They are people who tend to constantly complain. Trying to please them is frustrating and exhausting. No matter how hard you try, you will never see them happy. They make you believe that you neglect them or do not pay attention to them. They always find fault with what you do for them.

9. They have frequent emotional ups and downs

When recognizing an ungrateful person, look at their changes. As we mentioned, they lack emotional intelligence. This causes them to not know how to regulate their negative emotions and to let themselves get carried away by them. There will be days when they show you joy and positivity and, after a while, they become hostile.

This changing dynamic in their way of being will make you say the following to yourself: “since he/she is in low spirits today, he/she cannot thank me for what I did for him/her yesterday.” However, little by little, you will discover that this characteristic is a constant. They jump from one emotional state to another and you are always the victim who bears their effects.

10. Lack of empathy and selfishness

If there are people you deserve in your life, they are those skilled in reciprocity, interpersonal appreciation, and empathy. Furthermore, as highlighted in the Journal of Patient Experience, this last dimension is key to promoting prosocial behavior; just the opposite of what the ungrateful profile practices.

Thus, A distinctive characteristic of the ungrateful person is a lack of empathy coupled with persistent selfishness. Only their needs matter, yours neither exist nor will they be taken into account if you express them.

11. They are manipulative presences

At this point you probably already sense the presence of manipulation. That’s how it is, The ungrateful profile does not hesitate to take advantage of your good will and use it for their own benefit, without showing any respect. You may not realize their intentions at first, but little by little they will manifest and you will discover their selfishness.

12. Hostility as a response

It is possible that, throughout your life, you will encounter figures who respond to this same behavioral pattern. The most striking thing happens when you reproach said person for their attitude. In general, If the ungrateful person is discovered and asked for a change, they almost always respond in a hostile and threatening manner.

He will not hesitate to tell you that you are the selfish one. Also that you are not “aware of the things he does for you.” In their minds, they are victims of a world that does not care and appreciate them as they deserve.

Strategies for handling ungrateful people

Dealing with ungrateful people is challenging because you don’t know what tools to use and when. Somehow, you always hope that they will change and respond with empathy and reciprocity. But if this does not happen, the following guidelines help:

Change your expectations of them. Set limits and make it clear what you cannot tolerate. Encourage them to show reciprocity and greater appreciation. Don’t continue doing them favors if you see that they don’t respect you. Express your feelings and needs assertively. Focus on the people who do. They are worth it in your environment. If you see that these advances do not appear, accept that they will not change. Avoid as soon as possible those who make you feel undervalued or used.

Ingratitude, a distortion for coexistence

Recognizing an ungrateful person also has a lot to do with how someone makes you feel. This is an aspect that you cannot ignore. Because whoever does not recognize your efforts, deferences, affections and good intentions, he does not deserve you in her life. Ingratitude is a distortion, a black hole that evaporates our own coexistence and human relationships.

It is important that in your daily life you surround yourself with people skilled in emotional intelligence, reciprocity and effective communication. If education and society itself contributed to creating more understanding and empathetic environments, those presences that only think about their own interests would hardly exist. Hopefully the future will someday bring this kind of reality.

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