How does a manipulator act when discovered?

Manipulative people often use a number of well-known strategies to control others. However skillful they may be, their methods are not infallible: the mask with which they present themselves to the world can fall. In these situations, they usually manifest certain behaviors typical of those who possess this personality trait. For that reason, we will teach you how a manipulator acts when he is discovered.

Although we would like to believe otherwise, all people are exposed to being victims of manipulation. Manipulators tend to be methodical and intelligent people who think carefully about every step they take.. Therefore, we could end up falling for his deception even without knowing it and stay there believing that it is the best.

4 signs of a discovered manipulator

Those who have manipulative traits in their personality They usually act with the intention of gaining control over the emotions, actions and thoughts of others. They do this in order to achieve different objectives, which can be emotional or material rewards.

For example, in couples in which there is violence, it is common for the abuser to make the victim believe that the beatings he receives are a logical consequence of what he does. In this way, he prevents her from thinking about seeking help or moving away from her.

Starting from that, It is possible to affirm that manipulation is a type of violence and is related to certain personality traits.

A meta-analysis evaluated the relationship between aggression and narcissistic personality traits. The authors concluded that the link between both factors is significant in men and women of any age (Kjærvik and Bushman, 2021). Thus, It can be said that manipulation is a common behavior in people with narcissistic tendencies.

Now, we can say that someone manipulates when we discover how he acts when he is discovered. In those situations in which their facade falls, manipulators reveal several of their qualities. If we know how to identify them, we will be less likely to fall for their deception again.

1. They use the blame game

One of the main tools of manipulators is guilt. If you somehow confront them about their lies or abuse, they may try to make you feel guilty for accusing them of such acts.

They might try to get you to think that their bad actions were necessary and beneficial to you.. They do this in order to raise doubts about your judgment and put you in the position of the villain.

2. They physically or verbally attack

People with narcissistic traits have little tolerance for provocation and react aggressively. When your manipulation tactics fail, They are likely to try to intimidate and impose themselves.

This is because, once their strategies fail, they have no choice but to resort to direct violence to control. Thus, they get time to think of other means to continue manipulating.

3. Gaslighting

He gaslighting is a technique that consists of manipulating the victim through deception. For example, the manipulator could make the other person believe that he or she was aggressive, even though that was not actually the case. To achieve his goal, he would be able to self-harm and turn it into supposed evidence that it happened. He might also accuse the victim of making people around him believe that he or she is violent.

This is not only a sign of how a manipulator acts when discovered, but of bullies in general. He gaslighting It is one of the strategies they usually use to keep victims under controleven if she tries to confront him.

4. They try to manipulate you through others

If you discover them, they may decide to stay away from you. However, it is possible that they try to resort to manipulation using other people in the environment as a means or Try to make your environment see you as a victim, so that they put pressure on you. In this way, he would be fighting to regain the control he lost over you.

What can I do about manipulation?

As you can see, all the behaviors we mentioned before are intended to control you again. It is essential that if you observe how a manipulator acts when discovered, you protect yourself from his tactics. To do this, you can implement the following actions:

Cut contact. Simple communication is a risk factor because it exposes you to their strategies. If possible, it is advisable that you eliminate all communication bridges between you and that person. This will prevent him from trying to deceive you or make you feel guilty in any way.He is the aggressor, not the victim. No matter how hard he tries, don’t let him make you believe that he is the victim in the situation.Set limits. You shouldn’t feel fear or guilt for refusing to comply with their wishes. As we know, they may use guilt to get you to feel sorry for them and do what they want. However, remember that this is nothing more than manipulation and you are not responsible for their problems.If necessary, seek legal advice. In some cases these people can be aggressive and that puts your integrity at risk. If so, do not hesitate to go to the authorities to request protection measures.

To conclude, now that you know how a manipulator acts when discovered, you may want to consider psychological support. Low self-esteem, anxiety or depressive tendencies make us vulnerable to manipulation. Working on these aspects helps us have resources to detect and confront manipulative people.

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