“The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”                    – Psalm 34:18

Emotions suppressed, ceaseless need for validation, and a complete absence of remorse define their influence.

Take control of your life by understanding these tactics, setting boundaries, focusing on your own well-being, and nurturing healthier connections. Expose the hidden strategies and reclaim your freedom.

COVERT STRATEGIES

When burdened with the sole responsibility for the connection, trust your instincts as they maneuver skillfully in the shadows. Your intuition, regardless of how the situation has been manipulated, is likely accurate.

They Crave Admiration

Toxic individuals skillfully create an impression of entitlement, instilling a sense of obligation in you to fulfill their demands. They exploit your kindness and find a way to drain your energy, leaving you depleted and manipulated for their own agenda.

Ironically, they blame you for their actions, manipulating your perception.

DENIAL IS THE TACTIC

The most brutal part: they always remain dissatisfied and continuously inflict psychological damage upon you for their own gain, while vehemently denying any wrongdoing.

Allowing their tactics to succeed only invites more of the same.

To those around them, they pretend to be selfless, going to great lengths to project altruism and create the appearance of being the victim. However, they fail to realize that authenticity requires less effort.

You owe nothing to anyone.
If it doesn’t feel like a genuine favor, it isn’t.

They Refuse to Acknowledge Their Emotions

Don’t let others impose their emotions on you. When someone avoids taking responsibility for their feelings, they may falsely accuse you of being angry or upset with them. Don’t get caught in their cycle of justification and defense. Remember, it’s not about you.

Distinguish between their emotions and yours. If you find yourself constantly defending against baseless accusations, you’re likely being projected onto. No need to explain or justify yourself. Stay aware.

They’ll Cause You To Feel You Must Validate Yourself to Them

Toxic individuals constantly trap you in a lose-lose situation, pressuring you to prioritize them above everything else. They manipulate circumstances to create drama when you’re already committed. They emotionally manipulate you, claiming that if you genuinely cared, you would sacrifice your own needs for theirs. However, their demands are insatiable. Remember, very few things are genuinely urgent, and unless it’s a matter of life or death, it can wait. Prioritize your well-being and establish boundaries against toxicity.

They Never Apologize

They will lie when caught in the act before ever apologizing, so arguing is pointless. They will distort the story, altering the narrative so convincingly that they start believing their own nonsense.

They’ll Be There in a Crisis, But They’ll Never Share Your Joy

They’ll find reasons why your good news isn’t great news. And bring you down in a non direct, manipulative way.

UNRESOLVED ISSUES

It can be frustrating when someone abruptly ends a conversation and disregards your feelings. This is their normal.

They may continue as if nothing happened, and if you bring up the issue, they may question your intentions, blaming you forfor bringing it up, causing tension.

This lack of acknowledgment can lead to breakdowns in communication and a sense of invalidation. It’s important to address this calmly and assertively, expressing your emotions and concerns clearly. Encouraging open and honest dialogue can establish mutual understanding of each other’s perspectives, fostering healthier and more respectful relationships. Set boundaries and emphasize the importance of effective communication, contributing to conflict resolution and maintaining stronger connections in the future.

They’ll Use Non-Toxic Words With a Toxic Tone

Interpreting tone is crucial; even an innocent question like “What did you do today?” can carry underlying implications. It could imply that you did nothing, or hint at their own terrible day and your obliviousness.

When you challenge the tone, they may defend themselves based on the literal meaning of their words, failing to capture their true intent.

They’ll Bring Up Irrelevant Details in a Conversation

When you try to address something important to you, toxic people will bring up irrelevant details from past arguments. The problem is that before you realize it, you’re arguing about something you did six months ago, still defending yourself instead of addressing the current issue.

It always seems to turn into a discussion about what you’ve done to them.

They’ll Focus on How You’re Talking: Not What You’re Talking About

You may be seeking resolution or clarification, but the conversation or argument drifts away from the important issue to the manner in which you discussed it – whether or not there’s an issue with your communication style.

You may find yourself constantly defending your tone, gestures, word choice, or even the way you breathe.

It doesn’t have to make sense to them. Meanwhile, your initial concern remains unresolved among the pile of unfinished conversations that keeps growing.

They’ll Exaggerate

“You always…” “You never…” It’s challenging to defend yourself against this manipulation. Toxic people have a knack for using a single instance where you didn’t or did something as evidence of your flaws. Don’t fall for their argument.

You won’t win, and you don’t need to.

They are Condemning

We all make mistakes, but toxic people make sure you know it. They judge you and attack your self-esteem, implying that you’re inferior because of a mistake. We’re all allowed to be wrong at times, but unless we’ve done something that directly affects them, no one has the right to pass judgment.

WHY LEARN ABOUT TOXIC PEOPLE

This Is To Sharpen Your Awareness

Understanding the favorite tactics of toxic people sharpens your awareness, making their manipulations easier to spot and identify.

Most importantly, if you recognize the characteristic signs of toxic individuals, you have a better chance of catching yourself before getting entangled in their web. Some people can’t be pleased, and some individuals aren’t beneficial for you – often, it has nothing to do with you. You can always say no to unnecessary chaos.

Be confident, embrace your flaws, quirks, and what makes you genuine.

Toxic people live for their image, you don’t have to because you are the real deal, and projections are not needed.

If someone is working hard to manipulate you, it’s likely because they seek your validation.

You don’t always have to give it, but if it’s your nature to do so, be you: ensure the cost isn’t too high. You will be punished for doing so.