Relationships are supposed to be filled with love, understanding, and growth. But sometimes, without realizing it, we find ourselves in situations where things feel a bit off.
It could be the way your partner talks to you or handles things in your relationship. If you’ve ever felt like something isn’t quite right, you might be in a manipulative relationship.
In these situations, your partner’s actions might not be helping your relationship grow, yet you find yourself going above and beyond to please them just to prove your love.
But here’s the thing, does true love involve manipulation? This guide is here to help you spot the signs of a manipulative relationship that you might not even know you’re in.
Read Also: Warning Signs of a Toxic Relationship
6 Signs You Are in a Manipulative Relationship
Here are signs to help you identify a Manipulative Relationship:
1. Your Partner Demand You Prove Yourself
True love should be shown effortlessly and happily. When in a healthy relationship, the love you and your partner feel, and have for each other will be shown in your acts and actions.
And this comes naturally. It should not be a thing that needs to be forced. For example, you go out of your way to buy your partner gifts.
You spend quality time with them because you created the time. You do so much more within your capacity to make your partner feel loved and cared for.
But when your partner still demands that you have to prove that you love them.
Demanding you go out of your way making sacrifices way above your capabilities. It’s a sign of pure manipulation in your relationship.
2. Your Partner Always Blaming You When Things Go Wrong
Relationships have their ups and downs. With issues to sort out, and things to straighten out with love, patience, and understanding.
This should involve you and your partner coming together and agreeing on ways in which the both of you can be better, and move your relationship in the right direction.
But when issues arise, and your partner tends to manipulate the situation and always throws the blame at you without thinking of ways to better the situation.
Then it’s a sign that you are in a Manipulative Relationship which is bad for your mental health and emotional well-being.
3. Your Partner Making You Believe You Are Nothing Without Them
Has your partner ever made you feel this way before, especially over a little misunderstanding?
At that moment, your partner tends to make you feel they are doing you a favor by dating you, or by being in a relationship with you.
They tell you all sorts of awful things as to how miserable you will be without them.
Also, your manipulative partner tends to mention all the things they may have done for you that you cannot get anywhere else.
Hence, keeping you bound to them. Brainwashing you into thinking you are truly nothing without your partner.
Your partner does this to make you have a rethink in case you want to leave. Hence, keeping you bound to them. Which is so wrong!
Read Also: 6 Unhealthy Relationship Types you should avoid
4. Your Partner Wants to Control Who You Hang Out With
When your partner starts having issues with almost everyone who you have as a friend and starts saying awful things they don’t like about a certain friend of yours.
This is not cool especially when you and this friend of yours tend to get along quite well before the relationship with your partner starts.
When this habit goes on for so long. Then it is a sign that you are in a Manipulative Relationship.
Because your partner wants your friends to be who they choose you to be friends with, and not who you want instead.
5. Your Partner Feels You Are Mandated to Do Things for Them
One of the core values of a healthy relationship is being selfless. Like you going out of your way to do things for your partner. When doing this, you must do it happily and selflessly.
Because you want to make your partner feel loved by you and increase the bond between the two of you without expecting so much or the same from your partner.
This is because almost everyone tends to express love and care in different ways.
But when it is the other way round your partner tends to demand you do things above your capabilities, trying to play mind games on you like; if you love me you will do this and that.
When this happens more often than normal, then it is also a strong sign and indication that you are in a Manipulative Relationship.
6. You Feel So Afraid, and Alone
What’s the point of being in a relationship when you don’t feel safe? Like you just want to escape and be free because deep down inside you feel your partner is choking the life out of you. But you don’t know the best way to get out.
When you feel this way often, it means you are in a Manipulative Relationship and it’s not safe for your mental and emotional health in both the short and long run.
Read Also: 14 Signs of Disrespect In A Relationship You Should Never Ignore
Final Thoughts
Maybe you are wondering if you’ve unknowingly stepped into a manipulative relationship.
It happens, and it’s essential to recognize the signs. True love is about respect, understanding, and growth, not manipulation.
If you’ve felt uneasy or unhappy in your relationship, it’s time to reflect and identify any manipulative behaviors.
Then find the courage to leave. What’s the point of being in a mental, emotional, and psychological bondage when you can be free, happy, and fulfilled?
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