6 Behaviors Every Toxic Person Displays Before Revealing Their True Colors
Toxic people are masters of manipulation.
They are capable of tricking you into believing whatever they want, as their toxicity comes in many shapes and forms. Unfortunately, some of these indecent individuals are so good at deceiving others that their mind-controlling games often go unnoticed by the ones around them.
Whenever you are around a toxic person, your energy levels drop rapidly, and your good mood shatters into pieces. You start experiencing feelings of irritation, anxiety, anger, and emotional exhaustion. Are there people in your life that make you feel that way? If the answer is yes, then know that these beings might not have your best interest at heart.
Here are 6 red flags you are being manipulated by a toxic person:
1. They make you prove yourself.
Manipulative people would constantly instill guilt in your mind for not doing enough. By doing so, they would make you feel obligated to repeatedly prove you are worthy of their attention. But the truth is whatever you do, it will never be good enough for them.
2. They always speak in a negative tone.
The thing that distinguishes toxic people from everyone else the most is that they always have something negative to say. Every time you share some good news, they are the ones who will make a pessimistic remark that will completely ruin your moment. They do it only because they cannot stand seeing someone else’s happiness, especially when they feel absolutely miserable from the inside.
3. They never apologize genuinely.
You may hear them say, “I’m sorry,” but it will almost never be in the form of a heartfelt confession. Manipulators often use fake apologies to fool others into thinking they come with good intentions. Meanwhile, their grandiose nature will never allow them to truly admit they have made a mistake and take responsibility for their hurtful actions.
4. They use blame-shifting to confuse you.
Toxic people are masters at avoiding being held accountable for their wrongdoings. Instead of taking full responsibility, as a decent person would do, they twist the facts as if you were the one who made them misbehave. This way, they shift the focus from what they did to the way your reaction makes them feel. Eventually, you end up apologizing for being hurt… This doesn’t make any sense, does it?
5. They exaggerate their accomplishments.
When someone is manipulating you, they usually try their best to convince you they deserve your admiration. This includes overemphasizing their achievements, exaggerating their social influence, and even lying about successes they have never accomplished. What is more, suchlike behavior tends to come hand in hand with downgrading others’ progress and prosperity, which manipulators use to make themselves stand out.
6. They take, take, and take…
Some people are simply unable to reciprocate. They can take everything from you, including love, care, time, and energy, but they will never give anything in return. These are the ones you need to stay away from at all costs because their toxicity might be a lot more dangerous than you can imagine.
