35 Manipulation Tactics of Toxic People

35  Manipulation Tactics of Toxic People 

By Jenna Ryan 

The Manipulator seeks one thing. Power and thus, Control. Control of your mind, your thoughts, your feelings, your cognitions. The controlling person wants to own a piece of your mind and sees you as their puppet, or tool. 

The best way to steer clear of manipulation is knowing how you feel. Staying tuned to your feelings, and knowing why you feel the way you feel helps you to untangle the knot of manipulation.

1. Love Bombing  / Bait & Switch
2. Flattery/ Mimicry
3. Rug Pulling
4. Guilt Tripping
5. Playing the Victim
6. DARVO – Deny, Attack, Reverse, Victim, Offender
7. Gaslighting
8. Giving Commands 
9. Silent Treatment 
10. Wounded Bird – Poor Me
11. Lying and Deception
12. One-Upping
13. Virtue Signaling 
14. Self Righteous Religiosity
15. Bringing up Past 
16. Pushing Buttons
17. Game of Uproar 
18. Pretending / Acting
19. Smear Campaigns
20. Hovering
21. Playing Dumb
22. Denial
23. Propaganda
24. Recruiting 
25. Triangulation
26. Name Calling
27. Moving the Goalposts
28. Generalization & Hyperbole
29. Word Salad
30. Re-Writing History 
31. Negging & Digs  
32. Diminishing & Dismissing 
33. Harassing and Stalking 
34. Invalidation
35. Blaming