In a world where silent wars are fought daily, you must know about the dark psychology techniques in everyday life that manipulators use. Otherwise, you might not recognize them and defend yourself against these dark psychological tricks that people use secretly.
But here’s the good news: you don’t need to become a victim of these hidden tactics!
Instead of spending years studying dark psychology or decoding countless books, you can learn the most common tricks right now. We have compiled some dark psychological techniques and everything else you need to know on this topic.
Are you ready to learn how you can turn the tables and save yourself from the manipulators?
If so, let’s reveal these dark psychology facts and techniques:
Source: Freepik
What Exactly Is Dark Psychology?
The term “dark psychology” is not highly recognized in the scientific field, but it is commonly used to describe negative and unethical practices. In simple terms, it is the study that revolves around the psychological principles people use to manipulate, influence, and control others in the wrong way.
Not all people use these tactics, but some with high emotional intelligence (EI) practice them for darker purposes, including manipulation, coercion, and deception.
Dark Psychology Techniques You Must Know
Dark psychology techniques in everyday life are exactly what they sound like: methods that twist the mind and bend emotions in ways you might never notice until it’s too late.
They are not few but many, and to stay protected from them, you should know most of them. The following are some of the most commonly used dark psychology tactics that manipulators use in everyday life.
Let’s have a look:
1. Backstabbing Is a Mixture Of Smile and Betrayal
Whether it is within your family, workplace, or friend circle, backstabbing is a common trick that manipulators use. It is an act where a person pretends to be a friend or ally but secretly works to betray someone’s trust. Manipulators do this either to harm the victim or for personal gain, depending on their dark motives.
Let’s make this concept clearer with an example. Imagine a person who wants to take revenge on you. Instead of showing their anger, they pretend to be supportive in order to gain your trust. After some time, they begin spreading rumors about you and damaging your reputation in the social circle, just to satisfy their inner grudge.
So, the next time someone suddenly becomes overly friendly and supportive, don’t trust them blindly. Take your time and carefully analyze their behavior.
2. Love Bombing Is Affection as a Weapon
Do you have a person in your circle who is becoming too sweet and loving to you without any specific reason? If your answer is yes, you should consider whether something suspicious is going on.
These days, love bombing is at the top of the list. In this dark psychology technique, the manipulator shows excessive love to the victim through sweet words, various gifts, and surprises. As a result, the victim also starts to feel affection for the manipulator, but this is where the real game starts. The manipulator then reduces the love, and the other person begins making an effort to gain the same level of affection in return.
So, if something like this is happening to you or your loved ones, you need to take action. Ignorance and delays in these cases can ruin the victim’s mental health!
3. Gaslighting Is the Twisting Of Reality
Gaslighting is also one of the most prominent techniques of dark psychology that individuals use. In this act, the manipulator makes the other person doubt their thoughts, perceptions, or sanity by twisting reality.
For instance, if one partner in a relationship keeps saying to the other, “You are overthinking a lot” or “You are a toxic person,” it will lead the other person to self-doubt. This way, the victim starts blaming themselves and begins to believe that they are the problem in the relationship.
According to studies, victims of gaslighting claim that it often occurs alongside both loving and abusive behavior. They also mentioned that after the realization, it took time to recover, and they experienced personal growth afterward.
4. Silent Treatment Is the Coldest Form of Control
People always say that silence speaks louder than words, and somehow, dark psychology gives this technique the name of silent treatment.
This dark psychology technique is performed to get better results than saying something. Imagine your friend suddenly stops talking to you, and as a result, you become confused, worried, and angry all at the same time. You’ll make an effort to make things better, and this way, you’ll be controlled by your friend silently.
Silent treatment does not only take place between friends; you will also notice it in relationships, the workplace, or even in families. So, be aware of this dark technique and keep yourself free from manipulators.
5. Triangulation Is About Lies and a Third Party
As is obvious from the name, triangulation is about the involvement of a third party to manipulate or control the situation. It is done secretly, but its results are highly prominent.
For example, Anna and David are two good friends, and she also becomes a new friend of John. Instead of addressing his true feelings directly to Anna, David starts mentioning negative comments about John so he can separate Anna from him.
This false act creates assumptions between the two new friends and ruins their bond. The dark purpose behind this technique can be competition, jealousy, or insecurity.
That’s why, always prefer direct communication and avoid involving a third party.
So, keep yourself alert and protect your relationships from wrong assumptions.
6. Guilt Tripping Makes You Feel Bad
Guilt is something that imprisons a person within themselves and makes them feel bad. This is one of the most harmful dark psychology techniques that manipulators use to make the victim feel guilty so they can control their behavior.
For instance, your partner convinces you to go on a long road trip, but you refuse. Instead of having the conversation for a solution, they put you in a vulnerable state by saying words like, “You don’t go anywhere with me because you don’t love me anymore.” In response, you might agree but out of guilt.
To deal with it, don’t be emotionally blind and recognize the signs of how the other person is treating you. You can handle the situation with empathy and offer the best alternative solutions.
7. Exploitation Is a Hidden Trap
All individuals are unique and have different weaknesses, insecurities, and fears. That’s why manipulators take advantage of these traits and make the victim suffer from emotional, psychological, or physical vulnerabilities.
If there is an elderly person who is alone and wants good company, the manipulator will pretend to be a good friend to that person. They will do this false act only for their own gain.
It doesn’t just happen to elderly people but to all who have weaknesses and insecurities in them. In this digital world, humans are becoming heartless (emotionally) day by day. That’s why you should know about these dark psychology facts so you can save yourself and your loved ones more efficiently.
How To Handle These Psychological Manipulations?
Dark psychological tactics are used secretly and for negative purposes, but you can still avoid and identify them with some basic guidelines. Here are some tips you must know to handle psychological manipulations properly. Let’s have a look:
- Start investing your time to learn about the various difficult personality types, such as narcissistic, histrionic, borderline, and antisocial. This will help you to understand their behavior better, and you’ll be able to respond to them more wisely.
- Setting boundaries is highly essential to protect your emotional and mental well-being from dark tactics. Initially, it can be tough, but with time, you can get better at setting boundaries with others.
- To handle challenging relationships and maintain your mental health, you must prioritise self-care. For this, you can practice exercise, walking, and meditation as it will keep you healthy both physically and emotionally.
- You might never have heard of such a thing, but humor can also diffuse tension and help you interact with complex personalities.
- Communication is a highly effective tool to save relationships from manipulators. So, in case of any assumption or confusion, sit down and talk effectively.
Take Away!
By knowing these details about dark psychology techniques in everyday life, you can stay alert and save yourself from people who try to control or deceive you. Furthermore, set boundaries, take care of your mental health, and never ignore the warning signs of manipulation.
Use this information as a shield against the dark psychology techniques and keep yourself in control of your mind. If you found this guide helpful, share it with your friends and family so they can also stay safe from hidden manipulation.
For more powerful information on dark psychology, stay connected with our blogs because you won’t want to miss what’s coming next!
