Five: Emotional Blackmail. The narcissist uses emotional blackmail as another means of manipulation. Unfortunately, empaths who haven’t yet discovered their own personal power can be particularly vulnerable to its effects. This is because the narcissist knows that their intended victim wants their affection and endorsement. Most of us want to feel safe, secure, loved, accepted, and validated. Additionally, the narcissist will take advantage of your lack of self-confidence.
A potential fate could involve them suggesting they might propose to you someday if only you’re good enough, or giving you a raise, promotion, or award to show how much you’re valued. Withholding emotional support is just one of the ways they keep you searching for their acceptance. In the meantime, you wonder if there’s something wrong with you. Maybe they’d show you the affection you crave if you were good enough or better in some way or showed proper degrees of compassion, care, and concern.
As a result, no matter how hard you try or how well you perform, they will always find fault with you and continue to withhold any kind of support—emotional or otherwise. They might say, “If only you had done it this way,” or “If you had done it differently, I would have helped you or supported you more.” Of course, this is a lie. There’s no limit to the condescending ways they’ll try to make you feel unworthy, inferior, incompetent, and small.
Whichever method the narcissist uses, they must keep you low and dependent on them for your sense of identity. The irony is that they are using these tactics in the first place because they lack self-awareness and need to control you to receive their fix of narcissistic supply.
Six: Passive Aggression. Narcissists use emotional manipulation through behaviors like the silent treatment, rolling their eyes, talking about you as if you weren’t there, or glaring at you. In addition to ignoring or otherwise marginalizing you, they will claim they are merely trying to be helpful and provide a solution to the problem. The narcissist believes that their attacks and insults are nothing more than a sincere effort to assist. This has nothing to do with the situation; rather, you’re just too sensitive to it.
Continue reading on the next page
Sharing is caring!
