Emotional manipulation is a form of psychological manipulation in which a person seeks to control another persons emotions. It is often done through persuasion, coercion, or even emotional blackmail. Emotional manipulators exploit a relationship to benefit themselves through tactics, including twisting the facts and bullying. Some common signs of emotional manipulation include:

• Making you feel guilty
• Threatening
• Blaming
• Accusing
• Infidelity
• Playing you off someone else
• Lying
• Comparing
• Denying

Emotional manipulation can be hard to identify because part of its purpose is to maintain the uneven power dynamics. Emotional manipulators know your weak spots, and they’re quick to use that knowledge against you. Emotional manipulation can be destructive, and it is important to recognize it in your own life.