10 Signs You’re Being Manipulated Emotionally and How to Stop It

2. They give people the silent treatment.

10 Ways to Tell You’re Being Emotionally Manipulated and How to Avoid It

When they want to get something, emotional manipulators sometimes use the silent treatment as a tool or just as a punishment. On top of that, they try to make sure that the power isn’t balanced. It’s a common way for abusers to get their victims to want to be close to them and get their approval by doing the opposite: disapproving of them and pushing them away.

Just like with the other techniques, you should deal with the silent treatment with a clear and calm mind to avoid falling into the trap that manipulators are setting. Even though this technique involves silence, it can also mean emotional and physical isolation that hides bad communication skills. These problems aren’t likely to go away on their own, so being willing to talk about how you feel is something to think about.