Emotional Manipulation and Covert Aggression - "Those" Friends

A good friend and I were recently discussing the absurdity of one of her friends.

We've all had them, that one friend who feels like more trouble than she's worth... the one you know you should drop but for some reason keep hanging on to, despite the emotional strain she puts on the rest of your life.

This article discusses such friends as "Emotional Manipulators" or "Covert Aggression."

It lists and discusses these as ways to identify such people:

There is no use in trying to be honest with an emotional manipulator.

An emotional manipulator is the picture of a willing helper.

Crazy making - saying one thing and later assuring you they did not say it.

Guilt. Emotional manipulators are excellent guilt mongers.

Emotional manipulators fight dirty.

If you have a headache an emotional manipulator will have a brain tumor!

Emotional manipulators somehow have the ability to impact the emotional climate of those around them.

Emotional manipulators have no sense of accountability.

Furthermore, This article: Psychopaths in Sheep's Clothing elaborates on the ideas and discusses various types of aggression and the process of victimization from these types of people.

It's very interesting and hopefully an eye-opener for those of you who have these kinds of friends.

I luckily cut mine out a couple years ago and let me assure you, life got a lot easier and more enjoyable! Once you cut out the bad seed you can develop healthier relationships with your other friends since you are not always "dealing with" that "one" friend... also you can meet new friends who are amazing and brighten your life.

Cheers.