Gaslighting and Emotional Manipulation Tactics

Manipulative tactics keep you off-balance and reliant on your partner’s version of reality. These behaviors erode your self-confidence over time.

Gaslighting occurs when your partner denies agreed-upon facts, rewrites history, or insists your memory is flawed to escape accountability for their actions.

Triangulation introduces a third person—such as an ex-partner, friend, or coworker—to foster jealousy, insecurity, and competition for their approval.

Stonewalling involves abruptly shutting down communication, refusing eye contact, and giving the silent treatment to punish you for expressing a grievance.

According to relationship research from The Gottman Institute, chronic defensive behaviors and emotional contempt represent primary predictors of relationship failure.