Emotional Blackmail: When Love Comes With Strings Attached Day 13

What is Emotional blackmail?

Just a reminder, with this topic and the others I have covered over the past few days, anyone in your circle is capable of using this tactic. It's not just limited to a intimate partner.

Emotional blackmail is a manipulative tactic in which one party uses guilt, fear, or the other person’s vulnerabilities as a way to try to control their behavior and decision-making.

They use this as a tool to keep control over someone they love or what they perceive as love.

The victim feels guilt, fear or shame which is what the blackmailer wants.

You may try to ignore or resist the demand but the blackmailer keeps up the pressure for you to do whatever it is.

If that doesn't work they will start making threats to harm you, your children, family, furbabies or themselves.

- Accuse you of things you didn’t do or things you didn’t say

- Intimidates you until you give in

- Blaming everyone else for their poor behavior

- Set boundaries- This is hard and you need to make sure they fail to meet the boundary that you will have to take further steps to protect yourself.

Find support or counseling

Start a self-care practice and ask if this person would like to participate

Open a dialog and ask if this person realizes they are doing this behavior. Only do this if you feel safe enough to do so.

Does this sound familiar?

Stay safe and God bless,

Mel

Find help and info here-

National Domestic Violence Hotline- ⁠⁠https://www.thehotline.org/⁠⁠

Safe Horizon- ⁠⁠https://www.safehorizon.org/⁠⁠

⁠⁠https://www.domesticshelters.org/⁠⁠

⁠⁠https://internationalwomenshouse.org/get-help⁠⁠

⁠⁠https://www.domesticshelters.org/resources/national-global-organizations/international-organizations

Sexual Assault Hotline- ⁠⁠https://www.rainn.org/⁠⁠

Abused Deaf Women's Advocacy Services (ADWAS) provides advocacy services for Deaf and DeafBlind survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. ⁠⁠http://www.adwas.org/⁠⁠

Suicide prevention- ⁠⁠https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/⁠⁠

Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453)