Tips Sociopaths Use To Get Their Own Way

By molly atherton 1 year ago
Ever wonder what makes that smooth-talking friend of yours so irresistible? Or how your charming co-worker seems to effortlessly maneuver through office politics? Well, hold onto your hats, because we're about to dive into the mysterious world of the sly and cunning – the realm of tips that sociopaths use to get their own way! Now, before you start checking under your bed for hidden agendas, let me assure you that this is all in good fun. We're not here to turn you into a master manipulator; we're just here to spill the tea on some of the tricks of the trade that the charming charlatans among us might employ.

1. Love bombing

You may have heard of the term 'love bombing before'. It's when initially during the first stages of a romantic relationship or even a friendship this person will go completely over the top making grand statements.
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Maybe even saying hugely over-the-top things such as 'you're the love of my life', despite the fact they may have known each other for one week. This is something they use to get their own way by making someone feel super special.Original content sourced from Femanin.com

2. They are very charming

Sociopaths have an off-the-scale charm. This is because they study people and what they want to hear and their lack of emotional attachment means that they are able to say what they think somebody wants to hear.
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They use their extreme charm to be able to achieve whatever they want to achieve or have someone do what they want them to do. They're very difficult to read for long periods.

3. They target the vulnerable

Sociopaths can spot when somebody is vulnerable or someone who has vulnerabilities. They know of someone who isn't as strong or has a vulnerability that could be taken advantage of.
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And when they see this weakness they target someone as they know that they can gain this person's trust and then use their vulnerabilities against them in a way that they can get what they want.

4. They shower you with compliments

Compliments are something we all to hear, no matter who we are or even if they make us awkwardly shy. It makes people feel good to hear something nice about themselves being said by another person.
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And sociopaths recognize that they can complement people to make them like them and then use them to be able to get their own way and achieve what it is they seek!

5. They gaslight

Gaslighting is a common manipulation technique in which somebody makes another person question their reality. They give a false version of events and make the other people start to doubt themselves.
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They eventually feel completely beaten down mentally by these exhausting mind games and continuous forms of mental manipulation they are using against this person.

6. They show no remorse

Sociopaths do not feel emotions like other people. And so when they do something, they do not dwell upon it or feel remorse like somebody else who had done something wrong to someone else may feel.
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They will feel or show no remorse which allows them to continue to do whatever it takes to get their own way, no matter if they hurt others in the process. It's all about looking after themselves.

7. They create dependency

Another thing that sociopaths do is create dependency upon them. One of the techniques they use to achieve this is they intermittent attention. At one moment they will be super full on, giving all their attention to you...
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And the next they withdraw themselves, ignoring you and making you question yourself and feel even more drawn to them. Sociopaths know how to manipulate someone's feelings.

8. They use what people crave to lure them in

Sociopaths are clever and they know exactly how to get people to like them. They know what humans crave, attention, flattery, kindness, and love - all of the things people are naturally drawn to.
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And they use this falsely to give people what they want and they lure them in. In the end, they are doing it for a certain reason, to gain something that they desire.

9. They apologize

Sociopaths also know that when they act in a way upsetting to someone, they have to apologize. Not because they truly mean it, but because they know that somebody will have a moral dilemma if they apologize quickly after.
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Should I forgive this person, I mean they have apologized after all? It's all a part of the façade in order to lure you in more. You should never apologise for something you haven't done!

10. They use threats

Sociopaths also aren't afraid to get what they want by using the lowest forms of manipulation and coercion. They will threaten people or make empty threats in order to get someone to do or act how they wish.
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But sociopaths can do this with no moral conscience, and no feelings of remorse for what they have done. In fact, they can do this with complete ease!

11. They spread false information about people

Another technique used by sociopaths to get what they want is creating a 'smear campaign'. This is when someone spreads false rumors or accusations about a person and their character.
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They may do this to someone in order to isolate them and to emotionally manipulate them. Studies have found this to be something sociopaths do in order to get what they want.

12. They try and trigger emotional responses

It's much easier for a sociopath to trigger someone's emotional responses because they themselves do not feel how the other person feels. They know, but they do not have their thoughts intertwined with emotions like the majority of people do.
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And so they can try and trigger emotional responses from other people without it triggering any emotional response in them. They're real cold-hearted individuals, truly!

13. They lie

Sociopaths are pathological liars. It is very difficult to be able to know when a sociopath is lying or telling the truth because they learn to lie so well, to mimic genuine feelings that it is easy to be fooled.
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Lying of course is a super common trick used by sociopaths and something that comes naturally to them as they can do it with complete ease. It doesn't work quite this way for everyone.

14. They make false promises

False promises are something that sociopaths make all the time. they may promise the world to somebody who has understandably fallen hook line and sinker for their lies and empty promises.
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It is an effective technique they use against people as the combination of hope, expectation, and disappointment can make people act in different kinds of ways than how they usually would.

15. They blame you

Of course, it is never their fault. It is yours. This is what a sociopath can make you believe. They will always blame you, and this combination with gaslighting and other forms of manipulation may really having you question yourself.
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And, sociopaths can say things with such conviction and with a disguise of what looks like true emotion that it can be easier for them to get away with what they want.

16. They wear you down mentally

Sociopaths wear you down mentally. All of the mind games and the control and manipulation take their toll on a person who may end up as somebody with very low self-esteem.
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Their  confidence  could decrease too as they have been made to feel as though they are not good enough. Sociopaths can wear someone else down, without it affecting their emotions at all or mental health at all.

17. They mimic body language

Sociopaths do not naturally act like the majority of people because as humans we act according to our emotions, people are very much emotion-led.
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A sociopath does not act in this way, and so to come across as authentic and to blend in they mimic other people's body language to get people to trust them and so they do not realize that they actually are a sociopath.

18. They add false elements to their personality to make you trust them

Sociopaths shared tips on an online forum on how to blend in like other people so nobody knows they are a sociopath. One tip was to add in idiosyncrasies or imperfections and quirks into the way they stand, use eye contact, and speak.
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Otherwise, a sociopath may naturally appear as very cold and unfeeling so they add false elements to their personality to gain your trust. It's all about manipulating people!

19. They ask for small favors to gain your favor

There's a psychological theory that asking people for favors actually makes them like someone more. It's because it establishes a bond with this person and makes you feel good about the fact that somebody needs your help in some capacity.
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So sociopaths may ask you for very small favors, not because they need it, but again to try and gain your trust. This could be the simplest of tasks, but it all makes them feel better.

20. They imitate your energy

When someone meets someone else they come with a certain kind of energy, and generally we are more attracted to befriending people who match our energy as we feel an instant kind of connection.
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And so a sociopath will try and match the energy of the person they are with, not in reality but in appearance. This makes the person feel as though they have a kind of bind.

21. They stay one step ahead

Sociopaths are always one step ahead. And the reason they can do this is because they can think without emotion getting in the way of their thoughts. As long as it benefits them...
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So a human has their respective constantly altered by how they are feeling or by their emotions which are attached to everything we think about. For a sociopath, it's a lot easier to stay ahead because they don't experience this.

22. They study people's weaknesses and use them against them

Sociopaths who get what they want spend a lot of time studying people. Again, it is much easier to study people without feeling a particular emotion toward them and they are able to observe and an objective bystander.
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They study people and look out for their weaknesses and then they store this information away in their mind to use it against them at some point. It's a huge red flag if they're caught.

23. They subtly but purposefully hurt someone whilst denying it was intentional

When sociopaths hurt someone it is usually very much intentional or calculated in order to create a particular response. They will do this subtly, but it will be purposeful.
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Then, when they are confronted or questioned about their behavior they will deny it so that the person does not know of they were overreacting or being too sensitive when this person didn't mean to hurt them.

24. They disregard people's boundaries

Everyone has their own emotional boundaries and physical boundaries that they do not want people to cross. A sociopath will completely disregard these. For one, they often will not care that they are causing these and upsetting someone.
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And two, they do not feel these boundaries themselves and so they are unable to empathize. It makes it easier to get what they want because they are willing to cross the line.

25. They may use emotional blackmail

Emotional blackmail is the lowest of the low because it means coercing someone into doing something by threatening them and leaving them feeling as though they have no choice.
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But sociopaths do sometimes use emotional blackmail to achieve what they want, and it is something they do because they themselves do not feel these emotions or empathize with this person.

26. They amplify a person's weaknesses and downplay their strengths

A sociopath will shout about someone's weakness to make them feel incapable and insecure. They will highlight these in order to destroy their confidence and leave them with very little self-esteem.
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When it comes to their strengths they will not broadcast them, in fact, they will hide them so that this person does not even realize or believe that they have done well.

27. They turn the blame around and act hurt

Sociopaths are the masters of manipulation. When it comes to being blamed for their actions they are very skillful at being able to flip the blame and put it back on to the person.
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They will then act hurt, as though they have sensitive feelings. Then, this person feels confused and as people are usually naturally empathetic they may soften towards the sociopath still.

28. They use shaming as a technique

Shaming makes someone feel completely embarrassed and belittled. It takes away a person's confidence. Sociopaths shame people so that someone is left with very little resilience left...
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This opens them up to being taken advantage of as they are more vulnerable because they have been shamed. It's a terrible method that sociopaths use to get what they want.

29. They invalidate someone's feelings

It's very easy for a sociopath to invalidate someone else's feelings when they have never experienced these feelings themselves. It's something they use to their advantage and they cannot put themselves in someone else's shoes to truly feel how they feel.
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Instead, they invalidate them making them feel worthless, again beating them down so that they are more vulnerable. This puts them back to exactly where they want you to be...

30. They are completely inconsistent

Sociopaths who set out to get what they want will be very inconsistent when it comes to using a person to get what they want so that they do not know where they stand with this person.
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This inconsistency makes somebody question themselves. Did I do something wrong? Do they not like me anymore? Acting inconsistently is a way they manipulate people into getting what it is that they want!

31. They make you explain simple feelings

Some people feels things more strongly/are overly sensitive, it's true, but there are some basic feelings that shouldn't have to be explained - like being upset over something obvious.
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This goes for being angry about something that's valid too. To them, you'll have to explain feelings that should be obvious! They just don't understand people's feelings...

32. And then don't understand them anyway

It's not enough that you've explained what you're angry or upset, though - because they're never going to understand why you feel that way anyway. They don't really care do they?
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Sociopaths rarely understand the feelings of others, which is why they're so very bad at empathising or showing sympathy! Anything you say will go through one ear and straight out the other.

33. They rarely feel what you're feeling

And if they can't empathise or sympathise with what you're feeling, they're definitely never going to feel the same thing themselves. They're pretty much emotionless beings.
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They're never going to get angry, upset or whatever else over the same things you are, because it's likely they're incapable of feeling that way. They have no heart guys, get rid.

34. They may even be described as 'soulless'

This can cause a lot of sociopaths to be labelled as 'soulless' or like you're talking to a robot, because that's just the way they come across. Does this remind you of anyone?
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Not only do they not seem to feel anything at all, but the fact they're not willing to sympathise can also make them come across as heartless. This happens all too often for some..

35. They demand so much more than they give

Sociopaths like to be in control and have power over other people, which is also why they demand so much from others while giving very little themselves. They just want to gain something!
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They might be clear about what they like/don't like, what they expect of you and be sure to tell you how disappointed they are if you don't act they way they want you to.

36. And they're complete hypocrites

This type of behavior of course makes them a hypocrite - because they're going to demand a ton from you, while making no effort to follow their own advice.
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A key sign of a sociopath can be someone who asks you to act a certain way and does the opposite themselves because they're 'exempt from the rules'!

37. They always have an excuse ready

There's absolutely no way they're ever going to own up to any mistakes and apologize, so you'll find they'll wriggle out of anything. They can't be held accountable!
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They'll always have an excuse for their behavior, no matter what it is, and no matter if they were 100% in the wrong - they'll still try to twist it back on you!

38. They're like talking/arguing with a brick wall

This is also why it can be completely impossible to reason with them or argue with them. Because they just won't budge. Once they have an idea they'll stick to it!
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If they're ready to lie, have excuses ready and not empathise with your feelings, then trying to get through to them can be trying to smash down a wall that's never going to break.

39. They focus on your mistakes

Because they like to use power plays, they're going to point out when you do things wrong more than they ever point out when you do things right.
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Making you feel bad for things that you've done wrong can help them to seem like the superior person - all part of their manipulation! One of there little trade secrets...

40. And they'll point out your weaknesses, not your strengths

In the same light, they're only ever going to point out your weakness while ignoring your strengths to try and get one up on you or damage your self-esteem.
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If you're feeling bad about your weaknesses or mistakes, then they have power over you - and that's a key tactic! They'll always be able to pull up something you don't like!

41. They might not seem 'normal'

We expect a 'normal' person to be someone who can feel things and understand how others feel. Some people struggle to talk about their emotions, but they still feel them - a sociopath doesn't feel them.
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They might be 'numb' to anything, which can be strange behavior to other people. This is often why sociopaths end up struggling to maintain or develop relationships.

42. They don't care about breaking up with people

As you can imagine, dating a sociopath is going to leave you hurt while they don't feel anything. A sociopath might easily break up with someone without any guilt or reaction whatsoever.
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They are then able to move on like nothing happened. They also don't care about making sure you're okay after a breakup. They just leave as if there life hasn't changed at all.

43. And they might have had A LOT of relationships

It's also likely that sociopaths have had a big dating history, either because of failed relationships due to their incapability of 'feeling' anything or their lack of empathy.
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But also because they might be moving from one person to the next in order to seek out a new person to manipulate! They're always looking for new ways to feel better about themselves.

44. The world revolves around them

Selfish is their middle name. And maybe their first and last, too! To them, there's no one more important, so any conversation, situation or decision is all about what's best for them.
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They don't care how it makes you feel, and will react negatively if you complain about something that benefits them. It's all about the personal gain for all sociopaths.

45. They'll do anything for attention

And because the world revolves around them, they want to be in the spotlight - so they adore attention, and will do anything to get more of it. Get the cameras away from them!
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This is also why they drag other people down because they can't bear the thought of anyone getting attention instead of them. They need to have everyones eyes on them at all times.

46. They're very career-oriented

Sociopaths are likely to be very power-hungry work-oriented people, so they can get promoted, make more money and rise to the top. They'll always be looking for promotions.
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This is because, to them, a title and money means power, so they might opt for careers like salesmen, business men or anything that's considered prestigious.

47. They care about how they look to others

This doesn't just mean their appearance - it means their reputation, and their belongings. They're likely materialistic, so they'll want a house or car to match that powerful image.
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Sociopaths might often make rash or financially-bad decisions because they care more about how they look. They want to give off the idea that their life is ideal, even if it's not!

48. Or they'll fake it until they make it

The fact is, though, that sometimes sociopaths might not have the money, possessions or connections they want. If this is the case, they won't want anyone else to know that.
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They'll likely hire an expensive car and pretend it's theirs, or tell other people they're earning more than they are. They can't let others know that they're actually struggling can they!?

49. A romantic partner is all part of that image

To a sociopath who's dating, you're all part of their image rather than being a human being. So they'll likely want a successful partner who looks the part to match their image.
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BUT NOT someone who isn't TOO successful that they overshadow them. So they'll manipulate it to be that way. They have a very specific type of person in mind.

50. They make you doubt everything

Because sociopaths are master liars and manipulators, you're constantly going to be second-guessing yourself. You're always going to be caught in a state of confusion.
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So eventually you'll just start to doubt everything and turn into detective trying to work out what they're doing, what they really mean or how they operate.