There’s a thin line between a person who’s expressing their natural born leader ways and someone who’s displaying controlling behavior, so how do you differentiate between the two?
8 Signs of Controlling Behavior to Watch out for in Relationships
#1. He or she is overly demanding.
They want to do something, and you don’t, but you frequently find yourself giving in and doing what they want because they are relentless. Going along with what they want to avoid an argument or guilt trip is the beginning of a controlling takeover. We all like getting our own way, it’s human nature, but the majority of us learn how to compromise.
#2. They criticize you constantly.
A controlling person will criticize everything from your outfit options to the things you say. If they’re often making “jokes” that make you question yourself, this is a huge red flag. Over time, your confidence will take a knock.
#3. They try and influence who stays in your friendship circle.
If a partner has legitimate concerns that a friend may not have your best intentions at heart or is a bad influence on you, it’s OK for them to express their concerns because they are looking out for you. If they try and influence your opinion over friends for any other reason, that’s not OK.
#4. Their love is conditional.
They only express love when they want something, or for ‘good behavior.’ You’re not a puppy. You don’t need to be trained by anyone but yourself.
#5. They’re always guilt-tripping you.
If they are always trying to argue that their bad behavior is somehow your fault, they are trying to manipulate you.
#6. They’re always checking up on you.
It’s normal for your partner to check in on you if you break your usual routine and they’re worried about you. It’s not OK to continually check up on you all day every day. That is controlling. They will have no problem with snooping through your personal belongings, especially your phone given a chance.
#7. They’re possessive and jealous.
If they are always suspicious and accuse you of flirting when you’re almost sure you weren’t, heed the warning. A possessive and jealous partner can become very dark over time.
#8. They don’t respect your opinions.
He or she will dominate conversations, interrupt you constantly or make malicious comments about what you say. Continuously voicing their opinion on something you’ve disagreed on isn’t being respectful of the views you’ve already expressed. They are just trying to bully you into accepting their point of view over your own.
Have you encountered and dealt effectively with controlling behavior? Tweet me @lorenridinger.
