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Abstract

rall, very few will notice what you see. Yet, you will know by the way you feel. Trust yourself. Walk away. Trust your feelings, intuition, and wiser self.This phantom-like combat is haunting and exhausting. You’ll close your eyes and let the stars run down your heart.You might want to run or yell or freeze. You might think you are going crazy with all that you see. You might feel how the dissonance wells up in your gut or how your shoulders ache and your back buckles in. Or you might just go numb to protect yourself.You know because they gloat in your direction and smile at the others, who can’t see and who are easily deceived. They get what they want by a toxic form of manipulation, grandiosity and often privilege.They hide their true intentions away from others especially when they are attacking you. They will stab you and then smile and tell you how you are overreacting.Or they will say, it’s not what it seems; you are imagining it.Most likely, if you confront them, they’ll deny, yell, and turn the problem back onto you so swiftly you might feel dizzy and nauseous.Their excuses can be polite or in complete denial.<p id="800

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9">This is gaslight at its finest.But you see what they do. You notice. Let it hurt and then let it go.Don’t just walk away from them. Run.Acknowledge it for what it is; it’s not yours to hold. Their vindictiveness is out to destroy you.Stand tall. Know who you are from all that you’ve seen, suffered, accomplished, failed, and learned from.Know they don’t have what you have and that’s authenticity, creativity, kindness, and love. You make friends because you are you. You hold the sky and feel the moon. You are a dreamer. You are Halley’s Comet. Don’t let them take that away from you.Shine bright in knowing your deepest truths are real. Above all, protect yourself.Carolyn Riker, MA, LMHC, is a licensed psychotherapist and author of three books of poetry and prose. Her latest is <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1733009914">My Dear, Love Hasn’t Forgotten You</a>. If you’d like, follow her on Facebook at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CarolynRikerLMHC/?ref=settings">Carolyn Riker, MA, LMHC</a> or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/carolyn_riker/">Instagram</a>.</article></body>

Emotional Vampires are Toxic

How to identify and avoid manipulative people

There will always be at least a few people who will try to outdo you. They will try to take you down, on the sly, or directly just to prove a point and to try to outshine and hurt you by showing off.

Don’t let them. Stand tall in what you know and believe.

If you feel slighted and hurt by someone’s direct or indirect cruel actions — it’s okay to feel into your pain and acknowledge it — but please, don’t stay there for too long. That energy is not yours; it is from the person attacking you, syphoning off your energy. They are vampires.

And their attacks can be the sweetest renderings on the surface, but I assure you, it is cunning. If you feel it in your gut, even the slightest flicker — it is an attack. Trust yourself.

Overall, very few will notice what you see. Yet, you will know by the way you feel. Trust yourself. Walk away. Trust your feelings, intuition, and wiser self.

This phantom-like combat is haunting and exhausting. You’ll close your eyes and let the stars run down your heart.

You might want to run or yell or freeze. You might think you are going crazy with all that you see. You might feel how the dissonance wells up in your gut or how your shoulders ache and your back buckles in. Or you might just go numb to protect yourself.

You know because they gloat in your direction and smile at the others, who can’t see and who are easily deceived. They get what they want by a toxic form of manipulation, grandiosity and often privilege.

They hide their true intentions away from others especially when they are attacking you. They will stab you and then smile and tell you how you are overreacting.

Or they will say, it’s not what it seems; you are imagining it.

Most likely, if you confront them, they’ll deny, yell, and turn the problem back onto you so swiftly you might feel dizzy and nauseous.

Their excuses can be polite or in complete denial.

This is gaslight at its finest.

But you see what they do. You notice. Let it hurt and then let it go.

Don’t just walk away from them. Run.

Acknowledge it for what it is; it’s not yours to hold. Their vindictiveness is out to destroy you.

Stand tall. Know who you are from all that you’ve seen, suffered, accomplished, failed, and learned from.

Know they don’t have what you have and that’s authenticity, creativity, kindness, and love. You make friends because you are you. You hold the sky and feel the moon. You are a dreamer. You are Halley’s Comet. Don’t let them take that away from you.

Shine bright in knowing your deepest truths are real. Above all, protect yourself.

Carolyn Riker, MA, LMHC, is a licensed psychotherapist and author of three books of poetry and prose. Her latest is My Dear, Love Hasn’t Forgotten You. If you’d like, follow her on Facebook at Carolyn Riker, MA, LMHC or Instagram.