Am I being manipulated?

Ok, the background

I have this friend at work, we’ve known each other for a year, the first time we spoke was when it was about a guy she liked and she got rejected by and she spoke non stop for about 40 minutes about it, she has lots of platonic male friends and never talks to me about who she’s interested in, however I do sometimes with her. She constantly feels my elbow, and tries to link arms with me. She even sang my name, out loud, repeatedly.

The Present

Today, I had like a kind of epiphony, I think she is manipulating me for her own ends, and has done since day one. Let me lay it down to you.

For the past 6 months she’s been calling me retarded, or a moron whenever I raise an objection to something, or if we argue, she’ll use those words to stop anymore objections raised by myself. She never uses these words with any other friends, just me. And it’s not like it’s even a lighthearted comment, she says it loudly and provocatively to get a rise out of me. And it fucking hurts too.

We always had to do things she wanted to do, let’s say I didn’t want to go out to a party on a friday after work for instance, I’d set my mind to it, she will then ask and ask and ask repeatedly, it’s gotten so bad now that I have to lie to her (which she still sees through, I now use it as a kind of hint) to do something I’ve planned.

Even the most mundane suggestions I make about anything, she immediately gives an opposite view, she always has to be right.

Everything I do at work is now seen through her, what I mean by that is that I’m totally isolated from everyone else, now, although I’ve done some of that by choice, it’s gotten to a point where I don’t even fit in anymore, and I was always a little weird.

She constantly complains about her life and her ambitions and has a sense of superiority over everyone else, but her sense of superiority is projected on to me constantly.

I mentioned to her that I gained a VISA to Australia for a couple of months, and then said that if I liked it there, I’d stay forever. Well, almost immediately, she went nuts and talked about how it’s impossible for me to do that and I’d have to come back etc, what I’m getting at is this, whenever I talk about plans or goals I have, they’re immediately shot down and ignored or whatever, there’s absolutely no encouragement whatsoever.

She always seems to be nicer and friendlier to other people, not to say she isn’t with me, but she’s always complaining about something, or going off the deep end.

And I’m not even talking about the constant emails, txts and phone calls I used to get from her, even though this has quietened down in the last few months.

I’m getting really strong signals inside telling me I’m being manipulated, should I trust my instinct?

After all this, I really hate her guts, but I was worried about posting this because I don’t want to seem like I’m overreacting, I worry alot and I just can’t seem to make heads or tails about what’s going on with her, over the past months I just seem to be getting more isolated, more unhappy angrier and emotional, now it’s spilling over into other areas and I’m afraid of that.

You don’t need any more reason than this to quit being her friend. I’m not getting the manipulation, but she sounds like a garden-variety pain in the ass.

Manipulated? I don’t know. But it sounds like she’s treating you like a doormat because you’re letting her.

Try this: “That’s unacceptable and you need to stop.”

I don’t know if you’re being manipulated, but you sure seem to have wound up with a crappy friend. Is there anything about this friendship that you like?

You’re not being manipulated. She’s just an asshole.

Why are you still friends with her?

I think it was more of convienience than anything else, we’re the same age, have the same kind of interests, she comes from an abusive family (I don’t) she once phoned me to say that her brother had punched her in the face, and came into work with two blackeyes. She said she’d move out and never did. She still lives with a mother who’s a drunk. She’s not stupid I’ll grant her that, she got a degree in psychology.
Another time she told me how she had depression for a year. It just seems to be a constant cycle of negativity and it’s tiring. I mean, sure, I like bitching about work, but bitching about everything is draining. I always get the impression that she can be happy when she wants, but she can’t be happy when I’m happy.

I know I know, but the bitch of it is, is that I’ll admit I’m a naive person, and I only notice things after a long time. My reaction skills are bad.

You’re very accurate in the statement, she’s very opinionated and objectionable to anything that stands in the way of what she wants. I admire that, but when you’re on the receiving end of it, and receiving it loudly in front of everyone, it’s embarrasing. It’s worse when she’s drunk.

She’s an emotional vampire, then. If you can’t get her to stop, then you might consider dropping her as a friend. She’s toxic to you.

Because I’m in a situation where I’m afraid that if I do confront her, tell her to fuck off and not bother with her, I’ll be completely on my own. I’m isolated at work. It’s hard when the person you now hate is sat opposite you for 6hours a day.

Overreacting?!? You are definitely under-reacting. Ask for a transfer to where you don’t have to share the same desk, cubicle or room. Tell your boss it will improve your productivity and your ability to team up with others and be a win-win proposition. Most bosses would understand IF they actually know about the problem you are having. Communicating your feelings and intentions is your first step out of the present hellhole that you are in.

Oh here we go again. Someone posts about a horrible relationship they’re in and wants advice. Everyone responds with “leave, leave, leave, leave, leave, leave…” and the author responds with “but, but, but, but, but, but, but…”
Do you really want to be another one that is miserable, knows the right thing to do, confirms through others the right thing to do, and then sits on their hands and does nothing?
Man up and get it over with already. Like today. Life is too short to be spent dealing with idiots.

I’m curious about this “being isolated” thing. Would that be a bad thing? (Personally, I’m more miserable at work when there’s a bunch of people in my office. I like peace and quiet.) Would isolation hurt you professionally? If not, is it worse to be alone than with someone who brings you down so much?

As for your reaction skills, this might be a good time to hone them. Learn to be aware of when she’s being a jerk and be prepared to call her on her shit. If you can’t do that, it’s OK to tell her at any time “You know, I really hate it when you…”

The conclusion does not follow from the data.

I know what you mean, however if I requested to sit on my own or away from my team members it would reflect bad on me proffessionally, I’m a salesman by living, so I have to be a ‘team player’ and ‘contribute’ to the team in order to look productive. I think tomorrow I’m gonna request to be sat as far away from her as possible, make the best of a bad situation.

I’ve called her on her shit, but I do it in the most stupid way, she riles me up very easily, and it takes a while to calm down.

All of this has been a long time coming, I only just today thought about all of this, hence the thread.

I sound paranoid, but, if she’s got that degree, couldn’t she like, identify my weaknesses and exploit them to her own advantage, or is their more to it than just obtaining a diploma?

If you think you might be being manipulated, you probably are. I would manuever some way to move away from her physically, the psycologically.

Psychologists don’t have psychic powers. I dated one for seven years and not once did she try to analyze me. In fact she sometimes accused me of being inscrutable.

But maybe you could turn it around and ask her why she’s always trying to get under your skin.

I did do that once whilst we were in the midst of an argument, I said to her that it always seemed that she had to put me down (call me a retard) to make herself feel good, she laughed and said I was paranoid and needed medication.

She sounds like such a charmer.

Once again…

“That’s unacceptable and you need to stop.”

It’s particularly unacceptable in the workplace. I know there are places a lot wilder than where I work, but loudly calling someone a “retard” and going nuts on them at work is beyond the pale.

Please do not get into all this when you do ask to be relocated. Stress the positive effects of moving but do not talk about all this drama, unless you are actually reporting her behavior. Bosses don’t care about this petty stuff and it would make you look bad.

How about you psychoanalyze her back?

When she degrades you, tell her “What you’re really doing is the mental equivalent of a grade schooler pulling on a classmate’s pigtails. It’s something I grew out of a long time ago. But because you grew up in an abusive household, the only way you understand how to show affection is to be abusive yourself. I get that. I also get that you like me. But would you knock that derogatory shit off?”

It should probably stop her cold. Most likely because it’s true.