Guilt Trips: Forms of Psychological Manipulation & Abuse

Guilt trips are carefully crafted forms of psychological manipulation and abuse. They can take place using passive, passive-aggressive, or aggressive tactics. The purpose is to make the intended target feel contrite or ashamed, even when they shouldn’t be. It’s an attempt to make something the target’s fault or responsibility.

Some people use guilt trips because it’s a habit they picked up from others and never learned it was wrong. And some people do it because they’re toxic and manipulative. At the core, guilt trips are used to induce guilt to act against their better judgment, absolve the guilt-tripper from personal responsibility, or make the target feel obligated to do things they aren’t obligated to do.

Telltale Signs Someone is Trying to Guilt-Trip You

• Point out their own efforts and hard work to make you feel as if you’ve fallen short

• Make sarcastic or passive-aggressive remarks about the situation

• Ignore your efforts to talk about the problem

• Give you the silent treatment

• Deny their irritation, though their actions tell you otherwise

• Show no interest in doing anything to improve the situation themselves

• Use body language to communicate their displeasure by sighing, crossing their arms, or slamming objects down

• Make leading remarks meant to appeal to your emotions, such as, “Remember when I did [X] thing for you?” or “Don’t I do things for you all the time?”

Guilt-Trips Can Be Signs of Abusive Behavior

Guilt-tripping often happens in abusive relationships, so it’s important to reach out for help if they: Guilt you into doing things after you say no.

• The behavior forms a pattern;

• Won’t accept your apology for a mistake;

• Make no effort to change;

• Try to control your behavior in other ways;

• You feel as if you can’t do anything right;

• You notice put-downs, gaslighting, or other emotional abuse...

Any kind of manipulation, control, guilt-tripping, gaslighting, or abuse is NEVER God's will for your life.

What to Do About Guilt Trips 1) Set some healthy boundaries. Don’t feel obligated to do what they want or apologize for something that was not your fault. Instead, assertively communicate with them. Let them know you don’t accept the blame for something not in your control or responsibility.

2) Don’t receive their guilt trip just because they want you to feel bad. You have every right to protect your emotional and mental health from that kind of attack. If the guilt-tripper doesn’t stop, it’s time to limit their access to you. Also, set limits on your responsibilities to others. If married, or you find yourself in repetitive relationships in which you find your partner trying guilt trip you or you find that you have a tendency to guilt trip others - even your children - contact me, Dr. Baldwin today. Jesus wants to see you set free from this manipulative and controlling behavior.

If you are on the receiving end of guilt trips, this can easily turn into codependent behavior and allowing yourself to be manipulated and controlled. There is a spirit that is at work behind manipulation and control. It's vital to get free from any generational spirits or sins that you have come into agreement with or allowed giving the enemy a legal right to operate in your life. This is why so many of us continue to cry out to God yet find ourselves repeating unhealthy relationship patterns. The great news is that you can be free. You can be set free from every destructive cycle in your life today. Do not wait. Reach out to us and schedule a consultation through out contact form or call Dr. Baldwin at 4170-731-8354.

If you see yourself in this, you likely have a wound that needs healing. Demonic spirits often use past trauma as open doors to make us make inner vows, or come to believe a lie about God. An inner vow is usually a "never" or "always" statement made with good intentions that shuts communication off with the Lord and produces the opposite effect in our life.

Examples of Inner Vows:

"I will never let anyone speak to me like ________ did again".

"I will never let anyone control or manipulate me again."

"I will never date someone who uses drugs."

"I will never let another man/woman hurt me again".

"I will never be like my mother."

"I will always love and talk to my children with respect."

"I will never marry someone like my father/mother."

Inner Vows actually sound healthy when we are making them but they act as curses against us. How many times have you in a moment of pain made an always or never statement only to realize later in your life that you actually did the very opposite.

Most people who are struggling silently with mental illness, physical illness, compulsive sin, depression, suicidal thoughts, fear, doubt, unbelieve, fornication...the list goes on. There are many things that can prevent us from walking in the blessing of God which Jesus paid such a high price for.

Inner vows, judgements, unforgiveness, generation/bloodline sins of your ancestors, word curses and more can prevent the promises of God to manifest in your life.

If you or someone you love would like to give yourself the gift of living in the Freedom Jesus purchased for you; schedule an inner healing consultation. Are you not worth a season of inner healing from all that continues to burden your heart - both known and unknown.

Jesus is waiting to set you free. He already paid the price. Don't delay.