Disordered characters use the tactic of minimizing to manage the impression others have of them. It’s a way to manipulate others into thinking they’re not so bad despite the horrible things they’ve done.

“Denial” has traditionally been conceptualized as an ego defense mechanism. But disordered characters use denial as a tactic to feign innocence, and to manipulate and manage the impression of others who might otherwise have their number.

Disordered characters are forever blaming their misbehavior on someone or something else, and skilled manipulators can make you think that somehow it’s your fault that they did whatever they did to hurt you.

When manipulators rationalize, they’re mostly trying to manage your impression of them, trying to convince you that they meant no harm, had no choice, or did what any reasonable person would do in order to mislead you about the nature of their intentions and their character.

The “problems” neurotics experience often stem from emotional conflicts that rage deep within their unconscious minds.  They’re typically unaware of what’s at the root of the “symptoms” they report.  If a woman already knew that the unexplained funk she’d been in lately was related to her suppressed feelings of grief and loss that just happened to be [...]