The more you are aware of toxic, manipulative men's actions, the more ready you will be to defend yourself from one. When reading the indicators below, bear in mind that most of these behaviors will not appear early in a relationship. 1. Insanity and deception Gaslighting often occurs gradually in a relationship; in fact, its activities may appear innocuous at first. However, abusive behaviors can persist over time, causing you to become confused, nervous, lonely, and sad, as well as lose all awareness of what is truly happening. Manipulative persons might play the victim, making you appear to be the one who started a situation for which they refuse to accept responsibility. To keep you wondering and preying on your anxieties and vulnerabilities, they might be passive-aggressive or pleasant one minute and standoffish the next.