Bullying Tactics and Strategies Revealed

[dannyhunt]

Conditioning your mind Negatively or Positively (see Ivan Pavlov)

 

Have you ever noticed that when someone is very negative and always complaining they may start to influence you and you may start to see only the negative events or negative side of things as they do?

 

The way you think can be conditioned and a person can also be psychologically manipulated to have a negative thinking pattern, to always see the negative side of things or expect the worse, or to see the negatives out of a situation or event reflexively instead of being open minded or thinking of the positives first.

 

A tactic often used is to also constantly interpret or expose the victim to negativity. In some cases it's used to induce or can lead to depression.

 

The opposite is also true. You can condition your mind to think positively or expect positive outcomes. It’s not easy at first and does require effort but eventually it can change and become almost automatic, reflexive, where you will be thinking positively instead of negatively. You may have heard these expressions: look on the bright side, put a positive spin on it or spin it positively. Try this exercise: Think of all the positives that you can imagine out of a situation or event and try to think of the possible positive outcomes first.

 

Act Happy (condition your mind happy)

 

Act the way you want to feel and soon you will feel the way you act.

 

This is common in self confidence building therapies or courses where you are asked to act the part of or like a confident person. You soon develop that skill or behavior which results in the person having more confidence. There is increasing evidence that acting enraged, obsessed, malevolent, or depressed maybe bad for you. Actor Leonard DiCaprio developed obsessive-compulsive disorder while playing Howard Hughes in the block buster The Aviator. This often happens to actors who get "caught up" in the role they play or keep many of the same character traits of the role they played. Heath Ledger who played the Joker in the Batman movie died and was allegedly clinically depressed. If you act having an enraged or angry conversation with someone, you will usually find that your emotions do get engaged even though you are simply acting the part.

 

When you are acting happy, you are thinking happy thoughts that go with the acting role you are playing, so it's like conditioning your mind to be happy.

 

Indirect Communication - State of Constant Interrogation (see Ivan Pavlov)

 

The group can begin by saying the individual's name, specific words, different sounds, and use other distracting actions to attract the individual's attention. The targeted individual realizes that the group is using some form of harassment and begins to listen to the group around him.

 

Using indirect communication the group can insult the target, attack the individual's dignity and integrity, ask questions, threaten, and continue to use specific words and sounds to attract the targeted individual’s attention.

 

The indirect communication is also a form of conditioning and can lead to psychological disorders in which the victim feels that he is in a constant state of interrogation. For example, the individual may go to a different environment and hear sounds, words, and questions. Because of the indirect communication and conditioning, the individual may feel that he is still in a state of interrogation and believe that individuals are trying to interact with him. Normally, people would usually simply “tune out” the sounds and conversations of other people.

 

This tactic is also used to induce paranoia.

 

Conditioned Words - The Identification Word or Trigger Word (see Ivan Pavlov)

 

A tactic that is sometimes used on a victim is that the group doing the psychological harassment will start using a word, different actions can also be used, that is not commonly used to identify themselves and to identify themselves as being part of this group. Because the word is now associated to a group that is psychologically attacking the victim it can become threatening in the sense that the victim identifies an enemy, can expect a form of attack, or simply identifies and associates the word to the group and the repetitive attacks. The word is conditioned to a threat, the group and a possible coming attack.

 

Now that the victim has been conditioned to associate a threat, the group and the attacks, to an uncommon word, a more common word is used that is conditioned and associated in the same way to the same threat, an enemy or a possible coming attack. The word its self can also be associated to a threat, an indirect threat of physical violence for example or a degrading theme that is not recognized by the general public which increases the victims threat response. This can destabilize the victim further by confusing them and inducing more paranoia where the victim is wondering "who is who" "friend or foe" and can leave them responding more to more possible threats.

 

The conditioned word can become what some have termed a "trigger" word where the victim explodes in rage or to the threat and physically attacks an innocent and unaware person making them a victim of physical violence and making them both victims of this tactic and strategy.

 

Indirect Threats - Verbal Maneuvering to Hide Direct Threats

 

Sometimes a lot of verbal maneuvering and planning is used to hide or reduce the visibility and obviousness of a direct threat.

 

For example if a group makes subtle hints or insinuations about you being a homosexual for example, even though they probably know you are not, and then one of them says something like all homosexuals should be killed, it’s an indirect threat to you because of the maneuverings or it's less visible or obvious but it is still a direct threat to you.

 

As indicated on the home page, degrading themes are often used to prevent victims from coming forward and this is often the way they are used in combination with threats. The victim may have some reservations about claiming that he felt personally threatened by a threat that is made towards homosexuals. Other degrading themes, ethnics, and religions can also be used.

 

Social Queues - Rejection Hurts and can Lower Your Self-Esteem

 

Rejection hurts, registered as pain by the brain as mentioned on the home page, and rejection can be used in attempts to harm and also lower a person's self-esteem.

 

A person's self-esteem can be lowered or increased by conditioning the person to look only for certain social queues, disregard certain social queues, or by changing the meaning of certain social queues.

 

Smiling and laughter are very important and also have very positive effects on the brain.

 

A tactic often used is to try to condition, associate, negativity to the act of smiling and laughter.

 

Social queues like smiling indicates acceptance towards the person. A person can be conditioned to associate negativity such as a threat to a smile. If an individual is repetitively threatened or attacked by individuals that use a devilish or fake smile, that is then gradually reduced to a common smile while still engaging in this behavior, and combined with other tactics to induce paranoia, the result can be that the person will associate other peoples smiles to negativity because they are reminded of the behavior or because they are confused or uncertain as to its intention.

 

Laughter is associated to joy and acceptance also. Laughter is also a great stress and threat reducer.

 

A person can be conditioned to associate negativity such as threats or sarcasm and ridicule using the same tactics, as described above, to laughter.

Usually the desired emotion that the victim is manipulated or led to is anger because of its negative effects.

 

Smiling and Acceptance (opposite of rejection)

 

The simple act of smiling releases endorphins in the brain. Both laughter and smiling are contagious. When you smile at someone they usually reciprocate with a smile and this is associated to acceptance and making a connection with someone. It's the opposite of rejection. Smiling also enhances peoples view of you. Some studies show that people who are depressed have weaker smiling muscles and advocate smiling therapy in which the person practices making the smiling facial expression with eyes wide open and reaps the same benefits as a normal smile.

 

Try this exercise and see what results you get. Do not do this in front of a mirror. Make the smiling expression with eyes wide open for a few seconds and then rub or massage your face and head for several seconds.

 

Intrusive Thoughts - Inducing Degrading Images (Degrading Themes)

 

Degrading themes can be not only disturbing to a person but also threatening. They are used to attack a persons dignity, self-image, self-esteem, induce stress, and often used in combination with negative conditioning.

 

A group can try to make a targeted individual form degrading and perverse images by using combination's of words, descriptions, sounds, and actions. When degrading themes are used on individuals, the targeted individual can suffer from a psychological disorder that some psychologists have termed "intrusive thoughts".

 

Also, as stated on the first page, insinuations, even though they are false, can have different affects on an individual. Insinuations of being a pedophile, a homosexual, a criminal, a liar, etc. Is a form of attack on a person's, dignity and integrity, and can induce stress. One reaction that the victim can have when targeted is to have the feeling of "feeling guilty of something". Pedophilia is at the top of the list in hated things in our society and being labeled a pedophile has serious consequences. It would therefore explain why it is so often claimed to be used.

 

When degrading themes or different insinuations are used it can also be a form of catch 22 if a person's claims of being psychologically harassed or targeted are dismissed and they are told that it is all in their heads. Why do you have thoughts of being a pedophile, a homosexual, why do you feel threatened by it, etc. Given the fact that psychiatry is often used to discredit the victims of psychological harassment or psychological warfare the psychological construction of a catch 22 may work on some of the victims.

 

Another way degrading themes are used is to try to embarrass, causing the visible blushing reaction, the victim or to repetitively humiliate the victim because of the visible signs such as blushing.

 

Degrading themes are often used to try to prevent people from coming forward and psychiatry is often used as a threat in the sense of building false profiles.

 

more on degrading themes

 

Ambiguities - Self Doubt and Uncertainties (A State of Limbo)

 

Humans do not like ambiguities and uncertainties. We like to have certainty and security and ambiguities are also often used to induce insecurity.

 

Sometimes ambiguities are used to confuse the victim and leave them wondering what it is that they are suppose to do or be doing or what is the intended meaning. This can also affect the victim by placing them in doubt or used to induce self doubt and uncertainties, reduce decision making abilities, and can also have the “state of limbo” affect.

 

The ambiguities can also be manipulated as to hinting at a certain meaning and then modified to hint or indicate another meaning and so on to keep the victim confused or guessing as to what the true meaning of the ambiguities are. This can induce confusion, frustration, and self doubt.

 

Ambiguities can also be used for emotional manipulation such as inducing regret for example. One way this is done is by hinting at a certain meaning of what the ambiguities mean with very subtle hints at another and different meaning. After a period of time the meanings can be reversed or what was the subtle meaning can be clarified or made more obvious to the victim to induce regret, self doubt, and also attack or reduce the victim’s self-esteem and self-confidence.

 

Classical conditioning can also be used with ambiguities. For example the victim can be constantly bombarded with negativity or is lead to the conclusion that past ambiguities also had a negative meaning. Because of the conditioning the person will deduce or assume what is implied follows the same trend or pattern of negativity or theme. (see Conditioning your mind Negatively or Positively)

 

Song lyrics often use ambiguities so that the listener can apply the lyrics to their own life or view on reality. Ambiguities can also be used to influence a person's view on reality or in combination to efforts to change a person's view on reality.

 

Metaphorical Speech – Hidden Threats and View on Reality Manipulation

 

Sometimes people will use metaphors and metaphorical speech to try to hide different threats or use words that are not obvious in their association to a threatening nature and try to reduce the risk of exposure or criminal evidence.

 

The meaning of different words can also be changed (sarcasm). For example if two people that hate each other are using the words I love you, the intention of the words used do not have the same meaning as the words.

 

Metaphorical speech can also be used to change or manipulate the view on reality of a victim. For example metaphorical speech can be used to describe a certain view on reality or belief that is not the actual reality in an attempt to manipulate the person. (see Ideation in Suicide Factors)

 

The words profile, psychoanalyzed, we are going to fill you up (in the sense of creating a bad or false psychological profile) and using psychiatry as a threat is often used. The victim is psychologically harassed and also bombarded with degrading themes such as pedophilia and an attempt to make them believe that they will be labeled a pedophile, sexually confused, or a violent, angry, and dangerous person. The truth and reality is that this tactic is used by the perpetrators in an attempt to protect themselves, discredit the victim, and prevent the victim form exposing them.

 

Another example is referring to the victim as an animal and usually a dog. The attempts made by the victim to expose the perpetrators are then described as trying to bite or eat the perpetrators. Using metaphors that are orally oriented are then re-directed towards degrading themes in an attempt to prevent the victim from continuing the behavior of trying to expose the perpetrators. This example of the victim being described as a dog can also imply or insinuate that the person is less then human and can be controlled by a master or as a slave.

 

A better use of metaphors to describe the situation is that by trying to expose the perpetrators the victim is using the light (exposure and visibility) and the perpetrators trying to use the darkness (deception).

 

When your enemy uses the darkness and tries to hide in the darkness, you have to use the light.

 

Fear of Fear and Attacks to the Honor

 

Some people may feel that the feeling or emotion of fear attacks their honor.

 

A tactic that is used is to lead the victim to believe that to feel threatened and the resulting fight or flight response is about fear. Therefore the more threatened they feel equals more fear. This tactic deceives the victim and attacks them in two ways. The first is to threaten them causing the fight or flight response and the second is to simply feel threatened attacks their honor having the chain reaction of increasing the threat to them. This usually results in social withdrawal where the victim tries to avoid threatening situations or public areas.

 

One way this is used is that by making the victim believe that to feel threatened and the fight or flight response is about fear and the visible signs of the body having the fight of flight response chemicals like adrenaline are signs of fear that show the people threatening them that they are scared and therefore it attacks their honor and the victim is repetitively humiliated this way.

 

Movies or Audio that projects fear or the emotion of fear can also affect an individual.

 

Responsibility and Vulnerability

 

A stressful situation and tactic that is sometimes used to induce stress on a person is to give a person full responsibility for a department, for example, but the control to make changes or take action is given to someone else. This can have the effect of making the person insecure or feel vulnerable because they have no control over what they are fully responsible or accountable for and also places them at the "mercy" of someone else that can harm their career.

 

Ideation used to Manipulate Victims

 

People can be led to believe things that are false in order to manipulate them and even to try to drive them to suicide or to harm others.

 

For example a person can be led to believe that they are about to be fired or constantly on the verge of being fired to induce stress, paranoia, and insecurity. Another example is to lead the person to believe that they will be sued or going bankrupt, will be falsely accused resulting in prison time, will never be employed again, or lose their spouse.

 

Used with degrading themes the victim can be led to believe that they will be labeled a pedophile or used as a prostitute. That the perpetrators control the world and that the victim must obey.

 

Credibility and Psychological Warfare (Psychological Technology)

 

When a group or an organization engages in Psychological Harassment or Psychological Warfare (Psychological Technology) they usually use tactics or operate in a way to discredit the victim or have the victim discredited.

 

It's an invisible technology that deals with the mind. Campaigns of disinformation or false information are usually used as well and are also part of Psychological Warfare.

 

The Never Ending Test

 

When a group with this kind of expertise targets a victim and tries to create situations, “street theatre”, scenarios, or events with the intention of embarrassing, humiliating, threaten, anger, induce fear, or other harmful effects they need a strategy to deal with the failure or failures if the events in question do not produce the desired outcome.

 

A failure of a group who tries to intentionally attack or humiliate a victim builds confidence in the victim for overcoming this challenge or properly dealing with the event in question so there is a need to have a strategy or tactic to eliminate or reduce the confidence building phenomenon that results as much as possible.

 

One of the ways this is done is by trying to make the victim believe that it was a test, a training situation, and that there was or may have been some kind of benevolent intention.

 

One result from this strategy or tactic is that the victim feels he is on a never ending test since these situations, events, and attacks are usually repetitive in this kind of on going psychological harassment or psychological war. Many of these tactics can also be considered to be or used for psychological torture.

 

Another result is that it leaves the victim in doubt or confused as to what is going on or what is the intention or purpose of these psychological manipulations and events. Are the intentions in some way benevolent for training purposes or self improvement? Usually the victims can not understand why someone would want to harm them in this way or why people would do this to others and this also increases the doubt or confusion in the victim. It can also leave the victim unaware that a psychological war is being waged on them or the doubt and confusion also has the effect of preventing the victim from taking action or “fighting back”.

 

My Space, Your Space, Not Behind Me

 

A tactic that is sometimes used to make a victim feel vulnerable or more threatened is to threaten them in some way and to stand directly behind them and out of view. Instinctively you would not want someone that is hostile towards you to stand directly behind you and out of view whether you feel threatened by the threats that were made or not.

 

You may have also noticed that when a person is hostile towards you and acts aggressively by thrashing or hitting objects it can trigger more of the threat response from you. A similar tactic to the first, "my space", is for a person that is hostile towards you to motion an object towards you or towards your face.

 

Psychological Manipulations used in Covert Type Investigations

 

Individuals can use words, actions, and sounds that will make a target recall memories associated to a specific event. Observers can note different reactions from the target such as fear, surprise, embarrassment (red face), anger, and different emotions. From these reactions the observers can obtain clues to the level of involvement or knowledge that the target may have about a certain event.

 

A simple example of this is if the targeted individual was involved in an event that has a specific location. The group can say the name of the location, like a street name. If the target doesn’t associate this to anything or any memories, he will disregard the comments of strangers and have no reaction. If, however, the target does associate it to something, he may, or may not, have different reactions.

 

This scenario maybe repeated several times with different association pointers to get a better view or result. Like taking many measurements and obtaining some kind of average or again, a better view.

 

This psychological manipulation scenario can also be used to stress, or panic, a target. And a possible motive would be to have them use some kind of telecommunication device, that the target believes to be secure, and to possibly push the target to communicate to a partner, that may also be involved in the event, where he would discuss the strange phenomenon that he believes is happening to him or discuss the event in question. It’s a fact that in the US, Canada, and the UK there are secret organizations that listen to all telecommunications in these countries and that they also share information among themselves. Many people also believe that these organizations share information with other organization indirectly or through indirect channels.

 

There are many possible psychological manipulation type scenarios that can involve the use of sensitive information or dark secrets. You may have seen a movie where the “bad guy” says something like “get me some dirt on this guy”. The information would be used to intimidate the target or induce fear, stress, and paranoia. This type of scenario can easily fall into the classification of black mail where the target is in a catch 22 situation. The target would have to reveal the sensitive information or dark secrets to law enforcement in order to obtain some kind of help or assistance. His claims could also simply be dismissed as paranoia or delusions. And even if his claims would happen to be believed, there simply would be no proof or evidence.

 

Psychological warfare or using psychiatry in strong arm tactics is not a new phenomenon and it usually involves discrediting the target or having them declared psychologically ill. These tactics and technologies are usually used by powerful organizations. An example of this can be seen in the movie blue sky, set in the 1950’s, where the army uses psychiatry to hospitalize and medicate the target.

Edited November 4, 2008 by YT2095
Link removed.