How do evil people affect us psychologically?

When faced with people with a clear tendency to deliberately harm others, the causes and motivations behind their behavior are often emphasized. However, the consequences that your actions have for others are not less important; after all, those people are the victims.

In this article we will review the main psychological effects of dealing with evil people, putting emphasis on mental health.

• Related article: "The 6 main types of toxic relationships"

What are the characteristics of evil people?

Answering the question of what exactly is being an evil person is such a complex task that it goes beyond psychology as a science; after all, it is a rather philosophical question. Specifically, one approached from the philosophy of ethics.

And in fact, in the behavioral sciences there is no clear consensus about what evil is or what are the behaviors typical of evil people (which is not surprising, because defining these terms has implications policies).

That is why in this article we are going to refer to evil people in general terms and understanding that they are those who present personality traits of the dark triad

("Dark triad"), a set of psychological predispositions associated with antisocial behavior. Antisocial behavior is that which is carried out without wanting to preserve alliances and the good health of the social fabric in the one that is lived, but they are aimed at satisfying only their own desires from an individualistic value system.

The Dark Triad is so named because it includes three personality traits: Narcissism, Psychopathy, and Machiavellianism.

Narcissism

Narcissism is characterized by self-centeredness, feelings of greatness, pride and the need to impose one's own authority About the others.

• You may be interested in: "Narcissistic and psychopathic people are more attractive, according to a study"

Psychopathy

Psychopathy includes impulsiveness, lack of empathy and the capacity for repentance, selfishness, lack of sensitivity towards others and disregard for rules and laws.

Machiavellianism

Machiavellianism has to do with the tendency to manipulate others and opportunism focused on satisfying your own needs and desires.

• Related article: "5 manipulation techniques that affect us and what we use"

How do evil people influence us psychologically?

As we have seen, the traits of the dark triad, although they overlap each other in some respects, delineate a type of behavior with a great capacity to harm others. Here we will see what are the psychological effects that people leave behind when dealing with others.

1. Trauma

Traumas are common especially in cases in which abuse occurs, either through physical violence or through other strategies aimed at causing psychological pain. These psychopathological complications are expressed through intrusive and recurring thoughts, unexpected peaks of anxiety, fear of performing normal day-to-day actions.

• You may be interested in: "What is trauma and how does it influence our lives?"

2. Damaged self esteem

Many people with ease to manipulate the rest are dedicated to making their victims doubt their abilities, to the point that they assume they are useless. This is mostly done through what is known as gaslighting.

• Related article: "Do you really know what self-esteem is?"

3. Social isolation

Many evil people demand exclusive dedication from their partners or friends, so that their victims are becoming more and more socially isolated and, therefore, in a situation of special vulnerability and a feeling of loneliness.

4. Emotional dependence

If the psychological manipulation is fully consolidated, it leads to emotional dependence. This occurs when the victim goes on to value everything depending on whether this will give him validation of the person who manipulates him or, on the contrary, if it gives him reasons to get angry or even break the relationship.

• You may be interested in: "Emotional dependence: the pathological addiction to your sentimental partner"

5. Afraid

Finally, fear is another of the most common psychological elements in the victims of these types of attacks and manipulations. Evil people know how to exploit the insecurities and vulnerabilities of others well, or sometimes they do not even expend effort to find out and opt for the threats of physical attacks. The person is afraid of antagonizing the one who makes life impossible for him, and for this reason he adopts a more or less submissive attitude.

Are you looking for professional psychological support?

If you want to have psychotherapeutic assistance with the maximum guarantees, get in touch with us.

On Advance Psychologists you will find a team of mental health professionals that began its trajectory more than 20 years ago and that cares for people of all ages. We intervene in the areas of individual, family and couples psychological therapy, and also in those of sexology, speech therapy, neuropsychology and coaching. We offer face-to-face sessions in our psychology center located in Madrid, and also sessions in the modality of online therapy by video call.