How to Recognize the Signs Someone Is Using You (2024)

Have you ever gotten the feeling that someone is manipulating you for their benefit? Or that they care more about what you can offer them than they do about you? In these situations, it’s possible that you’re being used. When someone is using you, it means they are manipulating or taking advantage of you for their own benefit.

"In some cases, the individual being used may not recognize the pattern until long after the behaviors first start. On other occasions, the individual is keenly aware they have been manipulated for another person’s gain right away,” says Marcum.

This article helps you identify some signs that you’re being used and suggests some strategies to help you put a stop to it.

Signs You’re Being Used

Sometimes it's easy to spot the signs that someone is using you, but in other cases, this behavior can be much more subtle. While everyone’s circ*mstances are different, these are some signs that someone may be using you, according to Marcum:

• The person asks you for money, favors, or other items. For instance, they may ask you to lend them money or pay their bills.
• The person imposes on you without consideration for your availability or preferences. For instance, they may move in with you unexpectedly or want to borrow your car at a moment’s notice.
• The person expects you to take care of their needs. For instance, if you go out for dinner with them, they may not offer to pay and simply expect you to pick up the tab.
• The person appears disinterested in you after their needs have been met. For instance, they may use you to meet their needs but may not want to spend time with you otherwise.
• The person is only affectionate or intimate with you when it’s convenient for them. For instance, they may be affectionate toward you until they get what they want.
• The person doesn’t make an effort to be there for you when you need them. For instance, even though they borrow your car regularly, they may not agree to give you a ride to the airport.

Signs someone is using you may vary depending on the nature of the relationship. A friend who is using you may only want to do things together at their convenience. They may expect you to listen to them, but not be willing to hear what you have to say.

In a relationship, being used might involve selfishness and disinterest in your needs. It may also involve someone only being interested in a sexual relationship while refusing to make any other type of emotional commitment.

Impact of Someone Using You

It never feels good for someone to take advantage of you. It can make you feel poorly about yourself and take a negative toll on your relationships. It can also make it harder to trust other people in the future. According to Marcum, here are some of the ways that you might be affected if someone has been using you:

Impact on Mental Health

Being taken advantage of can lead to significant mental health problems, especially if you have been used or harmed in a previous relationship. It can manifest symptoms associated with anxiety, depression, and trauma. Over time, you may have difficulty trusting others and forming new relationships.

Impact on Relationships

It disrupts the power balance within the relationship. In a healthy relationship, both partners would be responsible for providing support, trust, and emotional security to their partner.

Strategies to Avoid Being Used

Marcum lists some steps you can take to avoid being used:

• Set boundaries: Learning to identify violations to interpersonal boundaries and setting healthy boundaries is a great way to start protecting your mental health and ensuring you're not being used.
• Work on your self-esteem: Working to build self-compassion and recognizing your value can also help limit the possibility of being taken advantage of in relationships.
• Seek guidance: Seeking guidance from a mental health professional, mentor, or someone you look up to can also be helpful as you work toward creating healthy boundaries.

A Word From Verywell

Being used is not a good feeling and it can lead to mental health difficulties as well as relationship-related issues. Identifying the signs that someone is using you, setting boundaries with them, and seeking help from loved ones or a mental health professional can help you process how you feel about being used and in turn, work to help prevent it.