As the saying goes, we hurt the people we love the most. Having someone betray your trust isn’t nice, and sometimes it’s so bad that it breaks that bond forever. The good news is that there are certain character traits you can look out for in people who might eventually screw you over so that you can avoid them.
1. They have a lack of empathy.
Someone who might be capable of betraying your trust at some point isn’t going to have a lot of feeling for others. They don’t care about how their actions affect you, and when you confide in them, they don’t typically show a high level of compassion. This allows them to easily break people’s trust because they don’t care about how their actions impact others.
2. Their actions are inconsistent.
Someone’s behavior is often a telling sign of whether they might betray your trust in the future. In someone you can trust, their behavior will be the same all the time. However, if you can’t trust them, their behavior will be all over the place.
3. They’re secretive about certain things.
A key character trait of someone who might end up betraying your trust is their illicit nature. Often, they don’t like to divulge personal things, even though they ask you a lot of personal questions. This is most likely because they have something to hide from you and aren’t willing to completely invest in your relationship. They remain guarded and maintain a certain distance.
4. They’re manipulative.
One of the most telling signs of somebody who might betray your trust at some point is their tendency to manipulate, Psych Central notes. A lot of the time, people like warping a situation or a person because they have an ulterior motive. Their agenda is more important than that person’s feelings. They might even betray your trust if they feel that it benefits them.
5. They have no accountability.
People who find it easy to betray other people’s trust have a low level of answerability. They often play the victim, and one of the last things they will do is take responsibility for their behavior. They’ll be quicker to point the finger first and even blame you for something that’s their fault. This will also mean they won’t feel conflicted about being honest with you.
6. They have a murky history.
If you’re friends or in a relationship with someone who might be capable of betraying your trust at some point, there’s a good chance that this won’t be the first time. Someone capable of doing so has a dark past. They’ve left a trail of betrayal behind them, and a little digging might help you determine whether this is the case.
7. It’s all about them.
People who make life all about themselves tend to put themselves first in situations where they end up betraying someone’s trust. Because they care more about themselves than you, they’re not going to have any issues putting their own needs before yours. If they’re in a situation where betraying you will benefit them, then they’ll most likely do it.
8. They’re not good at communicating.
The more someone divulges with you, the more likely you are to trust them and trust that they won’t betray you in the future. Someone capable of breaking your trust rarely happens to be good at sharing things. If you find that this person isn’t very good at communicating with you, they might be more likely to communicate in negative ways with other people — potentially about you.
9. They’re not good at boundaries.
People who aren’t good at setting their own limits or respecting others’ are also capable of betraying someone’s trust. Clear boundaries are essential in any relationship, and if these are consistently broken, then you might experience betrayal from that person in the future. They’re willing to overstep your lines while disregarding your needs and feelings.
10. They’re unreliable.
In any relationship or friendship, the other person needs to be consistent regarding certain things. We all make mistakes, but foundational expectations need to be met. If someone consistently lets you down significantly, this could be a telltale sign of what is to come.
11. They’re entitled.
Someone capable of betraying your trust will have an unrealistic sense of entitlement. They will genuinely believe that they’re deserving of more than other people. They think that their life should be easy and that they shouldn’t have to work hard to get anything. This makes it too easy for them to throw you to the side to get what they want.
12. They like to guilt-trip.
If someone might betray your trust in the future, you might experience guilt-tripping from them. You might find that they like to make you feel bad when they don’t get their way or when they want you to do something. They’ll even go as far as to accuse you of not caring about them when, in fact, it’s the other way around.
13. They like to hold grudges.
People who are capable of betraying others’ trust aren’t going to have any issues holding on to something that happened a long time ago. They will do this deliberately so that they can bring it up in the future and use it against you. They’ll keep a tally of wrongs against them without considering their behavior.
14. They will often be passive-aggressive.
As well as being difficult to communicate with, people capable of betraying your trust will set the tone of each conversation and often be condescending. Instead of having constructive conversations when issues arise, they will revert to being insulting and condescending, which is not only hurtful but also not helpful.
15. They love playing the victim.
People who always see themselves as being hard done by will have no problem betraying your trust because they know they’ll find a way to worm out of taking responsibility for it and instead paint themselves as the victim. Proceed with caution with people like this!
