--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We emotionally manipulated each other…" description: "\"“We emotionally manipulated each other until we thought it was love.”\" — Warsan Shire" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/warsan-shire-7647_dysfunctional-relati_we-emotionally-manipulated-each-other-un_3177311.jpg" --- # We emotionally manipulated each other until we thought it… ![“We emotionally manipulated each other until we thought it was love.” quote by Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/warsan-shire-7647_dysfunctional-relati_we-emotionally-manipulated-each-other-un_3177311.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/warsan-shire-7647_dysfunctional-relati_we-emotionally-manipulated-each-other-un_3177311.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/warsan-shire-7647_dysfunctional-relati_we-emotionally-manipulated-each-other-un_3177311.jpg) > ““We emotionally manipulated each other until we thought it was love.”” [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes how emotional manipulation can masquerade as love, blurring healthy boundaries. **In simple terms:** Love can be a façade of control. Key Takeaway Recognize and address manipulation in relationships. Themes love manipulation psychology relationships Mood reflective somber introspective Type psychological literary When to use this quote - dating - family interactions - therapy sessions - friendships Key Concepts emotional abuse power dynamics self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - What signs indicate love has become control? - How can we foster healthier emotional connections? A Different Perspective Not all emotional intensity is manipulation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dysfunctional-relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dysfunctional-relationships-52135/) [Emotionally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotionally/) [Emotionally Manipulated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotionally-manipulated-2577655/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Manipulated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manipulated/) [Manipulated Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manipulated-thought-5808079/) [Thought Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-love/) ## Related quotes > [When I have an exhibition, I usually arrange it so that if people want to, they can spend two hours there. 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Trying to love you bankrupted me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mark-green/your-heart-was-a-wishing-well-bottomless-trying-to-love-you/) [John Mark Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mark-green/) > [“It was then that my gaze happened to fall on the bookcase, on the gap there, where the old paperback of "Nine Stories" had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-c-boyle/it-was-then-that-my-gaze-happened-to-fall-on-the-bookcase-on-the-gap/) [T.C. Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-c-boyle/) > [“Listening to Eddy describe his relationship with our mom seemed to indicate that what I feared would be my reality. 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Guileful scoundrels in business, government, and media smugly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/regardless-of-your-political-orientation-if-you-are-reasonably/) [Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/) > [Never have so many been manipulated so much by so few.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/never-have-so-many-been-manipulated-so-much-by-so-few/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [“Until you realize how easy it is for your mind to be manipulated, you remain the puppet of someone else's game.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evita-ochel/until-you-realize-how-easy-it-is-for-your-mind-to-be-manipulated-you/) [Evita Ochel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evita-ochel/) > [People are more easily manipulated when they don't have information. If you ensure that kids grow up without basic reading skills, math skills, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-kushner/people-are-more-easily-manipulated-when-they-don-t-have-information/) [Tony Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-kushner/) > [Uninformed people can be easily manipulated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/uninformed-people-can-be-easily-manipulated/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [It's a political and manipulative industry. Actors vie for the same roles, movies are snatched away. Have I ever been manipulated? Yes. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-a-political-and-manipulative-industry-actors-vie-for-the-same/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The way in which the child is manipulated pulls them into considering the lies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-way-in-which-the-child-is-manipulated-pulls-them-into-considering/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) ## More by Warsan Shire > [You are terrifying, and strange, and beautiful. Something not everyone knows how to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/you-are-terrifying-and-strange-and-beautiful-something-not-everyone/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [“the year of letting go, of understanding loss. grace. of the word ‘no’ and also being able to say ‘you are not kind’. the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/the-year-of-letting-go-of-understanding-loss-grace-of-the-word-no-and/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [How far have you walked for men who've never held your feet in their laps?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/how-far-have-you-walked-for-men-who-ve-never-held-your-feet-in-their/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [And you tried to change, didnt you? Closed your mouth more. Tried to be softer, prettier, less volatile, less awake¦ You cant make homes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/and-you-tried-to-change-didnt-you-closed-your-mouth-more-tried-to-be/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [I’m overwhelmed. My biggest downfall is my brightest blessing, I feel too much, all the time. Ya Allah, if it’ll keep my heart soft,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/i-m-overwhelmed-my-biggest-downfall-is-my-brightest-blessing-i-feel/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [“you were like an ulcer on the inside of my cheek that my tongue could not stop touching. loving you was like watching a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/you-were-like-an-ulcer-on-the-inside-of-my-cheek-that-my-tongue-could/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [Essentially, if our secrets are secrets because we are told to be ashamed, then we must share them. There is no shame in being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/essentially-if-our-secrets-are-secrets-because-we-are-told-to-be/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [Document the moments you feel most in love with yourself - what you're wearing, who you're around, what you're doing. Recreate and repeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/document-the-moments-you-feel-most-in-love-with-yourself-what-you-re/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [“Loving you was like going to war; I never came back the same.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/loving-you-was-like-going-to-war-i-never-came-back-the-same/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [Every mouth you’ve ever kissed was just practice. All the bodies you’ve ever undressed and ploughed in to were preparing you for me. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/every-mouth-you-ve-ever-kissed-was-just-practice-all-the-bodies-you/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [My alone feels so good, I'll only have you if you're sweeter than my solitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/my-alone-feels-so-good-i-ll-only-have-you-if-you-re-sweeter-than-my/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [“i give myself five days to forget you. on the first day i rust. on the second i wilt. on the third day i…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/i-give-myself-five-days-to-forget-you-on-the-first-day-i-rust-on-the/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [Mother says there are locked rooms inside all women, kitchen of love, bedroom of grief, bathroom of apathy. Sometimes, the men, they come with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/mother-says-there-are-locked-rooms-inside-all-women-kitchen-of-love/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [Perhaps, the problem is not the intensity of your love, but the quality of the people you are loving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/perhaps-the-problem-is-not-the-intensity-of-your-love-but-the-quality/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [“I did not beg him to stay because I was begging God that he would not leave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/i-did-not-beg-him-to-stay-because-i-was-begging-god-that-he-would-not/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) [Explore all 89 Warsan Shire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) ## More Dysfunctional-relationships quotes > [“I got to my place late one night. I was really beat. Getting that key out and into the door was about the last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-got-to-my-place-late-one-night-i-was-really-beat-getting-that-key/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“Healthy people understand that others have the capacity to choose to end relationships and it serves as motivation for them to learn to relate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-mahill/healthy-people-understand-that-others-have-the-capacity-to-choose-to/) [Wendy Mahill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-mahill/) > [“Listening to Eddy describe his relationship with our mom seemed to indicate that what I feared would be my reality. He never talked poorly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-louise-stephenson/listening-to-eddy-describe-his-relationship-with-our-mom-seemed-to/) [Janet Louise Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-louise-stephenson/) > [“It was then that my gaze happened to fall on the bookcase, on the gap there, where the old paperback of "Nine Stories" had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-c-boyle/it-was-then-that-my-gaze-happened-to-fall-on-the-bookcase-on-the-gap/) [T.C. Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-c-boyle/) > [“Your heart was a wishing well. Bottomless. Trying to love you bankrupted me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mark-green/your-heart-was-a-wishing-well-bottomless-trying-to-love-you/) [John Mark Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mark-green/) [Browse all 6 Dysfunctional-relationships quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dysfunctional-relationships-52135/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We emotionally manipulated each other until we thought it was love.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Warsan Shire" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/we-emotionally-manipulated-each-other-until-we-thought-it-was-love/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dysfunctional-relationships" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/we-emotionally-manipulated-each-other-until-we-thought-it-was-love/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/warsan-shire-7647_dysfunctional-relati_we-emotionally-manipulated-each-other-un_3177311.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/warsan-shire-7647_dysfunctional-relati_we-emotionally-manipulated-each-other-un_3177311.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/warsan-shire-7647_dysfunctional-relati_we-emotionally-manipulated-each-other-un_3177311.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We emotionally manipulated each other until we thought it was love.” — Warsan Shire", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Warsan Shire", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We emotionally manipulated each other until...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/we-emotionally-manipulated-each-other-until-we-thought-it-was-love/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/we-emotionally-manipulated-each-other-until-we-thought-it-was-love/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```