Even though they usually refuse to admit it, the truth is that women play games. In fact, in most cases, they do it more often than men.
This doesn’t mean that all women are manipulative. In fact, most mind games women play on men are actually directed towards making you chase them even harder or making you commit.
However, despite their intentions, if you don’t know much about these mind games, you can easily be tricked into doing something you don’t want.
That’s why we’ve decided to let you know about the most common mind games women play on men.
I’m sure you’ve heard about hard to get games. This is a set of tactics many women use when they want you to try a little bit harder to make them yours.
1. “I won’t look at you”
The hard to get mind games women play on men usually start even before you actually get in touch with a certain girl. It all begins with the “I won’t look at you” stage of your flirting.
When you meet a woman you still don’t know, the first contact you have is usually through the eyes.
You try to make prolonged eye contact and do your best to figure out whether she likes you or not based on her look.
However, this is much easier than it seems. In fact, most girls will use this eye contact to play with you.
Maybe she’ll look at you at first but as soon as she sees you staring at her, she’ll probably look away.
Naturally, at this point you don’t know what to think: does she like you or did you just misinterpret her initial look?
Well, in this scenario, there is a possibility of the girl being shy. Maybe she is too embarrassed to look at you directly or is afraid that she’ll blush once you figure out that she is indeed flirting with you.
On the other hand, there is an even bigger possibility that this girl is actually teasing you.
She simply doesn’t want to be perceived as too available and she sees herself as a female character who is always being chased by men.
2. “I won’t respond to your texts”
I’m sure there isn’t a guy out there who hasn’t struggled with a thing called delayed responses while hitting on a girl – or even when they have already started dating.
In fact, most women act like they have this timer installed in their brains. According to them, there is a specific time frame in which they’re allowed to respond to a guy’s text – even if they like him.
It’s not unusual for a girl to turn off her mobile phone and only get back to you hours later.
When you’re texting a woman who behaves like this, it’s normal to wonder if she is interested or not.
Is she just being polite when she answers your texts every now and then or she is interested but doesn’t want you to see how crazy she is for you?
Well, that is exactly what this woman wants you to think. She doesn’t want you to be certain of her intentions and she wants you to spend some time trying to figure her out.
3. “I won’t accept your date invitations”
This might be a new one for you: most girls won’t accept your date invitation the first time you ask them out. As a man, this probably makes no sense but it is actually very common female behavior.
After all, if you like someone, you are more than happy to go out with them. However, many girls’ brains don’t function like that.
In fact, for them it’s important to act like they’re hard to get. So, many girls will turn you down the first time you ask them out on a date just to see if you really want to see them.
They are testing you to see whether you’ll give up on the first obstacle or you’ll be more persistent or ask them out again.
Nevertheless, this is where you’ll have to be extra wise and see the subtle differences between a girl who is turning you down because she really doesn’t want to go out on a date with you, and a girl who is sending you a hint to ask her again.
Tricky, I know.
Pay attention to her answer. Is she saying “no” without much explanation and without leaving the possibility of seeing you some other time?
In that case, I hate to break it to you but she is probably not interested and it would be better for you not to push things any further.
On the other hand, if she proposes a rain-check or says that she would like to go out with you when she gets to know you better, you certainly have a chance with her.
4. “I’m not so interested”
Let’s be straight about one thing: a girl can be head over heels for you but she’ll rarely show it to you directly.
In fact, most women think that it’s a guy’s job to chase them and this is exactly what they’re trying to accomplish by pretending to be not so interested.
After all, they’ve seen it in movies and read about it in books. All female characters are chased by these strong men while they have second thoughts about their relationship.
Therefore, don’t expect some big love declarations from a woman in the initial stage of dating.
Many girls think that saying simple things such as “I like you” or “I’m interested in you” are out of hand and will make them look desperate.
In fact, they’ll usually try and find a balance between showing you that they’re interested but not too interested.
5. The waiting game
When a girl is playing hard to get, she’ll make you wait. First of all, she’ll make you wait on her text responses and on her calling you back.
After that, once you finally arrange a date, she’ll probably be late. This waiting game is another way of her testing you: will you walk away or will you wait for her to show up?
Also, most girls will make you wait on any kind of affection or physical contact.
A woman who plays games won’t kiss you right away and any bedroom activity will be postponed, even though she probably wants the same things as you.
Of course, when it comes to this type of waiting, the last thing you should do is push her limits.
Show her that you find her attractive and that you’re dying to kiss or hug her but respect her personal boundaries unless you want to be perceived as a creep.
– Passive aggressive games
Women are generally not abusers. They’re rarely aggressive or violent.
However, their power lies in their ability to be passive aggressive. This is a practice which helps them avoid direct confrontation.
It’s the habit of indirectly expressing their thoughts, feelings, and desires.
6. “I’m not angry”
Unlike men, in most cases, a girl won’t tell you that she’s angry or upset about something you did.
In fact, even when you straightforwardly ask her if everything is alright, she is unlikely to be honest and will probably lie that everything is in perfect order, which is far from the truth.
Yes, it would be a lot easier if she just told you what the matter was so you could discuss it in a mature manner and eventually find a solution to your problem.
However, women want their men to be mind readers. This girl will expect you to magically know what’s wrong without her having to tell you – and then make things right using that same magic.
Basically, she wants you to be aware of your mistakes on your own without her having to explain herself. I know that this is extremely difficult to understand for guys but sadly, that’s how the other sex works.
7. “You can do whatever you want”
When a girl tells you to do whatever you want, DO NOT DO WHATEVER YOU WANT under any circumstances.
Trust me – this is one of the biggest and most common traps women will try to use.
You’ll probably find yourself in this situation when you’re asking her for a rain-check for your date so you can go out with your guy friends, or when you’re wondering if she’ll be bothered by you having coffee with your ex girlfriend.
Your girl will never say “no” to these requests. She doesn’t want to appear to be a naggy, jealous wife who controls every move you make.
Instead, she’ll probably tell you to make a decision on your own and to do as you please. However, this is not an authorization on her part.
In fact, it is nothing but a test that many guys fail. You think that she is perfectly okay with you doing what you want and you continue with your plans, assuming that she doesn’t mind.
Nevertheless, at the first occasion, she’ll rub this in your face. You’ll see that she wasn’t happy with your choice and she’ll make sure you realize it one way or another.
Don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying that you should blindly obey your girl’s wishes.
I’m just trying to prepare you for the consequences of your actions and trying to make you understand the real meaning hidden behind her words.
8. The silent treatment
Another one of the games women play on men is called the silent treatment. You know, that female behavior when she ignores you or gives you one word responses to your questions?
Well, this one is pretty similar to the “I’m not angry” game. In both cases, your girl will act angry but will deny feeling like that.
In fact, she’ll probably use irony and sarcasm while talking to you. She might try insulting you indirectly or she’ll just turn off her cell phone and decline your calls.
Basically, she’ll do anything besides actually telling you what’s wrong. This is another case in which you’re expected to use your magician skills and read her mind.
Or you can just wait for her to come to her senses and be ready to talk to you like an adult. The choice is all yours!
9. Not giving you a chance to apologize
When you make a mistake, the natural order of events is to say that you’re sorry to the person you’ve harmed.
However, many women won’t give you the chance to apologize to them.
In fact, they’ll probably tell you that they don’t need your apologies and that you saying that you’re sorry means nothing.
Well, listening to them and not asking for forgiveness is a huge mistake. In fact, every girl expects you to apologize, despite what she says.
However, what most men don’t know is that saying that you’re sorry is not enough.
Instead, you have to actually show it, and your actions have to reflect your words if you don’t want them to end up sounding empty.
Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that you should form a habit of apologizing all the time, especially for the things you didn’t do.
10. Pretending she’s not jealous
When you like a girl, it’s normal to get jealous of other guys around her.
It doesn’t mean that you’ll become a control freak who will cage her and keep her just for yourself, but it wouldn’t be normal if you felt nothing when you see her around another man who might represent a threat to your relationship or your place in her life.
Well, this is where girls function almost the same as guys. So, there is no doubt about one thing: if a girl is into you, she will be jealous to a certain extent.
However, most women won’t admit this, even if their life depends on it as that would be proof of their feelings for you, which is something they’re trying to hide at all costs.
In fact, they’ll pretend that they don’t care who you see, where you go, who you’re texting, and if you’re flirting with someone else.
11. “It’s not you, it’s me”
How many times have you heard this empty phrase? I don’t think there’s a man out there who has never been told the infamous words “It’s not you, it’s me.”
Well, let me tell you a big secret: in a girl’s head, it’s always you. Even if she doesn’t want to tell you, there is a reason for her losing interest or dumping you.
Of course, there is also a chance that she simply doesn’t like you enough to actually be with you. Maybe she thinks she can do better or perhaps there is another guy she’s chosen over you.
12. Withholding affection
Another popular form of passive aggressive behavior is something known as “withholding affection”. This is a mind game women play to emotionally blackmail and manipulate you.
When a girl is trying to make a point or wants you to chase her more, she will withhold affection.
She wants you running after her like a little puppy, since she is convinced that, as a man, you’re dependent on physical touch.
– Hot and cold games
Playing hot and cold games often result in men not knowing where they stand.
If you’ve ever found yourself in a situation where you had absolutely no clue what a girl wanted from you or whether she was even interested or not, she was probably playing these games, without you even noticing.
13. Loving you vs. being indifferent
One of the most common hot and cold games women play on men is the one where they leave you clueless about their real feelings.
When you’re trapped in this kind of game, the girl you’re into will probably love bomb you at first. In the beginning, she will act like she’s too good to be true.
She will behave like you’re the man she’s spent her entire life waiting for. She will treat you like her Prince Charming.
This girl will text you all the time, she will accept your date invites, she will call you to hang out, and she might even go as far as introducing you to her friends and family.
She will probably tell you that she loves you and if she doesn’t say those exact words, she will definitely act like she does.
However, as soon as she sees that you’re hooked, she’ll change. All of a sudden, she’ll start acting indifferent and there will be no sign of the girl you used to know.
Just like that, she’ll become too busy to see you, she’ll stop putting you first, she won’t initiate communication, and she’ll start treating you like her last resort.
Naturally, when this starts to happen, you’ll assume that she’s lost interest with time.
You’ll be convinced that she’s fallen out of love with you and after a few initial tries to revive the flame between you two, you’ll want to give up on this girl.
However, that’s when she’ll go to being her old self. She’ll sense that she’s losing you and she’ll start to love you again.
Before you know it, you’ll find yourself trapped in an endless cycle of this girl playing her hot and cold mind games.
In that process, you’ll fall madly in love with her, which is exactly what she wanted all along.
Not only that: you’ll also be under her complete control. Without even being aware of it, you’ll be ready to do whatever it takes just to prevent her entering her “cold phase” once more.
14. Sending mixed signals
Even though guys are often accused of sending mixed signals, the truth is that most girls are actually champions of this discipline.
In fact, one of the most common tactics women use to make you go crazy over them are these hidden messages you have a hard time decoding.
Have you ever been in a situation where a girl is clearly jealous of other women in your life but she herself refuses to give you a chance?
Where she tells you that she’s been dying to see you but can’t make it every time you invite her on a date?
Have you ever been in a situation where a girl’s actions don’t match her words? Where she doesn’t let you move on but doesn’t want to be with you either?
Well, in that case, my friend, you’re in the trap of a woman’s mixed signals.
You spend most of your time dissecting everything this girl does or tells you and before you know it, she’s becomes the only person you think of.
– Making you jealous
No woman wants to be in a relationship with a possessive or a controlling man. However, the thing they will rarely ever admit is that they enjoy seeing you a little bit jealous.
In fact, a certain amount of jealousy often serves as proof that you’re really into them. Therefore, girls will sometimes try to make you jealous on purpose, just to get a reaction.
15. Comparing you to her ex
A girl who is trying to make you jealous by bringing her previous relationships to the table will never do it directly.
She’ll never say “My ex was better than you” or “I loved my ex more than I love you”.
However, she’ll constantly compare you to him in subtle ways. She’ll mention the romantic gestures and the surprises he made for her, she’ll casually talk about his presents and the attention he gave her.
There are two options in this scenario.
In the first one, a girl will put her ex on a pedestal. She will constantly go on and on about how perfect her relationship with him was.
If this is something you can relate to, let me tell you that she is probably overreacting. In fact, she is idealizing her past romance to set up a standard she expects you to achieve.
She wants you to subconsciously start competing with her ex. She wants you to buy her better things and to treat her with even more care than he did.
On the other hand, if she is talking trash about her ex, it’s her way of sending you a message. This way, she’s actually warning you of the type of behavior she won’t tolerate in your relationship.
However, this is also a form of manipulation. When you hear all of this, you’ll do your best not to repeat this guy’s mistakes and prove to her that not all men are the same.
16. Showing you that you’re replaceable
A girl who is trying to make you jealous will do everything in her power to show you that you can be easily replaced.
Yes, she likes you but she can find another you in a minute.
However, a smart woman will never tell you this outright, since she knows it would be rude and inappropriate.
Nevertheless, she’ll make sure you’re perfectly aware of this fact at all times so you never take her for granted.
First and foremost, she’ll casually mention all the guys who are hitting on her. Of course, she’ll convince you that she remains immune to their courtship but the point is that she has other options.
She might even tell you that one of her exes is going out of his way to make up with her. She’ll point out that only now has he realized what he lost.
All of this has a purpose: this girl wants you to become scared of losing her. Also, she wants to warn you to be wise enough to see her worth before you feel her absence.
17. Flirting with other guys
Flirting with other guys in your presence is something girls will do, especially if they feel that they’re not getting enough attention from you.
This is another one of the strategies for them to show you that there are other fish in the sea.
A girl will do this if you aren’t exclusive or even if you are in a labelled relationship.
When you try to confront her about this, she’ll tell you that flirting is not cheating or she’ll try to convince you that you’re imagining things.
Reacting to her flirting in the right way is not easy. If you stay silent about it, she’ll start doing it even more since in reality she wants a reaction.
On the other hand, if you tell her that you’re bothered by her behavior, you’re exposing your vulnerabilities to her.
This way, she’ll probably flirt with someone every time she wants to provoke you or hurt your feelings.
18. Using social media to make you jealous
In modern dating, social media platforms are a huge part of every romantic relationship. Therefore, it also gives your girl an amazing chance to make you jealous as well.
This is especially the case if we’re talking about your ex-girlfriend.
After all, she doesn’t need to have any physical contact with you to make you jealous – it’s more than enough to post an Instagram story with some other guy or to ask her friend to leave a comment under her photo.
If you ever find yourself in this situation, don’t think that she found someone else immediately after your breakup.
She is probably just trying to make you come to her.
She wants you to react and she wants you to be scared of her moving on.
She expects you to reach out to her and she wants to get back together but she refuses to make an actual first step towards a make up.
19. Dating other guys
Technically, when you’re not in a labeled, committed, healthy relationship, you both have the right to date other people. Well, that’s exactly what this girl uses to make you jealous.
In fact, she makes sure you are aware that she is still in the dating pool.
When a girl mentions her other dates or brings other guys to the places she expects to see you, know that she is doing it on purpose.
– Playing the victim
Playing the victim card is also one of the most common mind games girls play. In fact, they use numerous tactics guys have no clue about in order to make themselves look like the innocent ones in all situations.
20. Tears
When a woman doesn’t get what she wants or when things don’t go her way, she’ll go straight to using the proven method most guys immediately fall for: crying.
After all, who can remain immune to an innocent girl’s tears?
Well, I have to burst your bubble and tell you that many girls can cry on demand.
She knows that you’ll forgive her or that you’ll give her what she wants because no man wants to be the reason for his girlfriend’s tears.
Sadly, in some cases, her crying is nothing but a form of manipulation. It’s her game and a way for her to play with your head.
21. You’re always guilty
Another mind game women play is guilt-tripping. Somehow, you always end up guilty for everything going down in your relationship.
A girl who is into playing games will rarely take responsibility for her words or actions. Even when she admits that she’s made a mistake, she’ll turn the tables and accuse you of provoking her.
Either way, you’re the bad guy of the story. You did something to hurt her feelings, you are the one who caused her heartache, and you’re the one who caused problems between you two.
No matter what happens, you’re always the one who ends up apologizing. Not only that: you’re also always the one who feels guilty.
If this keeps on happening in your relationship, let me tell you that this girl has got inside your head without you even knowing it.
It’s practically impossible for you to be in the wrong all the time. A healthy relationship is a two way street and it’s time for her to take her share of responsibility as well.
22. Bringing her past to the table
When a girl tells you that she is emotionally unavailable, she’ll probably use her past as justification.
She’ll tell you that she’s been hurt and suffered from heartache more times than she can count and that consequently, she’s lost her trust in men.
She’ll probably tell you that she is too scared to open up to you, and that she is afraid that you’ll take advantage of her and abandon her when she needs you the most.
Nobody’s arguing that this girl was treated badly in the past. However, that is not an excuse for her nasty behavior in the present.
After all, you didn’t do anything wrong so why should you be the one paying for the debts left by her exes? Why should you suffer the consequences of their actions?
I won’t argue with the fact that she’s been hurt. However, I’m begging you not to allow this fact to become a weapon for her to use against you, nor see it as a justification for her bad behavior towards you.
– Using you
When you care about a girl, you have this urge to protect her and to keep her safe. This often includes helping her out.
However, you have to be careful not to cross the line and not to find yourself in a situation where she’ll use your kind intentions and take advantage of you.
23. Pretending to be helpless
Women are the weaker sex according to historic gender roles.
Nevertheless, when a girl is all about equality, pretending to be helpless and asking for your guidance through life is absolutely out of order.
However, this is exactly what most girls do. They use you and trick you into thinking that they can’t make it without you, even though that couldn’t be further from the truth.
If your girl is acting this way, she’s actually playing with your ego. She wants you to feel like a big, macho man and tough guy near her.
She is giving you an opportunity to take over the role of an alpha male, so you feel important when you’re with her.
24. Asking for favors
Asking for favors is another one of the games women play on men.
A girl you like will beg you to help her move, to give her a hand around the house, to change her flat tire, to take care of her car, and to become her own personal handyman.
At first, you’ll feel flattered by the fact that she trusts you. She clearly sees that she can rely on you and you’re glad that she counts on you.
However, if you look at things closely, you’ll see that she is not returning your favors. Most of the time, she is actually taking advantage of your kindness and is using you as a doormat.
