Genuine Help Vs. Exploitation
There are times when people ask for help with something and it seems that the person is genuine in their intentions. However, there are also times when people may be exploiting you. They may just want to use you to make themselves feel better or they may want something from you in return. Sometimes the exploitation is more subtle, but it can have a negative impact on your life whether or not you realize it at first.
In this post, we'll outline some of the main ways that someone might exploit your need for help so that you can defend yourself against it and also give others a way of recognizing these situations before they become too complicated.
Exploiting Your Need For Help
There are many ways in which someone can take advantage of your genuine desire to help others. Here are some of the ways that they might exploit your need to help others and how you can get around them if you see them coming.
They Might Just Take
Some people might just take whatever they want out of a situation when you offer to help them. They may just completely disregard what you have to say, even if it is an honest and genuine point. If they aren't interested in anything that you have to say, they may be just taking advantage of the situation and using convenience to get what they want from it without making any effort on their own.
They Might Just Take From You
Another way that someone might exploit your desire to help is by taking advantage of you. This can have a variety of negative effects on your life, especially if the person is significant in your life. For example, they may be taking money or other resources from you without giving anything back. They may also be using their relationship with you to get something else that they can't get otherwise.
They Might Just Expect You To Do Everything For Them
It is possible for someone to take advantage of a situation by waiting for you to do everything for them and not helping out at all. In many instances, the person may not even realize that they are taking advantage of you. For example, you may offer to help them with their problem only to find that they do not want to accept your help because there is no need for you to help them.
They Might Just Be Taking Advantage Of Your Need To Help Others
Sometimes people do good things for others just because they feel that it is the right thing to do or that it makes them feel better about themselves. In some cases, people might go through great lengths just to be seen as a good person or even themselves. However, in some instances, they may just be taking advantage of your genuine kind nature and desire to help others.
They Might Just Be Using Your Need To Help Others For Their Own Profit
In some cases, people will take advantage of your need to help others in order to profit from it. For example, they might ask you for financial assistance or even use your good reputation to make themselves look better. They may also try to use that relationship you have with other people who are less fortunate to improve their own reputation by benefiting from your good deeds or being seen as someone who is a part of the community.
They Might Just Be Trying To Make Themselves Look Good
Sometimes people will exploit your good nature in order to make themselves seem better than they actually are. They might pretend to be interested in your situation or even offer you help with it when they have no intention of doing so. They may also offer information that may be helpful only if you ask for it or even take advantage of your desire to help others by giving them information about a situation when you haven't asked for it.
They Might Be Buying Your Help With The Knowledge That It Will Help Them Later
Sometimes people will take advantage of your genuine desire to help others by asking you for help without making any effort on their own. They might ask you for help in order to ask you later for something in return. For example, they might offer to help you with your problem which they promise will help you but it is just a way of getting a free handout or another favor out of you.
They Might Be Exploiting Your Intentions To Help Others
Sometimes people will exploit a situation by taking advantage of your genuine intention to help others by getting what they want from it. For example, they may take advantage of your concern for someone else and their need because they have an interest in them. This can be done in a variety of ways, but it usually means giving them something so that they will reciprocate and someone else gets the short end of the stick. For example, they may get information about a person that you have an interest in and use that to their advantage.
They Might Just Be Using You To Feel Better About Themselves
It is possible for someone to exploit your desire to help others through encouraging you with false praise or by making you feel better with words of encouragement. They may use this kind of encouragement just to make themselves feel better about themselves by making you feel good about your actions. They may make you feel like the good person.
They Might Just Be Exploiting The Situation For Their Own Gain
Sometimes people will exploit an opportunity to put someone else in a bad situation just for their own gain. They might do this intentionally or unconsciously by making themselves look better by taking advantage of someone or getting rid of that person. It is important to remember that they are not really concerned with your situation, they are only concerned with how they can benefit from it. For example, they may be exploiting a relationship between two people in order to get more out of that situation than is reasonable.
They Might Just Be Trying To Control You
Some people do not take the time to learn about a situation before it is exploited. They may be using their relationship with you to make you feel as though you are controlling them. In most cases, they are trying to make themselves seem better than they really are. They may be using your emotions and reactions to them in order to feel as though they have control over you.
They Might Just Feel The Need To Help Others And Are Not Really Concerned With Your Situation
It is possible for someone to just feel the need to help others and not really care about the situation that they have gotten themselves into. They might be using you to get what they want out of the situation. However, in most cases there is actually no need for them to do anything for you and it is simply about them helping themselves by helping you.
They Might Have No Real Interest In The Situation At All
Not everyone who takes advantage of a situation has a real interest in helping others. They may try to take advantage of someone's genuine need for help because they have an interest in taking care of themselves and make themselves look better. It is possible for them to participate in your situation completely unaware that there is anything wrong with it or even if they are aware, they might not care either way because it does not affect their life or desires.
Conclusion
It is important to remember that there are plenty of people who will try to take advantage of your good intentions. However, it is also important to remember that some people will just want to help you because they want to be asked for help themselves or they have the desire to be a part of something good. You should try to keep all of this in mind when dealing with someone new, especially someone you do not know very well.
The Takeaway Message Is This: Be wary if someone seems too eager or ready and waiting for your call, but also be cautious if you feel like the only one concerned about a situation or in need of help and kindness.