Are you a victim of dry begging? Heres how to make sure passive-aggressive manipulation doesnt ruin your relationship

Even in the healthiest of relationships, conflicts are bound to arise.But how you deal with them speaks volumes about the strength of your bond.Passive-aggressive phrases like “I guess I’ll just do all of the laundry this week” or “most people would be happy their partner does this” are prime examples of “dry begging,” a phenomenon that couples counselors, therapists and other mental health experts are starting to call out.“Dry begging operates by exploiting social cues and emotional signals rather than making direct requests,” explains Darren Magee, an accredited UK-based counselor, in a YouTube video that has since amassed almost half a million views.“It usually involves dropping hints, displaying some kind of need or vulnerability, or making emotional demonstrations,” Magee elaborates.

“All of these are aimed at creating a sense of obligation in others.”Whether the person dry-begging realizes it or not, the tactic creates a situation where the other party feels compelled to help or agree — essentially preying on empathy.“The key to a healthy, long-term relationship is the ability of a couple to communicate and understand the other on a deeply vulnerable level where each person lets their guard down,” relationship therapist Hope Kelaher tells Brides.“Taking a passive-aggressive stance is the exact opposite: In worst-case scenarios, I have seen it not only leads to communication breakdown, but to increased conflict, partner withdrawal, mistrust, confusion, poor self-esteem, and, in the worst cases, the end of a relationship.”Though it’s not an expression you’ll find in psychology or counseling textbooks, it’s a surprisingly common move that you or your partner may not even realize you’re doing.On a Reddit thread that broached the topic of the relatively new term, one user was shocked to find that dry begging is more common in relationships than many would assume.“When I saw this a few days ago, my reaction was, ‘...