My relative was obsessed with 1 man who scammed her out of thousands. She confided in him. She would do anything he asked everyday. This obsession finally ended, now her obsession has shifted to another man who is 30 yrs younger. She waits by the phone and will not leave the house hoping he comes by. This person she has her obsession with isn’t a good person. She seems to trust the bad people and ignores the good people. The people trying to protect her are the enemies. Is this normal behavior?
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My mom was always stubbornly independent - never even remarried after divorce - but now....I can see how easy it would be for someone she trusted to get away with a lot of things, especially where her money is concerned. I have had to practically chase her nephew away with a shotgun a couple of times over the years! (Metaphorically speaking, lol.)
And speaking of him, I think there are manipulative and charismatic people out there who are just really good at preying on vulnerable people. These people, like my cousin, are skilled at gaining the trust and loyalty of their victims. Maybe someone who has their wits about them would see through it, but if your mind is working slower, I think it would be harder to see through the con. And then, too, some people just have no ability to recognize bull**** when they smell it! They just want to believe in that person because he's telling them what they want to hear.
(I don't feel like I'm writing very coherently today, so forgive me if this doesn't make sense. I'm pretty sick this weekend!)
I'm not sure if it's normal or not at any stage of a person's life, b/c, and this is just my opinion, the individual's personality and need for reassurance can arise any time of his/her life, and I'm guessing especially when self esteem takes a tumble and reassurance is helpful, even if it is dishonest.
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