We all hope our first dates will go well, but know these red flags so you can get out quickly.

If you’re back out in the dating world after a divorce, breakup, or death of your spouse, you are not alone. You may find that a lot has changed since you were single. For example, online dating is now the most common way that people find a mate. However, there are people out there that don’t have your best interests in mind. In a nutshell, gaslighters/narcissists are people that are focused so much on themselves and their needs that they don’t consider how their behaviors harm other people.
With the advent of online dating, gaslighters/narcissists have found fertile ground for people they seek to drain emotionally and financially. Gaslighters/narcissists can pretend to be whomever they want to be online. Getting involved with someone who has abusive behavior can lead to heartbreak and worse.

If you have been going through a rough time lately, the gaslighter/narcissist hones in on this and may be focusing their attention on you because you appear to be more understanding of others’ differences, and may have experienced poor treatment from others in the past.
Gaslighters/narcissists feed off of people’s vulnerabilities. While most people are good and have your best interests in mind, some do not. Learn how to protect yourself. In my book Gaslighting, I devote an entire chapter to signs that your date is a gaslighter. I’ll share some of that information with you in this article.