From the outside, my life looked like a dream, but behind the picture-perfect image was a reality I didn’t see. I carried the weight of our family, felt unloved and alone in my marriage, and told myself that my husband’s forgetfulness and failures were symptoms of his ADD. But in truth, his covert manipulation, lies, and deception kept me trapped in a cycle of confusion and pain.

If you try to be compliant and agreeable, you may have a hard time knowing how to be assertive. Setting boundaries and having them respected can be a challenge. But here are eight ways a compliant spouse can calmly resist being controlled.