How to deal with socially manipulative control freaks.?
If this is a new behavior pattern for them, and you’ve known them for a long time, perhaps the best way to deal is to talk with them candidly about the issues you have with how they are acting. If you are their friend, they may appreciate your input. If they don’t listen and these problems escalate within your social group, you may have to abandon them, but I don’t think I’d encourage you to do that as your first reaction. You did say that they started being this way, not that they have always been this way, so maybe if they’ve made a change for the worse in how they act, they can make a change for the better once again.
