In a relationship mind game of IWFY a generally insecure or passive person subconsciously chooses a domineering partner who restricts her/his activities....usually the female partner is the one restricted.

Perhaps the player selects a domineering partner because s/he does not like to take risks and try new things, such as taking up photography or going back to school... The domineering partner's controlling nature keeps the player from getting into frightening situations -- perhaps for fear of failure or fear if success -- it gives the player an "out" or a way to "save face" and not have to take the risk.

By staying unaware of his or her part in the game, through the use of repression or suppression, the player's complaints of "If it weren't for you..." keeps her partner feeling uneasy and gives the player various advantages in the relationship -- i.e., a "card to play" in a disagreement etc.

Possible Payoffs:

• Confirmation of existential position: "I'm okay, men/women are not okay"
• Elimination of having to confront personal fears
• Allows him/her to join in the Pastime of "If it weren't for her/him..." with family and friends thereby structuring time and obtaining strokes

Roles -- Primarily Victim, Sometimes Persecutor

Ego States: Child to Parent

In a mild form of the relationship mind game of SWYMD the player, feeling unsociable, becomes engrossed in some activity which tends to insulate him/her from people.

When a family member interrupts by coming into the room or calling out to ask for something the player's startle response causes the hammer to slip injuring a thumb, or they hit the wrong button on their keyboard and lose their work, or they spill the fuel they were transferring to another container.

The player responds to any one of the above by angrily crying out "See What You Made Me Do!!" -- Of course it's the player's own irritation that causes the slip or mistake.

When this pattern happens only very occasionally it is not a game. But if it tends to reoccur frequently then the player's family learns to leave the player alone when they are engrossed.

In a more intense form SWYMD can become a way of life rather than merely a protective mechanism. The player may spend more and more time engrossed in work or an activity rather than relating with her/his family.

Possible Payoffs:

• Confirmation of existential position: "I'm okay, others are not okay, not safe, not to be trusted, etc." "I am blameless"
• Avoidance of connectedness and the risks associated with intimacy
• "Justifiable" anger offers a good excuse for avoiding sexual relations.

Roles -- Victim, Persecutor

Ego States: Child to Child

This is almost always a marital relationship mind game in which the overt player is usually, but not always, the wife...the Husband is usually a covert player.

The husband makes advances to his wife that are rejected under the grounds that "all men are selfish -- all they ever want is sex and are incapable of loving her for herself". He backs off for a time and is again rejected on his next attempt.

Eventually the husband resigns himself and makes no further advances. As time passes, and no attempts are forthcoming, the wife begins to be provocative. She runs around half dressed and "forgets" a clean towel when taking a shower so asks him to bring one to her.

If she plays a severe form of the game she may become flirtatious with other men in her husband's presence. He eventually responds to these provocations and is again repulsed -- a game of "Uproar" follows.

The husband redoubles his efforts to resist what he perceives as a trap and does not respond to her provocations. She eventually turns up the heat by beginning to approach him with kisses. He resists until nature takes its course one day whereby she cries -- "See what did I tell you! Men are selfish, all I wanted affection, and all you are interested in is sex!"

The husband has selected this person as his mate for a reason ... he is just as afraid of sex as she is. This relationship mind game minimizes the danger of overtaxing his disturbed potency, which he can now blame on her.

Possible Payoffs:

• Confirmation of existential position: "I am pure, men are dirty" "I'm ok, you're not ok"
• Avoidance of sexual relations - fears exhibition and/or penetration
• Obtains internal positive strokes by following expressed or implied parental injunctions that "sex is dirty"

Roles -- Victim (Proper wife - Inconsiderate Husband)

Ego States: Conscious/Social = Parent to Child Subconscious/Psychological = Child to Parent

This relationship mind game is played by any two people trying to avoid unwelcomed sexual arousal.

In the marital pair it's the end phase of a relationship mind game of Frigid Woman/Man. But the classical game of "Uproar" is a three-handed game usually with a domineering father, teenage daughter, and sexually disinterested/inhibited mother.

NOTE: In order for this to qualify as a game it's a frequent occurrence, not just an occasional incident...

Course of the game: Father comes home from work and gets into a fight with his daughter. He may have started the fight by criticizing her or she may initiate the fight by being obnoxious or disrespectful...there's an escalating exchange of angry words that ends with the slamming of a bedroom door -- by either or both parties.

Mother's role may be as mediator or referee when she is present.

There is an adjustment period between fathers and daughters when she hits puberty. Sexuality becomes more of a factor. When there is an inhibition of sexual release between mother and father this can pose a problem.

Sexual energy runs very deep as it's part of the survival instinct. The sex drive creates this energy and there must be a healthy outlet for things to proceed well in families. Anger and slamming doors may become the only way some fathers and daughters can live together.

The slamming of the bedroom door can subconsciously signify... "I have my bedroom you have yours".

Many women have experienced a great deal of hurt and confusion when they turned 12 or 13 years old because... "Something just suddenly changed between us -- It was like he didn't want anything to do with me anymore."

Fathers can be just as clueless about this change due to the subconscious nature of the game. Many times they can become controlling and jealous of their daughters dating and social life and not know why.

If these family dynamics are present it's a good idea to get into marital counseling and deal with the issues that are preventing healthy intimacy.

Possible Payoffs:

• Confirmation of existential position: Conscious level -- "I'm ok, you're not ok"; Subconscious level "...somethings not ok".
• Outlet for, or "siphoning off" sexual tensions
• Termination of a relationship mind game of Frigid Woman/Man between husband and wife
• Satisfies hunger for stimulation and/or intensity
• Acting out familiar cycles of Abandonment, Shame, and Contempt to obtain negative strokes

Roles -- Victim, Persecutor, Rescuer

Ego States: Conscious/Social = Parent to Child Subconscious/Psychological = Child to Child