Stefan and Damon Salvatore may consider Elena to be their saving grace, but she's also the root of their problems in The Vampire DiariesBecause Elena has both brothers wrapped around her finger, it's easy for her to take advantage of them—intentionally or not.

RELATED: 5 Times Damon Was Overpowered In The Vampire Diaries (& 5 He Was Defeated Easily)

Love triangles aren't for the faint of heart, and Stefan and Damon spend seasons in emotional turmoil while Elena struggles to make a choice. Although Elena does do many things to help the Salvatores, she also has the power to cause them more pain than anyone else.

Elena Steals Damon's Car And Leaves Him In New York

Elena and Rebekah standing together in The Vampire Diaries

With her humanity off, Elena is unpredictable. As proven by the way she treats the brothers, Elena doesn't care who she hurts as long as she accomplishes her goal. She says and does several things to lash out at them, but abandoning Damon in New York is among the worst.

Their trip takes a turn when Elena teams up with Rebekah and leaves the city with Damon's car. Although the circumstances make it hard to hold it against her, it's not easy watching Elena deceive those who are doing everything they can to help.

Elena Manipulates Damon For Information

Elena and Damon outside the car in The Vampire Diaries.

Taking into account that Damon had just tried to kill Jeremy, Elena isn't obligated to speak to him at all. It's debatable whether Damon is worthy of redemption in The Vampire Diaries, as some of his actions cross a line and are even over-the-top for a vampire.

Regardless, Elena holds others to high moral standards and needs to practice what she preaches. She spends an entire day making Damon believe he can earn her friendship back, despite having no intention of forgiving him. Elena takes advantage of Damon's love for her and manipulates him to obtain his help.

Elena Tries To Stop Stefan From Dating Other People

Stefan and Elena almost kiss in The Vampire Diaries.

After leaving Stefan for Damon, Elena doesn't have much of a say in who he dates. Yet, Elena continuously inserts herself in Stefan's relationships. She berates him for sleeping with Rebekah and is visually upset when she suspects he's interested in Qetsiyah.

RELATED: The Main Characters Of The Vampire Diaries, Ranked By Work Ethic

Elena attempts to pass her intrusions off as concern, but her jealousy becomes apparent when she tries to shut down a potential romance between them. By meddling in Stefan's love life, Elena is disrespecting both him and his brother, who she's currently dating.

Elena "Dirty Dances" With Damon While She's Dating Stefan

Damon and Elena at a college party in The Vampire Diaries.

Damon isn't an innocent bystander, but Elena mistreats him as much as Stefan by choosing to indulge in their night of partying. While she uses the excuse that she's "high on blood," there's no way to justify the way Elena behaves with Damon when his brother isn't looking.

Certain aspects of their relationship are a result of the sire bond, yet when it comes to Elena's feelings and how she acts on them, it's made abundantly clear that her choices are her own. Elena might not physically cheat on Stefan, but she is unfaithful to him.

Elena Tells Damon His Love Is A Problem

Damon and Elena dancing in The Vampire Diaries.

While "I'm mad at you because I love you," can be considered one of Damon's most romantic quotes in The Vampire Diaries, Elena doesn't see it the same way. Her reply, "Maybe that's the problem," would be a hurtful response to anyone, but it's a particularly cruel thing to say to someone who's devoted his life to keep Elena safe.

Even though the regret on her face makes it clear that she spoke without thinking, Elena causes a setback in Damon's progress. She spends seasons chastizing Damon for not caring enough, only to reprimand him for doing the opposite. To make matters worse, Elena calls him the next morning to say that he needs to "get over it."

Elena Erases Her Love For Damon

Damon gives Elena her necklace in The Vampire Diaries.

Elena makes the decision to erase her memories of Damon out of grief and doesn't recognize that the memories are only half hers. It can be argued that forgetting Damon completely would've been more respectful, as Elena is left believing that Damon is a monster.

RELATED: The 10 Best Nicknames Damon Came Up With In The Vampire Diaries

Damon feels that he's lived the "epitome of a fulfilled life" only because he became worthy of Elena's love. Pushing through the pain wouldn't be easy, but Elena disrespects Damon's memory and the sacrifice he made by choosing the easy way out.

Elena Breaks Up With Stefan And Immediately Dates His Brother

Stefan talks to no humanity Elena in The Vampire Diaries.

There are many reasons why Stefan and Elena are relationship goals in The Vampire Diaries, but their breakup leaves much to be desired. After spending seasons reassuring Stefan that she doesn't have feelings for his brother, Elena's love for Damon causes them to split.

Although Stefan is the one who says the words, it's brought on by Elena's actions. Breaking up is the right call, but Elena doesn't seem to take what they had as seriously as Stefan does. Rather than waiting for the dust to settle, she sleeps with his brother the next episode.

Elena Leaves Damon To Die Alone

Elena chooses Stefan in The Vampire Diaries.

There's so much pressure surrounding Elena's choice in The Vampire Diaries Season 3, that a rather large aspect of it tends to go overlooked. Elena isn't just choosing which Salvatore to date—she's choosing which one to spend their potential final moments with.

While Stefan is at home surrounded by Elena's family and friends, Damon is separated from the group. It's understandable that Elena wants to be with as many loved ones as possible, but she admits that she would still choose Stefan if it was down to the two of them. Given that Damon devotes his life to Elena after Stefan leaves, it feels a bit heartless to let him go out feeling rejected and alone.

Elena Leads Stefan And Damon On

Stefan, Damon, and Elena standing together dressed in fancy evening wear on The Vampire Diaries

If Elena had decided to be with both Stefan and Damon in The Vampire Diaries, it would've saved everyone a lot of heartbreak. However, she spends seasons going back and forth between the two and leading each of them on. It's easy to understand why Elena falls for Damon after Stefan leaves town, and just as easy to acknowledge that her love for Stefan isn't going to disappear.

Yet, the way she approaches the situation makes her appear selfish to viewers. Elena admits that she doesn't want to choose because she doesn't want to lose either brother, but stringing them both along does more harm than good. Even when Elena chooses Stefan in the third season, it doesn't stick.

Elena Causes Problems In Stefan And Damon's Relationship

Elena looks between Damon and Stefan in The Vampire Diaries.

At the end of the day, Elena can only be so much at fault for Stefan and Damon's issues. It's up to them to prioritize their relationship over their interest in the same woman, and if they can't do that, their bond isn't worth fighting for.

Still, Elena might not set out to cause problems, but her indecisiveness rocks the boat. Stefan and Damon's brotherhood is the heart and soul of the series, with the love triangle taking a backseat in later seasons. Elena does what she wants when it comes to the Salvatores, and shows little regard for how it affects their relationship.

NEXT: Each Main Character's Best Life Decision In The Vampire Diaries