Gaslighting is a malicious form of mental and emotional abuse, where someone is manipulating you to plant seeds of self-doubt and alter your perception of reality.
Examples of Gaslighting are:
- Discrediting you by making other people think that you are irrational or unstable: “She’s just having a meltdown… again”, “I wish they would stop being so paranoid about things!”
- Using a mask of confidence, assertiveness, and/or fake compassion to make you believe that you “have it all wrong.”
- Denying events: “You imagine things, that never happened!” “No, you’re wrong, you didn’t remember right”
- Trivialising your feelings: “Why are you so sensitive?”, “I was just joking around, why are you taking things so seriously?”
- Refusing to acknowledge your feelings and thoughts: “I don’t remember that, you must have dreamt it!” “You’re lying, I never said that” “I don’t know what you’re talking about, you’re changing the subject”
- Twisting and reframing. When someone confidently and subtly twists and reframes what was said or done, making you feel as though you are “unstable” or “irrational”: “I didn’t say that, I said _____”, “If you remember correctly, I was actually trying to help you.”
If you feel you are affected by any of the above, do seek support! You are not alone and we are here to help, click here to get in touch.