Gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse in which one person is made to feel that they are crazy or wrong, even when there is no rational justification for the feeling. For example, the victim may be told that they imagine things, are making things up, or are not being reasonable. The goal is to make the victim doubt their sanity and control them.
Gaslighting can take many forms. One common example is when a spouse insists that their partner is crazy or exaggerates a situation, even when there is evidence to the contrary. Another example is when a boss insists that an employee is lying when they report feeling harassed or mistreated, even when there is no evidence to support the accusation.
If you are experiencing gaslighting, the first step is establishing that it is happening. This can be difficult because the abuser may be very good at convincing you that you are crazy. However, there are some things you can do to help you identify gaslighting.
One thing you can do is keep a journal of your thoughts and feelings. This will help you track how gaslighting affects you and allow you to refer to it if you need to defend yourself against it later.
Another thing you can do is to talk to a trusted friend or family member about what is happening. This will help you get support, and it will also help you to establish that you are not crazy.
If you are experiencing gaslighting and feel at a loss for what to do, you can seek help from a therapist or a support group. These resources can help you understand gaslighting and develop strategies for resisting it.
