Examples, signs & causes of Gaslighting
Examples, signs & causes of Gaslighting: Gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse where a person or group makes someone question their sanity, perception of reality, or memories. People experiencing gaslighting often feel confused, anxious, and unable to trust themselves.
common examples, signs, and causes of gaslighting. We also discuss how a person can respond to gaslighting and when to seek help
Gaslighting often develops gradually, making it difficult for a person to detect
techniques a person may use to gaslight someone include:
Countering: This describes a person questioning someone’s memories. They may say things such as, “you never remember things accurately,” or “are you sure? You have a bad memory.”
Withholding: When someone withholds, they refuse to engage in a conversation. A person using this technique may pretend not to understand someone so that they do not have to respond to them. For example, they might say, “I do not know what you are talking about,” or “you are just trying to confuse me.”
Trivializing: This occurs when a person belittles or disregards the other person’s feelings. They may accuse them of being too sensitive or of overreacting when they have valid concerns and feelings.
Denial: Denial involves a person pretending to forget events or how they occurred. They may deny having said or done something or accuse someone of making things up.
Diverting: With this technique, a person changes the focus of a discussion and questions the other person’s credibility instead. For example, they might say, “that is just another crazy idea you got from your friends.”
A person using gaslighting techniques may intentionally use negative stereotypes of a person’s gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality, nationality, or age to manipulate them. For example, they may tell a female that people will think she is irrational or crazy if she seeks help for abuse.
While anyone can experience gaslighting, it is especially common in intimate relationships and in social interactions where there is an imbalance of power.
A person who is on the receiving end of this behavior is experiencing abuse.
Intimate partner relationships
An abusive partner may accuse someone of being irrational or crazy in order to isolate them, undermine their confidence, and make them easier to control. For example, they might continuously tell someone they are forgetful until the person starts to believe it is true.
Child-parent relationships
Abusive caregivers may use gaslighting to shame or control children. They may accuse them of being too sensitive to belittle their feelings or of misremembering events from when they were younger.
Racial gaslighting: Racial gaslighting occurs when people apply gaslighting techniques to a group of people based on race or ethnicity.
For example, a person may deny that a specific group experiences discrimination despite evidence that says otherwise, or they might criticize civil rights activists for being too emotional to undermine their message.
Political gaslighting: political gaslighting occurs when a political figure or group uses lies, denials, or manipulates information to control people.
Examples include downplaying or hiding things their administration has done wrong, discrediting political opponents based on mental instability, or using controversy to divert attention from important events.
Institutional gaslighting: institutional gaslighting can occur at a company or organization. The organization may deny or hide information, lie to employees about their rights, or portray whistle-blowers who uncover problems in an organization as incompetent or mentally ill.
Signs of gaslighting
People on the receiving end of gaslighting often find it difficult to realize they are experiencing abuse. They may not question the abusive person’s behavior because they are in a position of authority, or because they feel reliant on them.
Examples, signs & causes of Gaslighting
indicate that a person experiencing gaslighting may:
feel confused and constantly second-guess themselves
find it difficult to make simple decisions
frequently question if they are too sensitive
become withdrawn or unsociable
constantly apologize to the abusive person
defend the abusive person’s behavior
lie to family and friends to avoid having to make excuses for them
feel hopeless, joyless, worthless, or incompetent
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Causes:gaslighting occurs because someone wants to gain control over someone else. It is a behavior someone learns by watching others. An abusive person may feel that they are entitled to control other people, or that their feelings or opinions matter the most.
