Nowadays the word gaslighting is being heard and read a lot. It is a form of psychological abuse in which the victim is forced to reconsider his thoughts, memories and beliefs. Most of the criminals are close people, which you blindly trust. If something like this is happening to you too, then let’s learn to recognize it and how to protect yourself from such people.
These symptoms of gaslighting are:
Doubt your thinking. Often doubting your memory. Looking at yourself as absurd or stupid. Starting to think of yourself as impeccable and useless. Gaslighters often apologize to the person who is misbehaving. They prevent others from questioning that person’s wrong thinking. They isolate themselves.
In which relationship does gaslighting have the most?
Although gaslighting can occur in any relationship, it is most seen in the following cases: in intimate relationships: The person misbehaving in the relationship does gaslighting to his partner, tries to isolate or remove them from others. They do this to reduce their confidence and control them. They keep calling them constantly that they are nonsense, until their partner starts believing them. Children and parents: Gaslighting is often seen between children and parents, where misbehaving parents resort to this to control their children. They also curse them for things like crying and try to blame them. At the workplace: Even in the office, observers often resort to gaslighting to impose their fear, insecurity or ideas on their subordinates. They try to impose their negative feelings on others.
How to recognize that it’s happening to you
Gaslighting victims often do not feel that this is happening to them, but if you pay attention, you can identify it like this: Gaslighting person does not accept his mistakes or does not take responsibility for them. They tell you that they do not remember anything or they are wrong. They force you to blame yourself for events. They never apologize when they are wrong. They often say that you are crazy, wrong, or excessively sensitive. They make your past a weapon or use your insecurity against you.
How to be safe
Identify the behavior of the gaslite. Keep an eye on your experiences by saving evidence like screenshot and text messages. Prefer your mental and emotional health. Exercise meditation or breathing to calm yourself. You can also take the help of a therapist to get your lost confidence back. This can help reduce the damage caused by gaslighting to a great extent. If it is happening between the joints, both partners can take therapy.