Gaslighting is a manipulation done by someone to make the victim doubt their sanity. This method is a form of emotional abuse in relationships because it harms the psychological control of the victim. A narcissist, sociopath, or psychopath usually does gaslighting. They often have unclear motives and will not hesitate to abuse victims.
Someone who receives gaslighting is generally given false information so that they make themselves doubt their perceptions, feelings, and memories, especially regarding themselves. Finally, they believe they are mentally unhealthy, have inaccurate memories, or have sick minds. They become desperate and finally decide to rely on an abusive partner.
Gaslighting Tactics
Gaslighting often occurs in toxic relationships and knows no age group, whether they're still dating, engaged, or married. Gaslighting is an abusive and very dangerous tactic for a person. What do gaslighters usually do?
Here are some tactics.
- Countering: questioning the partner's memories, even if they are true.
- Withholding: pretending not to understand something or refusing to listen.
- Forgetting: pretending to have forgotten something or denying that something happened.
- Trivializing: trivializing your partner's worries or feelings so that they feel insignificant and unreasonable.
- Diverting: changing the subject or focusing solely on the credibility of what was said rather than the content.
A gaslighter will counter, withholding, forgetting, and trivializing to divert the conversation from his partner
Some Examples of Statements from a Gaslighter
Usually, gaslighting doesn't happen early in a relationship because, during those times, the main goal is to build trust in your partner first. As time goes by, a gaslighter begins to carry out his abusive tactics, from small things then developing into evil acts.
Some common statements that people make when gaslighting are:
- “Your memory is wrong; you never remember anything correctly.”
- "You are imagining something that isn't real."
- “Stop overreacting”
- “You are too sensitive.”
- "I don't know what you're talking about"
- "I don't understand, and you confuse me."
Long-Term Impact of Gaslighting on Mental Health
The long-term impact of gaslighting is that the victim no longer believes in himself, even though he thinks he already has a mental health disorder. A person can experience anxiety, depression, psychological trauma, and be isolated.
In a relationship, gaslighting can be part of a pattern of coercive control, which is emotional abuse where the abuser holds control over the life of their partner, such as:
- Check smartphone notifications
- Take over financial control
- Using insults and threats to scare
- Manipulating into unwanted sexual activity
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Victims of gaslighting can experience depression, anxiety, psychological trauma, and feel isolated
The Way to Heal
Someone may realize that they are gaslighted after years of romantic relationships. As a result, it takes a long time to heal and rebuild a sense of self.
Therefore, a person needs to do several ways to heal, such as:
- You are not responsible for the rude behavior you receive
- Avoid arguing with abusive people
- Practice listening to your own thoughts, feelings, and instincts
- Rebuild warm relationships with family or friends
- If necessary, seek the help of a mental health professional
So, gaslighting manipulates someone to gain power and makes the victim doubt their sanity. This can disturb a person's mental health because they no longer believe in their feelings, memories, and perceptions. If you need help, don't hesitate to seek help from a mental health professional, Ladies.
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