{"id":18036,"date":"2018-04-29T16:48:27","date_gmt":"2018-04-29T20:48:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/?page_id=18036"},"modified":"2023-11-28T13:42:10","modified_gmt":"2023-11-28T18:42:10","slug":"gaslighting","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/gaslighting\/","title":{"rendered":"Gaslighting"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Woman<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Gaslighting<\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0is a type of emotional\u00c2\u00a0abuse<\/a>. Someone who is gaslighting will try to make a targeted person doubt their perception of reality. The gaslighter may convince the target that their memories are wrong or that they are overreacting to an event. The abuser may then present their own thoughts and feelings as \u00e2\u20ac\u0153the real truth.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

The term originates with a 1938 play called \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Gas Light.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d In the play, a woman\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s husband tries to convince her that she is mentally unstable. He makes small changes in her environment, such as dimming the gaslights in their house. He then convinces his wife she is simply imagining these changes. His ultimate goal is to have her committed to an asylum so he can steal her inheritance.<\/p>\n

People experiencing gaslighting may benefit from finding a therapist<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What Is Gaslighting?<\/h2>\n
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Gaslighting is an abusive tactic aimed to make a person doubt their own thoughts and feelings. The abuse<\/a> is often subtle at first. For example, if a person is telling a story, the abuser may challenge a small detail. The person may admit they were wrong on a detail, then move on. The next time, the abuser may use that past \u00e2\u20ac\u0153victory\u00e2\u20ac\u009d to discredit the person further, perhaps by questioning the person\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s memory.<\/p>\n

The person may argue back at first. They may intuit something is wrong in the relationship or marriage<\/a>. But because each gaslighting incident is so minor, they can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t pinpoint any specific cause for their unease. Over time, the person may second-guess their own emotions and memories. They may rely on their abuser to tell them if their memory is correct of if their emotions are \u00e2\u20ac\u0153reasonable.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d The abuser uses this trust to gain control over their target.<\/p>\n

Popular culture often depicts gaslighting as a man abusing his wife. Yet people of any gender can gaslight others or be gaslit themselves. Gaslighting can also occur in platonic contexts such as a workplace. Anyone can be a target.<\/p>\n

Gaslighting Techniques to Watch Out For<\/h2>\n

Gaslighting can take many forms. Sometimes it can involve manipulating a person\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s environment behind their back. Other times, the abuse is entirely verbal and emotional.<\/p>\n

Common techniques include:<\/p>\n