What Gaslighting Actually Looks Like

What Is Gaslighting?

Gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse that involves a person, or group of people, causing you to question your memories, perceptions, decisions, or even your sanity. The person or people, involved are often distorting reality to make you feel like what you are feeling or seeing is not real.

The term gaslighting stems from the desire to control and manipulate. Gaslighting can occur in any relationship, including friendships, among family members, with co-workers, or with bosses. But it occurs most commonly in romantic relationships.

This form of abuse can show up in any relationship or environment. It is a form of control in which the abuser makes you question reality. This, in turn, can lead to feelings of confusion, insecurity, loss of self-esteem, and self-doubt.

How Gaslighting Works

Gaslighting works by enforcing an imbalance of power between the abuser and the person being gaslit. To create this imbalance of power, abusers often exploit vulnerabilities and/or stereotypes that are related to gender, race, class, and sexuality. By exploiting these vulnerabilities or stereotypes, the abuser is targeting characteristics or features that already lack confidence.