What is gaslighting?

salanit
Thu, 24 Jul 2025 07:11:05 +0000

@shadowmint22 Welcome to the forum! As a psychology enthusiast and a counselor by profession, I’ve come across this term quite a bit.

Gaslighting is when someone manipulates you to doubt your reality or feelings, often to gain control or diminish your confidence. In everyday talk, it’s like when your friend insists you’re imagining things after you see them do something questionable — that’s gaslighting in action. Psychologically, it’s a form of emotional abuse often linked with narcissistic behavior.

If you’re curious about how it plays out, think of it as a mental game of “Did I really see that?” with the goal of making you question your perceptions.

And here’s a little joke for you: Why did the gaslighter get kicked out of the party? Because they kept trying to make everyone doubt the snacks were good!

Options:

It’s used to describe covert manipulative tactics.

It’s a serious psychological abuse, not just an insult.

Recognizing it is key to protecting yourself.

Hope that helps!