Gaslighting: it’s real, and it happens more than we even realize.
Gaslighting is a slow, torturous form of manipulation and abuse. It’s gradually being fed a poison through words that creep into our minds and gnaw away at any semblance of self-worth and happiness inside our heart. The worst part is, you don’t even realize it’s happening until it’s too late and the damage has already been done.
Often, the lover who holds us hostage through this tactical method is a cunning, charming type. We are blind to the writing on the wall, because we’ve been conditioned to see our abuser as wonderful; our heart is already ensnared within their clutches as the first signs that something is wrong start to wash over us.
But what does gaslighting really look like? What does it cause us to believe as reality? Here are a few lies that you’ll start to hold onto as truth if someone is gaslighting you.
1. You’re lucky to have anyone at all because no one else would want you.
How do you keep someone caged? You trick them into believing that the cage is the best place for them. The same is true for a master manipulator; they hold you close by blinding you to the possibility that things will ever be different. They’ll sow the seeds of trickery that blossom into a belief that they are your salvation, that, without them, you’d quickly perish from loneliness.
2. It’s all in your head!
Ah, yes, the mind games to convince us we are crazy… they are all too common in these types of situations. Truly gifted gaslighters will create an illusion that even your five senses can’t be trusted, that your eyes and ears are failing you completely. There’s no danger; you imagined those times they slammed doors or shattered glasses. The reality, though, couldn’t be farther from what we begin to believe at the hands of our hurtful lover.
3. No wonder you don’t have many friends… you are really hard to love.
Master manipulators know how to spin yarn that completely alters our self-image. One clear sign of someone who gaslights is the way they project blame and try to shame the victim. By convincing you that you are “too much,” they are made out to be heroes or saints. They are the ones willing to “deal with you” or “stand by your side” despite these (non-existent) character flaws. Extremely skilled gaslighters take this a step further and also convince others that you really are “crazy” or “difficult.”
4. Everything that goes wrong is your fault.
This one can really become all-consuming and develop into a serious problem. Like all the other tactics, it starts with seemingly small things. Eventually, this lie can go into extremes, like having the person blame you for their own struggles, addictions, and self-destructive behaviors. And, speaking from personal experience, once the damage is done here, you’ll find yourself living your life with a constant sense of shame and blaming yourself for literally everything that happens in the world around you.
5. I was just joking around, why are you taking things so seriously?
One thing that partners who gaslight love to do is tear you down. But, how can you say horrible things to someone and attack their character then make it seem like it didn’t really happen? Say that it’s a joke, of course! Not only does this remove your thoughts that they were verbally abusive (which they were!), it also throws the blame back into your court because you are “too sensitive” or you need to learn to “lighten up.”
6. I never said that!
Once the environment and relationship are established with a gaslighter, they will completely pull the wool over your eyes and confuse you. They will claim things didn’t happen the way you perceived them, or maybe claim they didn’t happen at all. You start to question your own thoughts and feelings, or even wonder if you are actually losing your mind (which they want you to think is happening). Sadly, it has taken me years of working through and reliving some of the trauma that “didn’t happen” to see the full effects of the damage of this seemingly simple phrase.
7. You know, you’re really not that great at _______.
We all have natural talents, skills, and parts of ourselves that we take pride in. These things, however, can help us stay in a place of self-love or serve as a means of escape, so they must be torn apart, too. A gaslighting partner will start to slowly, systematically break your confidence and self-worth by making claims against you and your talents. At best, this breaks your spirit a bit, but the worst case scenario is that you believe these webs that the gaslighter spins to a point where you sink into a place where you become completely dependent on them, be it emotionally or even financially.
The reality is, many are trapped in these seemingly hopeless situations at one point or another. What makes matters worse, it’s nearly impossible to spot a gaslighting, manipulative person in even the first few dates; many of us find ourselves imprisoned in these harmful types of love for years or even a lifetime.
If these phrases ring all too true, though, please know that you are amazing, loved, and not to blame.
Previously Published on Thought Catalog
Photo by BRUNO CERVERA on Unsplash
