If You're Calling It Gaslighting, Make Sure You're Not Crying Wolf

Alright, Humans, let's talk about gaslighting. It's a term that's been thrown around quite a bit in recent years. It's become the word du jour. But unfortunately, while it's an important concept to understand, there's a lot of misunderstanding surrounding it.

First things first, let's get clear on what gaslighting actually is.

Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation where the abuser seeks to make the victim doubt their own reality, perception, and memory. It's a deliberate form of abuse involving lying, denial, and manipulation to make the victim question their judgment and sanity.

It's not just a disagreement or misunderstanding between two humans — it's an attempt to control and manipulate another human.

Now, here's where things get tricky. Just because someone disagrees with you or interprets events differently doesn't mean they're gaslighting you. Gaslighting ONLY occurs when someone intentionally uses lies, denial, and manipulation to make you question your own reality.

Another common mistake humans make is claiming they're being gaslighted when they're actually experiencing constructive criticism or negative feedback. While it can be difficult to hear, not all criticism is an attempt to manipulate or deceive.

It's also important to understand that other forms of abuse and manipulation can be mistaken for gaslighting. Emotional and verbal abuse, for example, can also involve manipulation and control over another human's perception and reality.

So, what's the takeaway here?

Gaslighting is a specific and deliberate form of abuse that involves manipulation and deception to make the victim doubt their own judgment and reality. It's not just a disagreement or negative feedback, and it's important to recognize the difference.

By understanding what gaslighting truly is, we can better protect ourselves from this harmful behavior and accurately identify and address other forms of abuse and manipulation when they occur.