The Effects of Gaslighting and How To Recover

If you’ve ever been in a relationship with a narcissist, you may have experienced gaslighting. The gaslighting meaning concerns a form of emotional abuse where the narcissist tries to convince you that you’re crazy, making things up, or overreacting. If you’re questioning your own reality, it’s time to seek help. Keep reading to learn about the effects of gaslighting 1and how to recover.

Identifying Gaslighting

It can be very difficult to identify gaslighting, especially if you have never experienced it before. However, there are some common signs that can help you to identify if you are being gaslighted. One of the most common signs of gaslighting 2is when the abuser makes you feel like you are crazy. They may do this by constantly denying your reality, contradicting what you say, or making little comments that make you doubt yourself. They may also make you feel like you are overreacting or that you are being too sensitive. Another common sign of gaslighting is when the abuser makes you feel like you are always to blame. They may do this by constantly putting you down, playing the victim, or making you feel like you are the one who is always causing problems.

Understanding the Effects of Gaslighting

The effects of gaslighting can be devastating. The victim may become so convinced that they are going crazy that they may actually start to believe it. They may have trouble making decisions and trusting their own judgment. They may become isolated from friends and family members who do not gaslight them. They may lose their self-confidence and self-esteem. They may feel like they can’t do anything right. And they may feel like they are constantly on edge, never knowing what will set their partner off.

If you are the victim of gaslighting, it is important to realize that you are not crazy. You do not see things the way your partner wants you to see them. You are not the only one who is experiencing this. And you are not responsible for your partner’s abusive behavior. You deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. You deserve a partner who supports and respects you. You deserve a partner who treats you with kindness and compassion. If you are not getting those things from your current partner, it is time to end the relationship.

Recovering From Gaslighting

Gaslighting is a form of emotional abuse that can be very damaging to a relationship. It can make you feel like you are going crazy and that your perceptions are not correct. If you are in a relationship with someone who is gaslighting you, there are steps you can take to recover from the abuse:

  1. Establish boundaries3. If your partner is gaslighting you, they are likely to be very manipulative and controlling. It is important to establish boundaries in order to protect yourself from further abuse. Set boundaries for what you are willing to tolerate and what you are not. Be clear with your partner about what those boundaries are, and enforce them.
  2. Seek outside support. It can be very difficult to recover from gaslighting on your own. It is important to have outside support to help you through the process. Talk to friends, family, or a therapist about what you are going through. They can offer you support and guidance.
  3. Hold your partner accountable. Your partner is likely to deny that they are gaslighting you or try to make you feel like you are the one who is at fault. It is important to hold them accountable for their behavior. Don’t let them get away with it. Stand up for yourself and make sure that they know that their behavior is not acceptable.

Overall, it’s key to recognize and understand the effects of gaslighting in order to protect oneself from the manipulative and abusive behavior4 of a gaslighter and to restore one’s sense of self-worth and sanity.

The Alarming Rise of Gaslighting A Statistical Overview
Icy Health
  1. Drinkwater, Kenneth, et al. “Exploring gaslighting effects via the VAPUS model for ghost narratives.” Australian Journal of Parapsychology 19.2 (2019): 143-179. ↩︎
  2. Sweet, Paige L. “The sociology of gaslighting.” American Sociological Review 84.5 (2019): 851-875. ↩︎
  3. Cannon-Bowers, Janis A., Eduardo Salas, and John S. Pruitt. “Establishing the boundaries of a paradigm for decision-making research.” Human factors 38.2 (1996): 193-205. ↩︎
  4. Almendros, Carmen, et al. “Assessment of psychological abuse in manipulative groups.” International journal of cultic studies 2 (2011). ↩︎

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Icy Health Editorial Team

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