The definition of Gaslighting
Gaslighting is a type of mental abuse used as a weapon by narcissists who wish to imprison their victim in a state of deep anxiety and confusion to the point where they start questioning their own sanity.
The gaslighter is, in a sense, brainwashing his victim through psychological torture and interrogation similar to that used by intelligence operatives, law enforcement, and others for many years.
The goal is to break the victim’s mental defenses by attacking their self-esteem so they can no longer be able to think clearly. The gaslighter systemically withholds information from the victim while relacing it with falsehoods.
Due to its subtlety, this sneaky cruel behavior is a highly-effective tool used by manipulators who wish to undermine their victim’s mental health and thus gain control over them.
The emotional harm of Gaslighting can be enormous. If the victim is exposed to it for a long period of time, they can start losing their own sense of self.
Having lost all ability to trust their own judgments, the victim starts questioning the reality of their experiences.
They start doubting themselves about everything, and this makes them extremely insecure about their own ability to make the right decisions.
The victim of Gaslighting ultimately becomes withdrawn and deeply depressed, and they become completely dependent on their abuser for their own sense of reality.
Origin of the term Gaslighting
The term “Gaslighting” comes from Hollywood’s 1944 cult classic film Gas Light, in which an abusive husband slowly dims the gas lights in his home, while pretending that nothing has changed, in an effort to make his wife doubt her own self of sanity.
The mental abuse goes on throughout the film as the husband attempts to make his wife appear crazy to authorities for his own personal gains.
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