Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation and emotional abuse that is common among the young. Gaslighting typically seeks to gain control and power over the other person by distorting reality and forcing them to question their own intuition and judgment. One good example of gaslighting is when a man tries to convince his wife that she is going insane so he can steal from her. When he turns on the lights in the attic to search for her jewelry collection and the gas lights dim downstairs, he tells her it’s all in her imagination. Gradually, she begins to question her own memories and perceptions.
A great deal of awareness around this form of emotional abuse can help people avoid threatening and unhealthy relationships. If you feel like you are walking on eggshells around your partner, fearful that you will “overreact” to something and set them off, or fearful that you will get into a fight and they will project on to you, then this is a sign to know that you are being gaslighted.