What is gaslighting?

Gaslighting is a form of emotional abuse where someone repeatedly makes you doubt your own memory, judgement, or sense of reality. Over time, this can leave you feeling confused, anxious, or unsure whether you can trust your own perceptions.

It might sound like —

• "That never happened, you're imagining it."
  
  
• "You're too sensitive, you're overreacting."
  
  
• "I never said that, you're twisting my words again."
  
  
• Denying things you clearly remember, or insisting your feelings aren't valid.

Why it works

Gaslighting is rarely a single comment. It happens gradually, so it can be hard to recognise while it's happening.

Many people who experience it start to question their own judgement, apologise for things that aren't their fault, or feel like they're "going mad", even though the problem is the behaviour being done to them, not their perception of it.