Signs of Gaslighting
Gaslighting may lead to anxiety, sadness, and other mental health issues including addiction and suicidal thoughts.
It’s crucial to know when you’re being gaslighted for this reason. Consider whether any of the following statements apply to you:
- You doubt your feelings and reality: You make an effort to persuade yourself that the treatment you’re getting isn’t all that horrible or that you’re being overly sensitive.
- You question your judgment and perceptions: You’re reluctant to speak up or show your feelings. You’ve discovered that expressing your opinions typically leaves you feeling worse, so you choose to remain silent.
- You feel vulnerable and insecure: You frequently have the feeling of having to “walk on eggshells” around your spouse, friend, or relative. Moreover, you experience anxiety and low self-esteem.
- You feel alone and powerless: You are persuaded that, just like the gaslighter claimed, everyone around you believes you are “weird,” “crazy,” or “unstable.” You feel entrapped and alone as a result of this.
- You wonder if you are what they say you are: The remarks of the gaslighter make you feel as though you are incorrect, stupid, insufficient, or mad. You may even catch yourself saying these things aloud at times.
- You are disappointed in yourself and who you have become: You may feel weak and submissive, for example, whereas you once felt stronger and more forceful.
- You feel confused: You feel perplexed by the gaslighter’s actions, almost as if they are Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
- You worry that you are too sensitive: The person minimizes hurtful behaviors or words by saying “I was just joking” or “you need thicker skin.”
- You have a sense of impending doom: When you are with this individual, you have the impression that something dreadful is about to occur. This could involve feeling alarmed and tense without understanding why.
- You spend a lot of time apologizing: You always feel the need to apologise for your actions or your identity.
- You feel inadequate: That you are never “good enough” is how you feel. Even if others’ needs and expectations are ridiculous, you make an effort to meet them.
- You second-guess yourself: You constantly question your ability to recall specifics of the past. For fear that what you recall is inaccurate, you may have even given up on attempting to express it.
- You assume others are disappointed in you: You constantly apologise for what you do or who you are, presuming that you have disappointed someone or that you have done something wrong.
- You wonder what’s wrong with you: You question whether you are essentially flawed. In other words, you fear that your mental health is compromised.
- You struggle to make decisions because you distrust yourself: You would prefer to delegate decision-making to a friend, family member, or partner instead of doing it yourself.
