4 Brilliant Ways to Respond to Someone Gaslighting You, According to a Therapist
Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation that causes the victim to doubt their own sanity or perception of reality. It can be difficult to recognize and respond to gaslighting, but there are strategies that can help you take back control and protect yourself from emotional harm.
According to therapists, here are four brilliant ways you can respond when someone is gaslighting you:
1. Trust your instincts
The first step in responding to gaslighting is to trust your instincts. If something doesn’t feel right or seems off, it’s important not to dismiss those feelings. Gaslighters often use tactics such as twisting the truth or denying events in order to make their victims question their own perceptions of reality. By trusting your intuition and recognizing when something feels wrong, you’re less likely to fall prey to these manipulations.
2. Set boundaries
Setting clear boundaries with a gaslighter is crucial for protecting yourself emotionally. This means being assertive about what behavior is acceptable and unacceptable and communicating your needs clearly and directly. For example, if someone is trying to convince you that something happened differently than it actually did, calmly state the facts without allowing them to twist them around.
3. Seek support
Getting support from friends or family members who understand what you’re going through can be incredibly helpful when dealing with gaslighting behavior. Alternatively, seeking out a therapist who specializes in trauma recovery can provide valuable insights into how best deal with the situation while also helping cope with any residual effects caused by the abuse.
4. Do not engage further
Lastly yet importantly — do not engage further! Gas-lighters feed off reactions so engaging them will only give more power over emotions which they thrive on taking advantage of. Instead, maintain distance from individuals involved unless necessary (eg coworker) all while practicing self-care coping mechanisms like journaling or finding healthy outlets for stress release.
Overall, while dealing with gas-lighters may seem overwhelming at first, practicing these strategies of trusting instincts, setting boundaries, seeking support and disengaging from further arguments can help you take back control and protect yourself emotionally. Remember that gas-lighting is a form of abuse and no one deserves to be subjected to it.
