What Is Gaslighting? Meaning, Signs & Real-Life Examples
Have you ever felt like someone was making you question your own mind? Maybe a friend or partner told you that a conversation you clearly remember "never happened." This confusing and hurtful experience is called gaslighting. It is a form of emotional abuse where a person tries to gain power over you by making you doubt your own reality. This post will explain what is gaslighting , its gaslighting meaning , help you spot the signs of gaslighting , and share gaslighting examples . Understanding Gaslighting Meaning To understand the gaslighting meaning , it helps to know where the word comes from. The term originated from a 1938 play called Gas Light and its famous 1944 movie adaptation . In the story, a husband uses tricks to make his wife think she is going crazy. He would secretly dim the gas lights in their home. When his wife noticed the lights flickering, he would lie and tell her she was imagining things. He did this to make her doubt her own mind so he could control ...