 Gaslighting is a term inspired by a 1944 film called Gaslight. In this film, a husband tries to manipulate his wife into believing she is losing her mind to get her taken into an asylum and steal her jewels. One of the most prominent tactics was affecting the gaslights in the house to flicker but would deny that anything was out of the ordinary when confronted. In a previous video, five phrases gaslighters use to control you. We talked about some gaslighter phrases. In this video, we'll dive deeper into the gaslighters themselves. Let's begin. They work subtly. Gaslighting comes in many forms. Some are overt in their manipulation tactics, meaning that you can easily spot when they're doing it. For many, however, it is not that easy. Gaslighters can be sneaky with how they manipulate you. And you may not realize it until later. Taylor Bennett, a writer from ThriveWorks, states in a peer-reviewed article that the ever-changing nature of gaslighting makes it incredibly difficult to diagnose. Gaslighters can bring others into the fold, which can make it extremely difficult to trust your judgment when you have multiple people against you. They may change details, lie to others, and set you up for failure in order to gain control over you. And you may be unable to identify it until you look back at the whole situation. They often have narcissistic traits. Manipulation is a common symptom in cluster B personality disorders, especially so in narcissistic personality disorder. Both personality disorders occur on a spectrum. A gaslighter may have symptoms of NPD, but also comorbidity with other conditions, like antisocial personality disorder. Dr. Shona Waters, an organizational psychologist, states that it's common for gaslighters to have low self-esteem, and may find that their antics help cover it up. When looking at a condition like NPD, it's common to have a deep sense of inadequacy. They may find that having dominance over others masks this hidden feeling. These conditions are on a spectrum meaning that a person can have traits, but not the full condition. Not every gaslighter has NPD and not every person with NPD gaslights, but the two can overlap. Gaslighting is a learned behavior. Olivia Guy Evans, a psychology writer from Simply Psychology, states that gaslighting is a learned behavior rather than an innate one. She says that many gaslighters were brought up in a toxic environment where they were exposed to gaslighting or needed to use the technique to protect themselves. For others, she explains that they can resort to manipulation because they cannot handle criticism. In many cases, gaslighting behavior is a reflection of something that has happened to them. It creates a power imbalance and can put them in a very powerful position. In situations where they felt powerless, they may resort to gaslighting to regain a sense of control. They want to confuse you. Confusion makes you vulnerable. Gaslighters are keen on making sure that you can't trust your judgment as it makes you more willing to lean on them. Therapist Dr. Stephanie Sark states that gaslighters are masters at lying. They lie in ways that confuse you and make you feel that you don't understand a situation. They twist facts, cover up evidence, and shift the blame around so they're never in the wrong. Slowly over time, you may begin to feel that you truly can't trust your judgment as they seem to know all the answers. Sometimes they can be bold and risky in their stances. Such as saying something that goes directly against what you have witnessed. Maybe your romantic partner asked you to buy something for them, but then proceeds to act like they never did and belittle you for doing it. This bold move can confuse you and make you wonder if you really did do something wrong. Other cases are more subtle, such as changing small details to throw you off. Rumors are everywhere. One sign of gaslighting that commonly presents itself in the work environment is rumors. You may begin to hear things about you going around that are false. Suddenly, you're the bad person, but no one will believe you when you speak up. Gaslighters can pull other people into their narratives to further manipulate you. Psychologist Dr. Ramani Dervisula brings up the idea of tribe gaslighting. This is when others start to get involved and make gaslight you without knowing. For example, if you are being gaslit by a manager and try to confide in another co-worker, they may act as if you are being irrational and take the manager's side. Instead of listening or trying to understand, they call you the problem. This can also extend to friends and family where they are being manipulated into believing you are in the wrong and further the gaslighting by letting you know. Dealing with a gaslighter is exhausting and you may feel you can never win. Because of the subtle nature of gaslighting, it can be hard to identify. If you feel that you are a victim, it's always helpful to confide in someone you trust. If it's a serious situation involving work, then getting in contact with human resources can help make a difference. It's also always a good idea to speak to a mental health professional if you're finding that you're struggling. Thank you for watching this video. If you enjoyed it, please give it a like and share it with someone who you think will benefit from it. Let us know your thoughts on this in the comment section. Remember to subscribe to Psych2Go to keep up with our videos. Take care.