 According to statistics, only a small percentage of you who watch our videos are actually subscribed. If you're not subscribed yet and you enjoy what you see, do consider hitting the subscribe button. This encourages YouTube's algorithm in promoting more of our mental health content to more people out there. Hey, Psych2goers! Are you tired of always arguing with your parents? Do they never understand what you're going through? Parents are people too, and they make mistakes. But unlike others, their careless mistakes can lead to a lot of emotional baggage for their children. And one of the most harmful yet often unintentional ways parents hurt their children is by gaslighting them, which is defined as a form of psychological and emotional manipulation that leads its victims to doubting themselves and their own perceptions of reality. Curious to know more? Here are 7 signs your parents are gaslighting you. 1. They don't listen to you How do conversations with your parents usually go? Are they open to listening to your ideas and hearing what you have to say? Or do they simply expect you to do as you're told, just because they said so? Having parents who don't listen to you can be frustrating, to say the least, and constantly being patronized and treated like a child can surely do a number to anyone's self-esteem. When you don't feel heard, especially in your own home by your own parents, it can plant the seeds of insecurity and self-doubt in your own mind that can become harder and harder to uproot the older you get. 2. They decide things for you Do your parents pick your clothes out for you or tell you who you can and can't be friends with? Do they forbid you from seeing certain people or going to certain places just because they don't like it? Do they make your decisions for you without even asking you what you want? While it's not uncommon for parents to tell you what you should like or how you should act, especially when you're still young, it can become toxic and problematic when they don't allow you the freedom to decide things for yourself and to establish your own sense of identity, free from their influence and control. 3. They tend to dismiss your problems Whether it's a fight with your best friend, a broken heart after a breakup, or the pressure of getting good grades and doing well in your finals, your parents may not understand that the struggles you are facing are heavy and very real to you. Instead of empathizing with you, they may simply tell you to move on and forget all about it because it won't matter in a few weeks, and there's no use crying over spilled milk. But invalidating your feelings is a common example of gaslighting. 4. They tell you you're overreacting Do your parents roll their eyes and say you're overreacting whenever you try to open up to them? Telling someone they're just being dramatic or being too sensitive can be a telltale sign that they're gaslighting you. And if your parents do it to you so often that it starts to make you feel guilty or ashamed for feeling a certain way, that is a clear sign as any that something is wrong in the way your parents treat you. 5. They deny their shortcomings Another warning sign your parents might be gaslighting you is if you feel like you can never have an honest and mature conversation with them about the flaws in your relationship. This may mean feeling like you have to keep certain things such as how you want to be treated or when you don't like what they said about you to yourself because you know they're not going to want to hear it. Instead, you know they'll deny their shortcomings and justify their bad behaviors by saying things like well that's not how I see it or you should be grateful I'm only doing this for your own good. 6. They shift the blame towards you Similar to the last point, instead of owning up to their mistakes and taking responsibility for it, they simply shift the blame towards you often by playing the victim. Nothing is ever their fault because their fingers are always pointed at somebody else. Ready to shift the blame the moment something goes wrong and most of the time it's you. Self-righteous and sanctimonious, your parents may gaslight you by becoming defensive and turning every valid criticism you have no matter how gently you give it into a full-on screamy match and pointing out all of your flaws instead. 7. They never just take your word for it Last but certainly not least, this is perhaps one of the most common and most often unintentional ways parents gaslight their children. If you come to them with a problem, say for example like you're being bullied at school. They never just take your word for it. They have to hear it from someone else before they believe it and say things like are you sure? Maybe you provoked them in some way and this is all just a misunderstanding. Ultimately, your word isn't good enough for them and it won't be long before it stops being good enough for you too. Did you relate to any of the signs we've mentioned? Let us know in the comments below. If you found this video helpful, be sure to like, subscribe and share this video with those who might benefit from it. And don't forget to hit the notification bell icon to get notified whenever Psych2Go posts a new video. The references and studies used in this video are added in the description below. Thanks so much for watching and we'll see you next time.