 There's been a huge decline in mental health around the world, which is why we are so committed to creating more content than we ever have. Thanks for being a part of our journey. Hey Psych2Goers! Manipulation is extremely difficult to deal with, and is sometimes hard to spot. You may have heard of the term gaslighting before and know that it's just one type of manipulation. However, did you know that there are multiple types of gaslighting? To look into some of these different forms, in this video we will be looking at the three types of gaslighters and some of the tactics they use. But first, what is gaslighting? Gaslighting is one form of mental manipulation where a person, the gaslighter, manipulates another to doubt their memory and perception. The term is derived from the 1938 play called Gaslight, in which a husband convinces his wife that she's going insane in order to have control over her. So while many instances occur in romantic relationships, gaslighting can occur in many interpersonal relationships. The goal of gaslighting is for the manipulator to gain your trust and disregard your own experiences. Clinical psychologist Stephanie Carinia breaks down gaslighters into three types. The first being the Intimidator Gaslighter. According to Carinia's post, the Intimidator is the classic gaslighter. They will openly belittle you, tease you, and misconstrue your words. They may tell you that your memory is wrong, say that you're too sensitive or flat out deny that something happened. This type of gaslighter will undermine your perception and try to get you to trust in them. Their tactics are bold and intimidating, making them seem like they know what's best. The second type is the Glamour Gaslighter. In the book The Gaslight Effect by Robin Stern, a psychoanalyst at Yale University, Stern introduces the term Glamour Gaslighter. She describes it as superficial love that ends in unfulfillment. Glamour Gaslighters will shower you with love, gifts, and compliments. On the surface, the relationship may seem wonderful, but the deeper issues are never resolved. Glamour Gaslighters often use tactics such as love bombing and gifts to dismiss your concerns. This means that while they may shower you in affection, compliments, and expensive gifts, this isn't out of love, but to win you over so they get their way. You begin to doubt yourself and think that you owe them something in return. The third type is known as the Good Guy Gaslighter. The Good Guy Gaslighter is the type of manipulator that makes it seem like they are doing you a favor, but their intentions are different. In her interview with Stylist, UK psychologist Stephanie Carinia identifies some behaviors of what this kind of gaslighter looks like. A Good Guy Gaslighter often tries to do you a favor, but in reality they end up sabotaging you. They are passive-aggressive and leave you feeling powerless. For example, they might offer to help you with a task, but in the process make it seem like you're burdening them. If you try to call out their behavior, they feel offended. Carinia further explains that a Good Guy Gaslighter needs to appear nice to others so that they can get their way. When encountering a Good Guy Gaslighter, it's easy to fall into the trap of doubting yourself as they make you feel that you're unreasonable, no matter what. They're usually passive-aggressive and never feel appreciated. Having experience with a gaslighter is almost never pleasant and never easy. Repeated exposure to this kind of behavior can make you actually doubt yourself, which can lead to these manipulators taking advantage of you. Finding ways to set boundaries, get support, and trust in your own judgment is important. Yet tricky. If you're struggling, please reach out to a mental health professional for advice. We hope this video was informative and that you can better identify some of the different types of gaslighters you may encounter. Let us know your thoughts on this topic and what you've learned in the comments below. Be sure to subscribe to Psych2Go and turn on the notifications to get up to date on our uploads. Take care.