More and more people are aware of the term “gaslighting” and how it can be used as a weapon in interpersonal relationships.
But the term is often used incorrectly, according to forensic psychologist and YouTuber Dr. Sohom Das, who previously defined the term, saying: “(It) is a form of emotional abuse that arises from manipulating someone into questioning their own sanity, their own memories, or their perception of reality.
‘It is a deliberate attempt to erode someone’s sense of confidence in themselves and their experiences. So you can think of it as a covert form of control and domination.
Now, Birmingham-based expert Dr Lalitaa Suglani has revealed five forms of gaslighting in an Instagram. mail.
The clinical psychologist, who has about 162,000 followers on the platform, is also the author of High-Functioning Anxiety: A 5-Step Guide to Calm Inner Panic and Thrive.
In her Instagram post, Dr. Suglani listed five forms of gaslighting and shared a brief description of each.
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), gaslighting is “manipulating another person into doubting your perceptions, experiences, or understanding of events.”
The APA says: ‘The term once referred to manipulation so extreme as to induce mental illness or justify the commitment of the gas-affected person to a psychiatric institution, but is now used more generally.
“It is usually considered a colloquialism, although it is occasionally seen in clinical literature, referring, for example, to manipulation tactics associated with antisocial personality disorder.”
Birmingham-based expert Dr Lalitaa Suglani (pictured) is a clinical psychologist and author of High-Functioning Anxiety: A Five-Step Guide to Calming Inner Panic and Thriving.
1. Retention
According to the psychologist, this is when the gaslighter “refuses to listen or avoids understanding.”
2. Counter
Dr. Suglani describes this as when they “question memory and recall of events.”
3. Blocking and rerouting
This, the psychologist said, is when they try to change the subject and lead the conversation to questioning you.
4. Trivialize
Dr Suglani said: ‘(This is) when they minimize your feelings and emotions. They make you feel meaningless and unimportant.’
Gaslighting can cause significant emotional damage to relationships and can occur within dynamics outside of romantic partnerships.
5. Forgetting and denial
‘(This is) when they act as if they do not remember a situation or conversation that occurred,’ the psychologist wrote.
The topic of gaslighting is one that several mental health professionals have spoken about, in an attempt to help educate the public about what the term refers to.
In a video on his YouTube channel. A psychologist for sore mindsLondon-based forensic psychologist Dr Sohom Das debunked five myths surrounding gaslighting.
Among those five myths was that gaslighting only occurs in romantic relationships (it can occur within other dynamics, including between parents and children and between coworkers, for example).
Other myths included that it is a good idea to directly confront the gaslighter; that gaslighting is always intentional; that only people with low intelligence can be victims of gaslighting (anyone can be susceptible) and that gaslighting is a modern phenomenon.