Gaslighting

What it is

A sustained pattern of denying reality so consistently that you begin to doubt your own perception, memory, and judgment.

Sounds like

• "That never happened."
• "You're remembering it wrong — again."
• "You're too sensitive. I was joking."
• "You're imagining things. You need help."

Why it works

It targets the one tool you need to leave: your ability to trust yourself. If they can make you unsure of what just happened, they don't have to defend what they did.

What it does to you

Over time, you stop reporting incidents — even to yourself. You start apologizing for reactions to things that actually occurred. Your inner narrator goes quiet.

Pattern check

• —Do you record conversations or save texts just to prove to yourself they happened?
• —Do you leave interactions more confused than when you started?
• —Do you find yourself apologizing for being upset about something they did?