A form of manipulation that often occurs in abusive relationships. It is a covert type of <a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/identify-and-cope-with-emotional-abuse-4156673">emotional abuse </a>where the abuser misleads the target, creating a false narrative. It causes the victims to distrust their own perceptions of the world.It primarily occurs in romantic relationships, but it's also common in friendships or among family members.

Gaslighting

The term comes from a 1938 play by Patrick Hamilton, known in America as "Angle Street".It's about a manipulative husband who tries to make his wife think she is losing her mind. One of the acts of his manipulation is dimming the flame on a gas lamp.

The Term "Gaslighting"?

People who gaslight others may have mental health disorders, such as narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) or borderline personality disorder (BPD). They use this type of emotional abuse to exert power over others in order to manipulate people.

Why People Gaslight?

<a href="http://www.imedpub.com/articles/the-cognitive-neuroscience-of-narcissism.php?aid=22149">Several researchers</a> determined that the opposite of narcissistic personality disorder is empathy.From this determination, I am giving a theory that the cause of self-gaslighting might come from being too empathy. The ability to sympathize with people and their perspectives make them easily understand and forgive people's actions. This makes them think that there's nothing wrong with the other person so they start to think themselves as the problem.

Self-Gaslighting

These are some discoveries that have aided me in comprehending it and attempting to overcome it.

Gaslighting is a covert form of emotional abuse that makes people think they are losing their sanity. Learn about the warning signs of gaslighting.

Psychology

Ways to Tell If Someone Is Gaslighting You

Mental models are explanations of how something works.<ul><li>They guide your perception and behavior.</li><li>They are the thinking tools that you use to understand life, make decisions, and solve problems.</li><li>They are imperfect, but useful.</li><li>The best mental models are the ideas with the most utility.</li><li>Learning a new mental model gives you a new way to see the world.</li></ul>Developing a broad base of mental models is critical for anyone interested in thinking clearly, rationally, and effectively.

Mental Model

When a certain worldview dominates your thinking, you’ll try to explain every problem you face through that worldview.The more you master a single mental model, the more likely it becomes that this mental model will be your downfall because you’ll start applying it indiscriminately to every problem.What looks like expertise is often a limitation.The secret to great thinking is to learn and employ a variety of mental models.

The Secret to Great Thinking and Decision Making

Mental models provide an internal picture of how the world works. We should continuously upgrade and improve the quality of this picture. By<ul><li>Reading widely from the best books.</li><li>Studying the fundamentals of seemingly unrelated fields.</li><li>Learning from people with wildly different life experiences.</li></ul>The mind's eye needs a variety of mental models to piece together a complete picture of how the world works. The more sources you have to draw upon, the clearer your thinking becomes.

Expanding Your Set of Mental Models

Avoid looking at life through the lens of one subject. Try develop “liquid knowledge” that flows easily from one topic to the next.It is important to not only learn new mental models, but to consider how they connect with one another.Creativity and innovation often arise at the intersection of ideas. By spotting the links between various mental models, you can identify solutions that most people overlook.

The Pursuit of Liquid Knowledge

Learning a new mental model gives you a new way to see the world, make decisions, and solve problems.

Self Improvement

How to Train Your Brain to Think in New Ways

The silent treatment goes by many names: shunning, social isolation, stonewalling, ghosting. Although psychologists have nuanced definitions for each term, they are all essentially forms of ostracism.The silent treatment is a particularly insidious form of abuse because it might the victim to reconcile with the perpetrator in an effort to end the behavior, even if the victim doesn’t know why they’re apologizing.

The Silent Treatment

“People use the silent treatment because they can get away with it without looking abusive to others,” Williams explained, “and because it’s highly effective in making the targeted individual feel bad.”<ul><li>Passive personality types use it to avoid conflict and confrontation.</li><li>Strong personality types use it to punish or control.</li><li>Some people may not even consciously choose it at all.</li></ul>

Why people use the Silent Treatment

“In the short term, the silent treatment causes stress. In the long term, the stress can be considered abuse.”﻿In serious cases, ostracism can take a heavy toll whereby victims become anxious, withdrawn, depressed, or even suicidal.But the silent treatment ultimately harms the person causing it, too.Worse, the silent treatment can become addictive.

The negative effects of the Silent Treatment

One way to prevent a conflict from curdling into ostracism is to say out loud the exact amount of time you’ll be taking a break and to establish a timeline for when you’ll pick the conversation back up.But when someone is using the silent treatment to exclude, punish, or control, the victim should tell the perpetrator that they wish to resolve the issue.If the perpetrator still refuses to acknowledge the victim’s existence for long periods of time, it might be right to leave the relationship.

How to deal with the Silent Treatment

Social ostracism has been a common punishment for millennia. But freezing someone out harms both the victim and the perpetrator.

Ways to Tell If Someone Is Gaslighting You

How to Train Your Brain to Think in New Ways

What You’re Saying When You Give Someone the Silent Treatment

Khanh Tran