Gaslighting
Have you ever known someone who consistently challenges or questions your recall of events or conversations? At best it can be frustrating (with someone you rarely encounter) and at worst it can become a twisted communication dance that develops into a destructive mental/emotional pattern (with an inner circle friend, spouse, partner, family member, or close co-worker).
A few months ago, I watched a film from 1944 called Gaslight. I knew the name because of the modern term, gaslighting. It was adapted from a play at the time and I think it was the first film of the psychological thriller movie genre.
The black and white film offers an insidious can’t-take-your-eyes-off-the-manipulation-train-wreck storyline. Watching the movie reinforced what I’ve learned about narcissism and gaslighting in recent years. As I watched, I was both repelled and fascinated to witness the slow-building, masterfully planned layers of twisted interplay between the characters.
Narcissists often employ this mental manipulation and control that bends behavior and perception to their will by causing doubt, insecurity, and eventual reliance on the one or ones being targeted. It creates a cycle of false reality based on what the predator wants their prey to believe about themselves.
On the podcast this season, we’ve talked about what we carry with us in the 2021 new year, how to navigate challenging seasons of life, how stress can affect our bodies, ways we can engage positively in the social media world, what true singleness contentment looks like, and love legacy that overcomes life challenges. This week it is all about having emotionally healthy people walking beside us in life (and also being emotionally healthy people! J).
In our culture, we often throw around the word narcissist to label someone we think is selfish, self-absorbed, who needs all the attention. Join us on The Bearing Life Podcast® this week as my friend and coach, Dr. Les Carter offers us a clear understanding of the term – I think you’ll find it helpful and clarifying!
Thanks for listening, sharing, and for your encouragement! (Find more resources on his website and on his Surviving Narcissism YouTube channel)