The word ‘gas lighting’ was first used in the 1944 film ‘Gaslight’. In that movie, the husband manipulates his wife’s sense of reality and mentally breaks her down. From this, we understand that gas lighting is a situation in which one person makes another person question their awareness, memory or sense of reality, thereby subjecting them to continuous psychological abuse. Gas lighting is a dangerous form of psychological control and it is not a one-time act-it happens repeatedly.
Therefore, generally speaking, gas lighting is a psychological manipulation in which someone distorts our sense of reality and pushes us into doubt. Besides the gas lighting imposed on us by others, at times we ourselves also become victims of self-gas lighting. People gaslight themselves by deceiving their own minds and destroying their self-confidence.
As individuals, do I gaslight myself? Certain signs can help us understand this.
Denying emotions
“I shouldn’t feel like this,” “Am I really this sensitive?”
Rejecting one’s own feelings and refusing to acknowledge them is a sign of self-gas lighting.
Doubting experiences
When you know that an event happened but still ask yourself, “Did it really happen that way?”
Accepting only others’ perspectives
When you repeatedly say, “What they say is right; what I think is wrong,” and this leads you into self-denial, you are ignoring your own sense of reality.
Constantly blaming yourself
Thinking “Everything is my fault” no matter what happens is another form of self-gas lighting.
Feeling that your needs are shameful
Even when you need rest, comfort or support, believing that you shouldn’t need these things is a sign of self-gas lighting.
Fear of making decisions without others’ approval
The fear that “If I decide alone, it will go wrong” is a sign that self-confidence has been lost.
How can one escape from gas lighting?
• Acknowledge your emotions.
Remind yourself: “I have the right to feel this way.”
• Talk to trusted friends or counselors.
• Write a diary.
Record real events and emotions with clarity.
For inner peace and self-confidence, we must first learn to respect our own truth.
Coming out of this condition is a long journey. The first thing to understand is that emotions are real. We have the right to feel sadness and anger. Accept them-there is nothing to run away from. Remind yourself: “I have the right to feel this way.” Respect your emotions. To maintain inner happiness, we must first accept the truth. Even when others try to make us doubt ourselves, we must learn to trust our inner voice. That is the first step in ending self-gas lighting.
Only when we respect and value our emotions can we find genuine self-confidence. By ending self-gas lighting, we bring our mind back into its true light. There, we can find the peace of truth and inner contentment.
The Psychological Layer of Gas lighting
There is a connection between childhood experiences and gas
lighting. Those who grew up hearing constant criticism become easily
subjected to gas lighting. They are people whose emotions were ignored
or denied. Even after they become adults, they struggle to believe that their
own experiences are valid. They tend to give more importance to others’ opinions. This attitude later repeats in relationships, at work and in every area of life.
