Have you ever been called crazy or too sensitive by someone? If so, you may have been a victim of gaslighting. Though, this type of psychological abuse is commonly discussed in terms of relationships. Gaslighting can occur in workplaces as well.
The gaslighting incident occurs when a supervisor or employee manipulates you in a way that makes you question your perceptions, sanity, or memory. The gaslighter can do this by retelling or denying past events to make you take the blame.
Gaslighting can also occur when a supervisor refers to you as too sensitive for reporting a colleague who made inappropriate comments. The gaslighter then questions your recollection of the incident, making you feel like an outsider.
You need to know the signs to identify if you’re being gaslit at work. Then you can take control of your situation.
Gaslighting is psychological manipulation that involves making others question their sanity or perceptions. The gaslighter exerts control over the other person, referred to as the gaslightee. For instance, if you’re a gaslightee, your supervisor (gaslighter) may make you question your recollection of a particular incident to control you.
Although gaslighting can come naturally to some people, only some know what they’re doing. The term is usually used to describe people who deliberately manipulate friends, family, or coworkers.
People with a gaslight personality tend to share some common traits. These include a highly-manipulative personality, a low sense of self-worth, and constantly pointing out other people’s flaws. They also tend to avoid responding well to situations when they don’t have the power to manipulate others.
Unfortunately, it can be hard to spot a gaslighter personality due to the varying characteristics. Some people are charming and charismatic, making others miss the signs. On the other hand, others are reserved and tend to keep their manipulative ways hidden.
This type of psychological abuse differs from other emotional abuse, such as bullying. Gaslighting can be subtle and can affect people differently.
Every week, you dread being gaslit at work, which can cause you to question your own experiences and prevent you from enjoying life. Gaslighting can also make it hard to seek help because you question what is true.
Watch out for the signs of gaslighting at work.
- You might be gaslit at work if you hear adverse reports about your performance.
- The next time you might hear gossip about yourself or that someone is saying negative things about you.
- You might question your perception of reality.
- You might also feel excluded from important events or meetings.