By @tobyknapp | Instagram
Mar 4, 2021
Let me introduce you to a new idea: SELF-GASLIGHTING. If you know what gaslighting is, well, you already know it's a form of manipulation. SELF-GASLIGHTING is what happens when we respond to our emotions with logic, telling ourselves we should not feel the way we do because, well, logically... we understand things as they are.
In reality, we don't. But we convince ourselves otherwise. And so the cycle of self-doubt begins...
What Is Self-Gaslighting?
"Gaslighting is the tendency to minimize or dismiss someone's experience, leading the other person to question their perception of reality," Grace Dowd, LCSW, a licensed psychotherapist and owner of Grace Dowd Psychotherapy located in Austin, TX, told POPSUGAR. Likewise, self-gaslighting happens when we internalize this behavior — you minimize your own experiences or dismiss your emotions until you're constantly questioning your own perceptions and doubt yourself. This can manifest in a number of ways that aren't always obvious to us.