Memorize This Conversation Formula to Stop Gaslighting Before It Starts
What makes gaslighting so dangerous is that we often don’t realize it’s happening to us until years down the road. “It’s a technique used to manipulate and distort. The greater the level of self-doubt, the easier it becomes for the gaslighter to dictate situations to their liking,” explains Sarah Jane Crosby, a Dublin-based psychotherapist. It’s a relief to know I’m not the only one who couldn’t see the signs. Crosby says that since gaslighting is a relatively new term, many of us never had the language to defend ourselves—let alone identify how we felt. “As a collective, it was something we’ve been largely unconscious to.”
But that’s slowly changing. Fortunately, Crosby proves it’s possible to have the foresight and tools to stop a gaslighter in their tracks (so that, unlike me, you don’t spend another moment tethered to an abusive situation you assumed was your fault). In a series of recent Instagram posts, she offers tangible tips on how to identify a gaslighter (“their actions don’t match their words, they lie and deny things even when there is proof, and they attempt to block or are unsupportive of your growth”) followed by common phrases gaslighters use to leverage their power (“Why are you being so sensitive? Can’t you just let that go already? How would you cope without me?”). Finally, she provides a script you can borrow the next time you’re mid-conversation with a gaslighter, and need to put them in their place.
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Phrases to shut down a gaslighting in any situation
- "We remember things differently."
- "If you continue to speak to me like this I’m not engaging."
- "I hear you and that isn’t my experience."
- "I am walking away from this conversation."
- "I am not interested in debating what happened with you."
- "I will speak to you about [A+B]. I’m not willing to speak to you about [C]."
We often associate gaslighting with romantic relationships, but the office can also be a breeding ground for this insidious form of emotional abuse. If it’s happening to you, Crosby encourages you talk to HR. “When this isn’t possible, we need to work on forming solid boundaries around what we’re willing to give and say to this individual,” she says. Leaving said situation is your most effective form of protection, but it might not always be feasible, especially in an office setting. In that case, Crosby recommends you “log your reality” and chat about your experiences with a therapist every week, and getting your hands on any related reading material (like this or this).
No matter the context, Crosby urges you to remember emotional abuse isn’t your fault, but the choice of the abuser. “With kindness and compassion, take all the energy we’ve been giving these relationships and focus it inward. It’s time to come home to yourself,” she says.
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