Understanding Gaslighting and What Victims Can Do

Understanding Gaslighting and What Victims Can Do Gaslighting is a harmful form of psychological abuse in which a person or entity attempts to gain power over others by making them question their own recollection of events, perception of reality, and ultimately  their sanity.  Ã‚  Ã‚   As used in clinical research, literature, and political commentary, the term comes from the 1938 Patrick Hamilton play â€Å"Gas Light,† and its film adaptations released in 1940 and 1944, in which a murderous husband slowly drives his wife insane by progressively dimming their home’s gas-powered lights without her knowledge. When his wife complains, he convincingly tells her that the light has not changed.   Since almost anyone can fall victim to gaslighting, it is a common tactic of domestic abusers, cult leaders, sociopaths, narcissists, and dictators. Gaslighting can be perpetrated by either women or men. Often especially convincingly charming liars, gaslighters consistently deny their devious actions. For example, physically abusive persons involved in intimate relationships may gaslight their partners by passionately denying  they had acted violently or by trying to convince victims that they â€Å"deserved it,† or â€Å"enjoyed it.† Ultimately, gaslighting victims lower their expectations of what constitutes true affection and start to see themselves as being less deserving of affectionate treatment. The gaslighter’s ultimate goal is to instill a feeling of â€Å"I can’t believe my eyes† causing their victims to second guess their perception of reality, choice, and decision, thus increasing their level of trust in and dependence on their abuser for helping them â€Å"do the right thing.† Dangerously, of course, the â€Å"right thing† is often the â€Å"wrong thing.† The longer the gaslighting continues, the more catastrophic its effects can be on the victim’s psychological health. In the most serious cases, the victim actually begins to accept the gaslighter’s false version of reality as the truth, stop looking for help, reject the advice and support of family and friends, and become completely dependent of their abuser. Techniques and Examples of Gaslighting The techniques of gaslighting are cleverly designed to make it hard for victims to recognize. In most cases, the gaslighter purposely creates situations that allow them to hide the truth from the victim. For example, a gaslighter might move his partner’s keys from their usual spot, causing her to think she had misplaced them. He then â€Å"helps† her find the keys, telling her something like, â€Å"See? They’re right where you always leave them.† According the Domestic Abuse Hotline, the most common techniques of gaslighting include: Withholding: The gaslighter pretends not to understand or ignores his or her victims. For example, â€Å"Oh, not this again,† or â€Å"Now you’re trying to confuse me,† or â€Å"How many times have I told you†¦?†Countering: The gaslighter wrongly blames the victim’s faulty memory, even when the victim’s recollection is accurate. For example, â€Å"You’ve been forgetting things more often lately,† or â€Å"Your mind is playing tricks on you again.†Blocking or Diverting: The gaslighter keeps changing the subject or questioning their victim’s mental health, For example, â€Å"I bet your crazy friend (or family member) told you that,† or â€Å"You’re just making things up so you can use them against me.†Trivializing: The gaslighter makes the victim’s needs or fears seem unimportant. For example: â€Å"You’re mad at me for a little thing like that?† or â€Å"You’re going to let that come between us?†Forgetting or Denial: The gaslighter falsely claims to have forgotten what actually happened or denies promises made to the victim. For example, â€Å"I told you I was going to be late,† or â€Å"I never told you I would pick you up.† Common Signs of Gaslighting Victims must first recognize the signs  of gaslighting in order to escape the abuse. According to psychoanalyst Robin Stern, Ph.D., you might be a victim if: You seem to be second-guessing or doubting yourself more often,You constantly wonder if you might be â€Å"too sensitive.†You often feel confused, possibly to the point of doubting your own sanity.You constantly feel you need to apologize to your partner.You wonder why, with so many good things in your life, you are so unhappy.You frequently feel the need to make excuses for partner’s behavior.You often withhold information about your partner’s behavior from friends and family.You know something is very wrong, but can’t quite figure out what it is.You struggle to make what should be simple decisions.You constantly feel that you need to be a â€Å"better person.†You feel hopeless and joyless.You wonder if you are â€Å"good enough† partner. Since some of these signs of gaslighting- especially those involving memory loss and confusion- could also be symptoms of another physical or emotional disorder,  persons experiencing them should always consult with a physician. Recovering from Gaslighting Once they recognize that someone is gaslighting them, victims can recover and regain their ability to trust their own perception of reality. Victims often benefit from re-establishing relationships they may have abandoned as a result of being abused. Isolation only makes the situation worse and surrenders more power to the abuser. Knowing they have the trust and support of others helps victims recover the ability to trust and believe in themselves. Recovering gaslighting victims may also choose to seek professional therapy to gain reassurance that their sense of reality is correct. Again able to trust themselves, victims are better able to end their relationship with their abusers. While gaslighter-victim relationships can be salvaged, doing so can be difficult. As relationship therapist Darlene Lancer, JD, points out, both partners must be willing and able to change their behavior. Willing partners sometimes successfully encourage each other to change. However, as Lancer notes, this is less likely to happen if one or both partners has an addiction or personality disorder. Key Points About Gaslighting Gaslighting is a harmful form of psychological abuse.Gaslighters attempt to gain control over others by making them question their own memory, reality, and sanity.Gaslighting is a common tactic of domestic abusers, cult leaders, sociopaths, narcissists, and dictators.The first step in recovering from gaslighting is realizing it is happening.As with all forms of psychological and domestic abuse, professional help is often needed. Sources and Additional References Firth, Shanon. â€Å"What is gaslighting?† The Week onlineJacobson, Neil S.; Gottman, John M. When Men Batter Women: New Insights into Ending Abusive Relationships. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-0-684-81447-6â€Å"What is Gaslighting.† Domestic Abuse Hotline. Online. May 29, 2014â€Å"7 Signs You Are a Victim of Gaslighting†. Divorced moms .comâ€Å"11 Warning Signs of Gaslighting.† PsychologyToday.com. January 22, 2017Stern, Robin, PhD. The Gaslight Effect: How to Spot and Survive the Hidden Manipulation Others Use to Control Your Life. Harmony. ISBN 978-0-7679-2445-0â€Å"Gaslighting Definition, Techniques and Being Gaslighted.†Ã‚  HealthyPlace.comâ€Å"Gaslighting.† GoodTherapy.org onlineLancer, Darlene JD, LMFT. â€Å"How to Know If Youre a Victim of Gaslighting.† PsychologyToday.com. January, 13, 2018Stout, Martha. The Sociopath Next Door. Random House Digital. ISBN 978-0-7679-1582-3.

How did America's role in world politics change from 1877 to the Assignment

How did America's role in world politics change from 1877 to the present - Assignment Example Considering the US global political role, World War I and World War II are two important wars which signify changes in the political role played by America. Other than that, America’s policies of sending troops to attack several different countries are also worth mentioning when discussing the US political role. Though America first adopted the policy of neutrality when WWI ensued, the government then soon changed its neutrality policy to open war after aggressive actions taken by Germany in submarine warfare. The hostile actions of destroying American ships taken by German government changed the political role of America in WWI. Next time during WWII, the American government was seen resisting the drawbacks associated with the neutrality policy which was adopted first during WWI. Again, America did not declare a war just like during WWI until stimulated and ignited into participating actively in the war by German armies which brutally attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor and soon after that, war was declared on US by Hitler. This time along with financially helping the British army forces, America joined the British forces and launched a massive attack on the German troops in an order to suppress the atrocious action taken by Hitler (directNIC, 2003). Considering the nature of US foreign policy, (Bellinger III, 2010) claims that there is more continuity than change in the foreign policies of Obama administration, though much debate has occurred on bringing changes and the ways to achieve those changes. The Bush policies against terrorism in countries like Iraq and Afghanistan have continued since the Bush government fell down, in spite of the terrible drawbacks that the American nation has been forced to face both financially and economically as a consequence of these long and futile international

MCA DENVER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

MCA DENVER - Essay Example 3). The MCA Denver museum organizes exhibitions and events to showcase the creative endeavors of artists and to radiate the message of creativity in artwork. Several exhibitions were hosted in the MCA Denver museum in the recent past, and this article summarizes the contents of three images that induced admiration among the audience. Image 1 - Saint Sebastian, Exquisite Pain â€Å"Saint Sebastian, Exquisite Pain† is the masterpiece creation of famous artist, Damien Hirst, who is known for preserving the formaldehyde dipped carcasses of animals in glass vitrines (â€Å"Damien Hirst,† par. 1). Can any artist ever think of applying artistic imagination to preserved carcasses? Artists portray subtle emotions on canvas, in photography, or in sculptures. Damien Hirst’s depiction of helplessness and intense pain of a bullock can be seen in â€Å"Saint Sebastian, Exquisite Pain.† The carcass of a bullock, targeted by pointed arrows and crossbow bolts, was preserve d in a glass vitrine measuring 126.75 inches x 61.25 inches x 61.25 inches (â€Å"Damien Hirst,† par. 4). The artist has tried to show the helplessness of the poor creature, chained and attacked with arrows. The half-covered and half-open eyes of the creature also signify that the people remain mere spectators during the life and death cycle. Mortal creatures have to surrender before death that is waiting to chain and target the creatures mercilessly.

Guitar and Plectrum Instruments Essay Example for Free

Guitar and Plectrum Instruments Essay The rondalia is an ensemble of stringed instruments played with the plectrum or pick and generally known as plectrum instruments. It originated in Medieval Spain, especially in Catalunya. Aragon, Murcia, and Valencia. The tradition was later taken to Spanish America and elsewhere. The word rondaila is from the Spanish ronda, meaning serenade. The rondalia has its origins in the playing bands from Spain (as well as New Spain, namely Mexico) that were forerunners of the present-day rondalia and included four types: groups of young men who played and sang regularly in front of homes, bands of musicians known as murza or murga who begged for alms, a group of musicians known as comparza who played on stage, and groups of university musicians known asestudiantina, dubbed â€Å"tuna†. The usual musical instruments used by estudiantina members were mandolins, violins, guitars, flutes, cellos, basses, tambourines, castanets, and triangles. Estudiantina musicians in Spain and Mexico, before and during the age of musical romanticism, wore 16th century attire such as short velvet breeches, ornate shirts and a short cape with multicolored ribbons. Some instruments used for the early rondalia were influenced by the Mozarab musical instruments of the time, including the guitars, flutes and vihuelas. Mandolins, castanets and tambourines were also used and today a full range of instruments can be heard, such as the Mexican vihuela, violins and cellos, marimbas, xylophones, harps, and timbales. Today, rondalias are more modern and expressive, using lyrics that are vibrant, yet still keep with the traditional theme of melancholy love and evening serenades. Currently, there are many groups in Spain (such as La Rondalla Sierra Almijara and La Rondalla de la Costera), and Mexico (such as La Rondalla de Saltillo, La Rondalla Voces del Corazon) and United States (La Rondalla del Sagrado Corazon de Richmond) that carry on the tradition. During the Spanish period in the East Indies, the rondalia was brought to the Philippines by the Spaniards. In the early Philippines, certain styles were adopted by the natives, especially guitar and banduria used in the Pandanggo, the Jota, and the Polka. The use of the term comparza was common, however, during the American period in the Philippines, the term rondalia became more used. At present, rondalia, in the Philippines, refers to any group of stringed instruments that are played using the plectrum or pick. The Filipino instruments are made from indigenous Philippine wood and the plectrum, or picks, are made from tortoise-shell. Other stringed instruments composing the standard Filipino rondalia are the bandurria, the laà ºd, the octavina, the Twelve-string guitar, the Ukulele, the bajo de uà ±as or double bass, the Guitarrà ³n mexicano, and other Filipino-made instruments modeled and developed after the guitar. The Philippine rondalia’s repertoire include folk songs such as the Balitaw, the Kundiman, the Zarzuela, the Subli, the Harana, the Tinikling, and the Carià ±osa.

Asset Valuation Paper :: Business Accounting

Asset Valuation Accounting for Managerial Decision-Making Introduction To start a new business and remain in business profitably, many critical decisions must be made when the foundation of a new business is formed. These decisions affect the company in the long run and often make or break an organization. Methods of inventory control and capitalization policies are among these critical decisions that will affect any business bottom line. Our team has investigated these policies and will present our recommendation for the method of inventory and capitalization policy for the XYZ Mattress Store in the remainder of this paper. Inventory Policy Selecting the valuation method for reporting and valuing is based on key issues relating to the relevance and reliability of the method of accounting for that item. According to finetuning.com (2005) "how you identify items in inventory and determine which have been sold will depend on the nature of the products, the volume of the products, how they are tracked, and inventory rotation." Key factors to consider under the inventory policy are: location of storage facilities, temperature, security, rotation of stock, cost, training, periodic inventories, and control. caycon.com (2005) wrote: "Valuing a startup is intrinsically different from valuing established companies. Because of the high level of risk and often little or no revenues, traditional quantitative valuation methods like (P/E) per-share earnings comparables or discounting free cash flows are of little use. Startup valuations are largely determined based on qualitative attributes." To select an inventory valuation method, the options are FIFO, LIFO and Weighted Average. The valuation method for (FIFO) First-in, first out: Answers.com (2005) defines this as a "common method for recording the value of inventory. It is appropriate where there are many different batches of similar products." This method describes the first item coming in will be the first item going out of the inventory. Retailinventories.com (2005) wrote "cost flow assumption assumes that the oldest inventory is sold first. The ending balance of inventory is valued at the most recent purchase price. FIFO produces a more relevant balance sheet since the ending balance in inventory reflects its current value." An example of this would be: Ending balance in inventory would be 30 units of the most recent purchases. 30 x 300=9,000 E/B = 9,000.

Everything Bad Is Good for You

In Everything Bad Is Good For You, Steven Johnson uses many scientific methods and presents point of view stating that popular culture does not only have negative impacts on us. In the introduction of the television section, he briefly tells us the truth that the complexity of modern TV shows is rising and it also makes people more intelligent. To support his ideas, Johnson divides the content into three parts: Multiple threading, Flashing Arrows, and Social Networks. Multiple threading is very common in modern television shows but not in past shows.Johnson uses four graphs which clearly show the amount of plot content in relation to the running time of four episodes from different shows, to depict changes of complexity in TV dramas. In one drama, Dragnet, the narrative only focuses on one plotline; a few years later, the numbers of plotline have been increased in another drama called The Sopranos. The evidence strongly supports Johnson’s statement: Multiple threading becomes more complex and abundant in modern television dramas. However, it is not the only reason that makes TV shows more complicated.Flashing Arrows, which had allowed viewers to follow the plot more easily television shows of the past, disappeared and were transformed in modern soap dramas and sitcoms. TV shows stopped using flashing arrows because audiences have been learned to find the hidden answers in the shows for many years. In soap operas, flashing arrows have been transformed to â€Å"texture† and â€Å"substance† (p. 78), which are used for building up a realistic dramatic situation in the drama. In sitcoms, flashing arrows become a reward of knowing the â€Å"in-joke† by attaining extra information outside the shows.Although sitcoms become more complex, they are not the only shows that have changed. Social networks are mainly used in reality programming and political debates. When audiences watch The Apprentice or Survivor, a reality show, they will use â⠂¬Å"social intelligence† (p. 96) to judge participants’ personalities. Each facial expression and action from the participants provides clues to audiences for the judgment. In political debates, audiences will judge the politicians’ appearances, speech, skin color or actions to decide the votes. Social intelligence† is a brain activity that people will do it automatically when they try to make decisions. Johnson’s evidence has shown â€Å"social intelligence† has been improved by reality shows. However, social networks do not only represent the network among participants and audiences, but also the social relationships of characters in the TV dramas. The social mapping of 24 clearly shows the complex relationships among all the characters. There are four families being involved in the show, but the relationships are not obvious to the audience.Audiences need to build up the social connections by watching the show. The process is difficult and challenging, but the audience has already gotten used to it by training from the past thirty years. Social networks are also a part of making audiences become smarter. Basically, Johnson thinks television has become more complex because of multithreading, flashing arrows and social network. These three elements are also important to people’s brain activity which has made them smarter.

Jean-Paul Sartre Essay - 1540 Words

Jean-Paul Sartre Jean-Paul Sartre was an existentialist philosopher. The questions of his philosophy often come out in his readings. Existentialism questions why we exist. Existentialists deny the existence of God. Existentialist writers such as Kafka and Sartre often use prisons and solitary confinement to tell their stories. Often, neither the reader nor the protagonist is aware of what crime has been committed. Jean-Paul Sartre’s â€Å"The Wall† reflects his philosophy and personal experiences. He worked for the French resistance and was imprisoned by the Germans during WWII. The story takes place during the Spanish Civil War in an old hospital being used by the Spanish Fascist’s to house prisoners. â€Å"The Wall† is told from a†¦show more content†¦The terror increases as they wait for dawn and the firing squad and Pablo begins to question what happens after death. â€Å"I thought of bullets, I imagined their burning hail through my body. All that was beside the real question; but I was calm: we had all night to understand† (14). Pablo is denying his own fear. Existentialists do not believe in a Supreme Being, so what is there to be afraid of? But his continual denial of the feeling of terror demonstrates he does have some fears, â€Å"I felt myself crushed under an enormous weight. It was not the thought of death, or fear; it was nameless. My cheeks burned and my head ached† (15). Eventually, Pablo recognizes his terror, when he realizes, in spit of it being quite cold, he is sweating profusely. The doctor who is sent to observe them is chilled and it is the doctors stare that causes Pablo to think of how terrified he actually is, I saw my shirt was damp and sticking to my skin. I had been dripping for an hour and hadn’t felt it. But that swine of a Belgian hadn’t missed a thing; he had seen the drops rolling down my cheeks and thought: this is the manifestation of terror; and he had felt normal and proud of being alive because he was cold. (17) His terror manifests when he notices his trousers and buttocks are soaked and he wonders if he pissed his pants like Tom. The terror Pablo and Tom try to questionShow MoreRelatedExistentialism, By Jean Paul Sartre1927 Words   |  8 PagesPhilosopher JP Sartre As a human beings, we have many choices that we need to make on a daily basis throughout our entire lives as well. Those choices that we make, may have consequences and may affect us or our family members in the long run. Therefore, throughout my essay I will give a summary from Jean Paul Sartre’s â€Å"Ethical Authenticity,† in chapter 10 and the â€Å"Existentialism is a Humanism,† his primary reading. I will also be answering the questions to the primary readings. 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