"Gaslighting" — defined as the 'behaviour that's mind manipulating, grossly misleading, downright deceitful' — is Merriam-Webster's word of the year in 2022.
In 1938, British playwright Patrick Hamilton wrote a play called Gaslight. It also got adapted into a an award-winning film in 1944. It's a psychological thriller around a married couple — the woman comes from wealth and the husband realises she is his jackpot. And so, he manipulates her into believing that she's insane.
If you've heard of the term gaslighting, this is where it comes from. The expression gaslighting has been used in psychoanalysis a lot of the time. It is an exceptionally common form of manipulation. And yet, it goes unnoticed by those who face it.
In this episode of Unmute, two women who were muted by gaslighting in their personal relationships speak out about their experiences. We also speak to queer therapist Ipsa James on how to identify and address gaslighting in any relationship. Tune in!
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