3. Persistent Gaslighting and Reality Denial

Gaslighting is a pattern of psychological manipulation that causes you to doubt your own sanity, judgment, or memories. A relative may flatly deny events that clearly occurred.

Common phrases include claims that you are overly sensitive or that you remember things wrong. These comments destabilize your confidence and make you dependent on their version of reality.

Over time, chronic denial erodes your trust in your own intuition. You might catch yourself constantly replaying past conversations to verify your own perception.

Actionable Practice: Keep a private reality anchor notebook in a secure location. Record factual notes about stressful interactions immediately after they occur.

Write down what was said without emotional embellishment. Reviewing these notes reinforces your trust in your own senses when someone attempts to rewrite the truth.