Someone’s deliberately doing this right now…I guard by staying away! People have done this to me a lot, actually, but I wonder if they really do believe I’m crazy or just don’t want to believe that I might be right on? I mean, who’s to say who’s right, you know? It’s all about listening to the gut for yourself, but objectivity is hard.

Yes. It’s creepy, and makes you lose trust in your own judgement. A kind of mental violence I’d say.

“guard your mind” absolutely. The mind is the last line of defense. This kind of manipulation is super soft and permeable, slips right under the radar. The worst

Heh. I could write a book myself on the ways this has been used on me.

Yes. I went into detail about it in the thread on the boards. First husband was a champ at gaslighting.

I learned my lesson very well and no one gaslights me these days. Occasionally my current husband will unintentionally shift my reality in an argument or something. I just try to wait it out. If I am the one confused or wrong it will clear up in my head. If he’s wrong he will come around very quickly. It’s a bit like driving in the fog. If you can only see a few feet in front of you it makes no sense to barrel ahead.

On the other hand if someone is pumping a fog machine in front of your face the only way to get clear is to distance yourself from them.

Yes. However I cannot help myself from being defiant. Even if on an intellectual level I am unaware of this bs I know on a subconscious level. Astrologically, I could explain it as a Leo Sun conj. Uranus 7th house with Aquarius rising. On a personal level, father and his family literally fought against Franco during the civil war. My uncle, Mariano spent 10 years in a rehab/prison camp in Morrocco. My father was lucky he eventually escaped Spain. He and my mum (9th gen Canadian) strongly believed in individuality and instilled in me and my sibs of our human rights and to always think and act for ourselves. I think I was very lucky to have them as parents.