1 00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:12,640 Speaker 1: Hi, and welcome back to another new episode of You 2 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:16,120 Speaker 1: Need Therapy. My name is Kat and I'm the host here. 3 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:20,079 Speaker 1: It's another solo episode day here, and this week we're 4 00:00:20,079 --> 00:00:23,680 Speaker 1: talking about something that I've talked about a little bit before, 5 00:00:24,280 --> 00:00:28,840 Speaker 1: but I've never actually dedicated an entire episode about it 6 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:31,640 Speaker 1: on here, and I think it is about time, because 7 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:34,120 Speaker 1: there's enough information around it that it could be not 8 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:36,479 Speaker 1: only its own episode, but a series. It could beat 9 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:39,040 Speaker 1: its own podcast, probably, but we're not gonna do that. 10 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:42,280 Speaker 1: Before we get going, quick reminder that this is not therapy. 11 00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:45,599 Speaker 1: This is just me, a therapist talking about, you know, 12 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:47,720 Speaker 1: things that have to do with mental health and things 13 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:50,440 Speaker 1: I have to do with therapy. And also quick reminder 14 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 1: while we're here, if you want to follow me, you 15 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 1: can on Instagram at cat dot de fata, or you 16 00:00:57,120 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 1: can follow the podcast at You Need Therapy Podcast. And 17 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:02,600 Speaker 1: if you want to really really make me happy and 18 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:05,160 Speaker 1: make my day, and by the way, it's my birthday week. 19 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:07,920 Speaker 1: My birthday is on Saturday, so if you really want 20 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:10,560 Speaker 1: to give me a birthday gift, you can scroll to 21 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:14,200 Speaker 1: the bottom of Apple Podcasts and rate us or rate 22 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:16,880 Speaker 1: me and hopefully give me five stars. And if you 23 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 1: feel called to give a little comment, put a little 24 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:21,720 Speaker 1: comment on there. I love it. I appreciate those. And 25 00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:24,679 Speaker 1: if you have questions or constructive feedback, you can send 26 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 1: that to me personally. You can send it to my 27 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 1: email Catherine at You Need Therapy Podcast dot com. And 28 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:32,560 Speaker 1: if you have questions for couch Talks, which is the 29 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:35,360 Speaker 1: Wednesday episode where I answer questions that you guys send in, 30 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:38,120 Speaker 1: send them there. Catherine K A t h R y 31 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 1: N at You Need Therapy Podcast dot com. Okay, now 32 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:45,319 Speaker 1: let's get into the episode. So we're talking about all 33 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 1: things gas lighting today. And again I'm pretty sure we 34 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:53,200 Speaker 1: talked about this a little bit when we covered narcissism 35 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:56,400 Speaker 1: in a full episode that came out last I think 36 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 1: it was December. However, we didn't spend that much time 37 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:02,240 Speaker 1: on it, and I hear this word being said now 38 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:05,400 Speaker 1: more than ever, so I think it's important that we 39 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:09,000 Speaker 1: stop and take some time to figure this out so 40 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 1: we can spot it ourselves and know when this is 41 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:15,560 Speaker 1: actually occurring and when we maybe just might be using 42 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:18,120 Speaker 1: the fancy word right. And we'll get to this later, 43 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:21,360 Speaker 1: but there's a difference in the technique somebody uses when 44 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:24,959 Speaker 1: attempting to create a gas lighting effect on somebody and 45 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:28,760 Speaker 1: the actual experience of being gas lit gas lighted. I'm 46 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 1: not sure if which is correct. So anyway, somebody like 47 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:35,200 Speaker 1: for example, somebody denying something alone doesn't mean that they're 48 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 1: gaslighting you, but it could be part of it. So 49 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:39,320 Speaker 1: we'll get more into that later. But that's one of 50 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:41,119 Speaker 1: the things that I wanted to talk about. And then 51 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:43,880 Speaker 1: also I just have to say I have a personal 52 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 1: I guess I wouldn't call it connection to gaslighting, but 53 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:51,359 Speaker 1: I've experienced at firsthand a while ago in a relationship 54 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:53,240 Speaker 1: that the time was very important to me, and I 55 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 1: have so much love and care for the girl, the 56 00:02:56,600 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 1: human that went through that experience and didn't know what 57 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:01,760 Speaker 1: was happening. And since then, I found myself in relationships, 58 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 1: whether they're dating or friendships or work related. Why I 59 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:09,560 Speaker 1: found myself in similar situations and had similar feelings, And 60 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:12,920 Speaker 1: because I understand what this is now, I'm better able 61 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:15,240 Speaker 1: to separate myself from it so I don't get caught 62 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 1: in the same I guess trap, and I've been able 63 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:21,520 Speaker 1: to get out and not get caught up in that, 64 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:23,840 Speaker 1: and so that's one of the reasons I think this 65 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 1: is so valuable because I wish I had this information 66 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:28,800 Speaker 1: back then. I don't know what it would have done 67 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:30,760 Speaker 1: or how it would have shifted because I was a 68 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:32,400 Speaker 1: different person back then, but I just know that it 69 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:34,160 Speaker 1: would have been valuable. And so I just want you 70 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 1: guys to know if you have feelings of like, oh 71 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:38,720 Speaker 1: this is me, or like I felt this, or there's 72 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 1: any shame that might come up, like, I want you 73 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:43,280 Speaker 1: to know that I've been there. I've totally been there. 74 00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 1: So what is gaslighting? Well, and the most basic definition, 75 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 1: gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse, and it's where 76 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:56,920 Speaker 1: a person tries and successfully usually does, make someone question 77 00:03:56,960 --> 00:04:01,040 Speaker 1: their sanity or perception or their reality. And when you 78 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:04,000 Speaker 1: experience gas letting, you're going to feel confused, You'll probably 79 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:08,480 Speaker 1: feel some anxiousness, and you stop being able to trust yourself. However, 80 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:12,080 Speaker 1: when this starts, you don't actually know that you're being 81 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:16,719 Speaker 1: gas lit, so those feelings feel very like accurate and true. 82 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:19,200 Speaker 1: It's not like an anxious I know I'm right and 83 00:04:19,240 --> 00:04:21,680 Speaker 1: this person won't agree with you. It's this anxiousness around 84 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:24,720 Speaker 1: like I really started to question myself. And this kind 85 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:27,760 Speaker 1: of manipulation doesn't just get thrown at you. So it 86 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:30,760 Speaker 1: doesn't work that way. It doesn't start all of a sudden, 87 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 1: It slowly kind of creeps up, and very often it 88 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:38,560 Speaker 1: starts with a love bombing experience, especially when this happens 89 00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:41,559 Speaker 1: in romantic relationships. And I didn't say this up top, 90 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:44,360 Speaker 1: but gas letting can happen in any kind of relationship. 91 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:46,680 Speaker 1: A lot of times we hear stories about it being 92 00:04:46,839 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 1: in um romantic relationships and partnerships, but this can be friends, 93 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:54,920 Speaker 1: this can be a boss, this can be um, a parent, 94 00:04:55,279 --> 00:04:57,240 Speaker 1: it can be a leader of any sort. There's a 95 00:04:57,279 --> 00:05:00,919 Speaker 1: power differential there, but there's usual really a experience of 96 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:03,160 Speaker 1: this love bombing effect first. And we hear about love 97 00:05:03,240 --> 00:05:07,239 Speaker 1: bombing and romantic relationships mostly too, but love bombing also 98 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:10,280 Speaker 1: can happen in any of those other experiences, right, And 99 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:13,800 Speaker 1: and I went through in more detail what love bombing 100 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:16,680 Speaker 1: is in the episode that we did on Love Addiction 101 00:05:16,760 --> 00:05:19,280 Speaker 1: with Melanie Reese that came out earlier this year. But 102 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:21,600 Speaker 1: we'll talk about a second here, And it's when a 103 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:27,080 Speaker 1: relationship starts with like big bombs of admiration and attention. Again, 104 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:29,599 Speaker 1: doesn't just have to be in romantic relationships. We see 105 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:33,080 Speaker 1: that a lot though, And it can be kind of similar, 106 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:36,680 Speaker 1: which is confusing um with how relationships are portrayed in 107 00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 1: Hollywood and movies and stuff, which again it's not very 108 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:42,080 Speaker 1: helpful because we see that all the time and we 109 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:44,600 Speaker 1: see as normal. But it's like that I'm obsessed with 110 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:47,839 Speaker 1: you from day one right. Any time that happens, let 111 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 1: that be an important red flag. Like when the people 112 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:53,440 Speaker 1: are where that person is like all in and all 113 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:55,760 Speaker 1: about you from the day they met you. You're the 114 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:58,160 Speaker 1: greatest person ever. They're the greatest person I've ever met. 115 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:00,080 Speaker 1: You're the best at this that I've ever experience, And 116 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 1: it's like all the sudden, it's it's like an overwhelming 117 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 1: amount of love for someone, and for someone with an 118 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 1: anxious attachment style, this is very much appreciated, which is 119 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 1: super hard. It also, this love bombing is like a 120 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:18,200 Speaker 1: foreshadowing to being gaslight. Right. They win you over with 121 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:20,320 Speaker 1: their affection and you begin to trust them and believe 122 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 1: that you have this incredible fairytale bond and then dune 123 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:26,000 Speaker 1: undone they start to turn the tables, but they have 124 00:06:26,120 --> 00:06:29,280 Speaker 1: that backstory for you to hold onto, because how often 125 00:06:29,279 --> 00:06:31,320 Speaker 1: do we hear ourselves saying it was so good in 126 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:33,640 Speaker 1: the beginning or they were so kind of the beginning. 127 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:36,359 Speaker 1: I know we can get back there, but was that real? 128 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:39,760 Speaker 1: Was that really them? Or was that the beginning of 129 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:41,680 Speaker 1: them trying to get you to where they wanted you 130 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:46,040 Speaker 1: to be? Scary question, hard question. I don't like that question. Backstory, 131 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 1: I find this interesting. But people are like, what does 132 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:51,640 Speaker 1: gas letting come from? Well, it comes from a play 133 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:54,840 Speaker 1: that then got turned into a movie. I've never seen 134 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 1: this movie. It's called Gaslight. And what happens in the 135 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:02,120 Speaker 1: movie is there's a husband and a wife and the 136 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:05,880 Speaker 1: husband manipulates and is turning down this like actual gaslight, 137 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 1: dimming the lights and telling her that he's not and 138 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:11,280 Speaker 1: she's like, oh, it's getting darker and he's like, no, 139 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:14,320 Speaker 1: it's not. And he's convincing her that she's crazy. Right. 140 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:16,400 Speaker 1: He wants to convince her that she can't trust her 141 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 1: reality so then he can commit her to a mental institution. 142 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 1: So that's where that comes from. That's where we get 143 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:25,600 Speaker 1: the phrase gaslight. Now you will hear this as a 144 00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 1: common technique of abusers, dictators, narcissists, like cult leaders, And 145 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:35,160 Speaker 1: when I hear those things, I think that can sound 146 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:39,400 Speaker 1: very extreme. And then I know me. I'm very defensive 147 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:41,560 Speaker 1: towards myself, so I might say something like that would 148 00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:45,320 Speaker 1: never happen to me. I would never be an abusive relationship. 149 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:47,960 Speaker 1: I would never let somebody do this. I would never 150 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:51,560 Speaker 1: because those things seem so big and heavy. But again, 151 00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:54,960 Speaker 1: this is a form of emotional psychological manipulation, which can 152 00:07:55,000 --> 00:08:00,360 Speaker 1: be harder to identify and recognize and prove invalidate and 153 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:03,640 Speaker 1: because of that, more debilitating at the same time, Right, 154 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 1: we minimize this kind of stuff. And I started watching 155 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:10,800 Speaker 1: the Netflix show the new one um called Made, and 156 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:14,280 Speaker 1: I mean trigger warning. It's it's about a a woman 157 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 1: who has a kid is in this domestic abuse situation, 158 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 1: and it's her story of getting free. I only watched 159 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:23,320 Speaker 1: two episodes because I just was crying and I was like, 160 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:24,960 Speaker 1: this is very sad and this is not what I 161 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:27,160 Speaker 1: need right now. I don't know if I'll finish it, 162 00:08:27,360 --> 00:08:30,400 Speaker 1: but this that I do know. The first couple of episodes, 163 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:34,520 Speaker 1: it had such a good and realistic view on how 164 00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 1: victims of abuse minimize their abuse. Right, Like, he didn't 165 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:42,400 Speaker 1: hit me, so I'm not abused. Like I don't want 166 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:44,600 Speaker 1: to call myself a victim because that's taking away from 167 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:47,560 Speaker 1: people who really are victims of of abuse, and if 168 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:50,080 Speaker 1: it's not abuse, then what would this be? And it 169 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:52,760 Speaker 1: becomes just like almost moral failing on ourselves of like 170 00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:56,680 Speaker 1: we're the bad people, which is part of the psychological abuse. 171 00:08:56,760 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 1: It's part of the cycle like makes us think that 172 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:02,640 Speaker 1: we're the bad, wrong people when really we're not. We're 173 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:05,640 Speaker 1: victims of abuse, and we can become survivors. If we 174 00:09:05,679 --> 00:09:07,280 Speaker 1: don't like that word, we don't have to sit in 175 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:10,920 Speaker 1: it forever. You can become a survivor. But to survive abuse, 176 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:13,120 Speaker 1: a lot of times we have to recognize that we're 177 00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:16,160 Speaker 1: in that cycle. So watch that show if you're interested 178 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:18,559 Speaker 1: in what that looks like. But also trigger warning. It can't. 179 00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:21,120 Speaker 1: I mean I haven't been in a relationship like that, 180 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:23,440 Speaker 1: but it was triggering to me and my feelings and 181 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:25,680 Speaker 1: my feelings didn't need it that day. Maybe I'll finish later. 182 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:36,040 Speaker 1: I also think that it's important to mention here while 183 00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:41,000 Speaker 1: we're on this part, that anyone is susceptible to gas lighting. Anybody. 184 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:44,280 Speaker 1: It doesn't just happen to weak people, are those with 185 00:09:44,320 --> 00:09:47,559 Speaker 1: a fragile sense of self or those with insecure attachment styles. 186 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:50,560 Speaker 1: It can happen to anybody. And yes, those things I 187 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:53,280 Speaker 1: just mentioned could be risk factors and could create a 188 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:57,679 Speaker 1: higher likelihood of this happening, But this can happen to anyone. 189 00:09:58,200 --> 00:10:01,679 Speaker 1: And also those things aren't bad or wrong things, right, Like, 190 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:03,800 Speaker 1: there's probably a reason there's a fragile sense of self, 191 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:06,000 Speaker 1: there's probably a reason that there's an insecure attachment style. 192 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:07,920 Speaker 1: So that doesn't mean you're bad or wrong either, if 193 00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 1: that does fit with you. But I also don't want 194 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:13,440 Speaker 1: people to demonize themselves because again, this is what these 195 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:15,360 Speaker 1: people want us to think, that that we're the ones 196 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:17,640 Speaker 1: and the wrong. I don't want you to demonize yourself 197 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:21,520 Speaker 1: for this happening. You don't ask for this. There's nothing 198 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:24,280 Speaker 1: that you do that says, oh, do please manipulate me, 199 00:10:24,360 --> 00:10:27,640 Speaker 1: please psychologically abuse me. This is there's no your fault 200 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 1: in this. And I think when we start to say, oh, 201 00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:32,000 Speaker 1: it was because I had a weak sense of self 202 00:10:32,080 --> 00:10:35,360 Speaker 1: or it's because I am just not confident, it's like, 203 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:38,280 Speaker 1: you can't blame yourself for being abused. That's not fair 204 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:41,800 Speaker 1: and it's not helpful and it's not true. So shall 205 00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:44,280 Speaker 1: we talk about what it might look like? Um, so 206 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:47,040 Speaker 1: you can spot it. And this is tricky because, like 207 00:10:47,080 --> 00:10:49,720 Speaker 1: I said, you often don't know what's happening at first, 208 00:10:49,960 --> 00:10:52,480 Speaker 1: especially if you don't know what gaslighting is. So that's 209 00:10:52,559 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 1: one of the reasons why we're doing this. And this 210 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:58,640 Speaker 1: is an attempt to control someone else by twisting their 211 00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:01,439 Speaker 1: sense of reality. So when this is happening, what is 212 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:04,320 Speaker 1: happening is somebody is twisting your sense of reality. You 213 00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:07,040 Speaker 1: start grounded, you start knowing what's true and what's not true. 214 00:11:07,240 --> 00:11:10,120 Speaker 1: You start knowing the sky is blue, and then somebody 215 00:11:10,280 --> 00:11:14,280 Speaker 1: slowly does things that allows them to twist your sense 216 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:17,200 Speaker 1: of reality where you might think, oh, the sky is blue. 217 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:20,920 Speaker 1: I know it's blue. It's blue, that's a fact. And 218 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:23,840 Speaker 1: then later down the line you are still seeing the 219 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:26,480 Speaker 1: sky being blue, but you're saying, I bet this guy 220 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:28,760 Speaker 1: has red and I'm seeing blue because I don't see 221 00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:31,640 Speaker 1: real reality. I can't trust myself. I have to listen 222 00:11:31,679 --> 00:11:34,760 Speaker 1: to what this person in power is telling me. Very confusing. 223 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:39,240 Speaker 1: So back to in the beginning of this conversation when 224 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:41,880 Speaker 1: I said that there's a difference in the techniques and 225 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:45,800 Speaker 1: that the gas lighting effect right, So we'll get to this. 226 00:11:45,920 --> 00:11:49,720 Speaker 1: But denial is a technique or tactic that's used in 227 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:54,440 Speaker 1: this process. But denial in itself is not gas lighting. 228 00:11:54,720 --> 00:11:58,280 Speaker 1: So if somebody denies something that doesn't just automatically like 229 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:01,480 Speaker 1: you're gas lighting me, maybe that could be part of it. 230 00:12:01,559 --> 00:12:04,440 Speaker 1: But I think sometimes people just deny things because of 231 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:06,559 Speaker 1: other reasons and they're not gas lighting you. It might 232 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:08,559 Speaker 1: be a self protection there can be a lot of 233 00:12:08,600 --> 00:12:10,240 Speaker 1: stuff in that. They might just be lying to get 234 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:13,959 Speaker 1: out of trouble. Doesn't mean they're gas lighting. So I 235 00:12:14,080 --> 00:12:16,959 Speaker 1: just want to separate that denial in its own right 236 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:20,040 Speaker 1: is not gas lighting. It might be something that somebody 237 00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:22,880 Speaker 1: uses to get to that point. So, like I said, 238 00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:25,440 Speaker 1: there's techniques that are used to do this, So let's 239 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:28,640 Speaker 1: break them down. I got a UM list of we're 240 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:31,120 Speaker 1: gonna go through two different things, but I got this 241 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:34,240 Speaker 1: first list of techniques, the actual just like words. I 242 00:12:34,280 --> 00:12:37,640 Speaker 1: took them from the National Domestic Violence Hotline, so you 243 00:12:37,679 --> 00:12:41,520 Speaker 1: can visit that UM website, the hotline dot org UM. 244 00:12:41,559 --> 00:12:45,880 Speaker 1: So I took the five techniques from there. They really 245 00:12:45,880 --> 00:12:48,040 Speaker 1: fit and I think they're helpful, and and then I'm 246 00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:50,679 Speaker 1: going to talk about each one. But I didn't make 247 00:12:50,679 --> 00:12:52,520 Speaker 1: those up, and I just wanted to make that clear. 248 00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:56,240 Speaker 1: So let's talk about these five techniques. So one way 249 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:58,800 Speaker 1: or one thing that somebody might do UM in order 250 00:12:58,840 --> 00:13:03,240 Speaker 1: to create this this narrative is withholding, so means that 251 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:07,640 Speaker 1: they refuse to listen to information or pretend like they 252 00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 1: don't understand the information, or just like separate themselves from 253 00:13:11,240 --> 00:13:14,040 Speaker 1: the ability to have the conversation. So you might hear 254 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:16,240 Speaker 1: things like you're not making any sense or I don't 255 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:18,640 Speaker 1: have time for this. When you bring something up that 256 00:13:18,679 --> 00:13:21,040 Speaker 1: you think is important, or when you try to talk 257 00:13:21,040 --> 00:13:24,400 Speaker 1: about a conflict or just anything in that relationship, UM, 258 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 1: they might say things like I'm not going to go 259 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:28,200 Speaker 1: through this again, even if you never went through it 260 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:31,520 Speaker 1: once or we already talked about this, and maybe you 261 00:13:31,559 --> 00:13:33,400 Speaker 1: did talk about it, maybe you didn't, or maybe you 262 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:35,520 Speaker 1: talked about it and they shut you down. But very 263 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:38,400 Speaker 1: much they will just like not allow that conversation to 264 00:13:38,440 --> 00:13:42,320 Speaker 1: come to fruition. That's one. Then we have countering. So 265 00:13:42,679 --> 00:13:46,000 Speaker 1: this is when somebody's kind of like questioning the person, 266 00:13:46,080 --> 00:13:49,959 Speaker 1: as in, if it's you that's being manipulated, they're questioning 267 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:54,040 Speaker 1: your memory or your essential reality of the event. So 268 00:13:54,200 --> 00:13:56,520 Speaker 1: this one actually bothers me a lot, like I think 269 00:13:56,520 --> 00:13:58,640 Speaker 1: it might be one of the most frustrating for me 270 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:01,480 Speaker 1: because they take something that actually can be used for 271 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:04,480 Speaker 1: super helpful communication and turn it against you. Like when 272 00:14:04,520 --> 00:14:08,439 Speaker 1: we're having conversations and we're having conflict and somebody might 273 00:14:08,520 --> 00:14:12,360 Speaker 1: hear something that somebody didn't say, right. So if somebody says, 274 00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:15,480 Speaker 1: like I don't have time to go to this event 275 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:17,880 Speaker 1: with you tomorrow, I might hear them say they don't 276 00:14:17,920 --> 00:14:20,200 Speaker 1: they don't want to go, but they never said that, right, 277 00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:22,560 Speaker 1: They said they didn't have time. And so when you 278 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:25,240 Speaker 1: have a healthy communication, you can talk about that and 279 00:14:25,280 --> 00:14:27,320 Speaker 1: you can say like, I heard you say that you 280 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:29,800 Speaker 1: didn't want to go. The person can reply back, oh, 281 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:32,720 Speaker 1: I actually didn't say that. I totally get that that's 282 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:35,200 Speaker 1: what you heard. Um, I actually I didn't have time 283 00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:37,320 Speaker 1: and I actually would want to go, but I don't 284 00:14:37,320 --> 00:14:39,280 Speaker 1: have time. And so you can have a healthy conversation 285 00:14:39,280 --> 00:14:44,560 Speaker 1: around like oh miscommunication. But in this experience, they'll say 286 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:46,320 Speaker 1: things like that's what you heard in your head. It's 287 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:48,440 Speaker 1: not what I said, even though it is what they said. 288 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:51,120 Speaker 1: And that can be so confusing because sometimes we do 289 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:54,320 Speaker 1: hear things wrong. Um, so you can you can say 290 00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:57,640 Speaker 1: to yourself, well, maybe I did hear that wrong and 291 00:14:57,720 --> 00:14:59,640 Speaker 1: so they'll say it like, oh, come on, I never 292 00:14:59,680 --> 00:15:01,840 Speaker 1: said at or like that's what you heard, but you 293 00:15:01,840 --> 00:15:04,120 Speaker 1: know I would never say something like that, or you're 294 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:07,680 Speaker 1: just being overly sensitive things like that. Then the third 295 00:15:07,760 --> 00:15:11,440 Speaker 1: technique is blocking or diverting. So this is like kind 296 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:14,000 Speaker 1: of changing the subject and you start to question your 297 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:17,200 Speaker 1: thinking and not just like changing the subject to like 298 00:15:17,320 --> 00:15:18,880 Speaker 1: the fight we had to, like where are we going 299 00:15:18,920 --> 00:15:22,160 Speaker 1: to go to dinner? They'll say things to like downplay 300 00:15:22,200 --> 00:15:26,080 Speaker 1: your experience, like you're overreacting. So the subject moves from 301 00:15:26,160 --> 00:15:29,680 Speaker 1: this thing that happened, this conflict you had, to your 302 00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:32,440 Speaker 1: reaction to the conflict and you being an overreact or 303 00:15:32,920 --> 00:15:35,000 Speaker 1: or too sensitive or something like that. And so they'll 304 00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:37,920 Speaker 1: say things like why would you let something so stupid 305 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:41,240 Speaker 1: come between us? This seems silly, Like you're being silly. 306 00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:44,400 Speaker 1: You always blew things out of proportion, You are always 307 00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:47,400 Speaker 1: picking fights, you always have to be right, you always 308 00:15:47,440 --> 00:15:49,840 Speaker 1: play the victim, and so then now you're arguing about 309 00:15:49,920 --> 00:15:52,600 Speaker 1: that rather than talking about what you actually were trying 310 00:15:52,640 --> 00:15:55,960 Speaker 1: to talk about. So confusing, okay, And then number four 311 00:15:56,120 --> 00:15:59,920 Speaker 1: is trivializing, and so this is just making the person 312 00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:03,720 Speaker 1: feelings seem like really unimportant like again, and some of 313 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:05,760 Speaker 1: these fall into similar categories like I don't know why 314 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:08,320 Speaker 1: you're making such a big deal of this. You're being insecure, 315 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:12,200 Speaker 1: you're too sensitive, and that can just make somebody be like, oh, 316 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:15,120 Speaker 1: maybe I am overreacting, Like well, maybe if I just 317 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:17,640 Speaker 1: stop overreacting, then we won't have this conflict and then 318 00:16:17,680 --> 00:16:20,360 Speaker 1: everything will be better, Like I don't want to have conflict, 319 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:23,040 Speaker 1: So if it's me and I'm just overreacting, then maybe 320 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:25,880 Speaker 1: I'll stop overreacting and then we won't have conflict. So 321 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:29,360 Speaker 1: then you're looking to the person or the person in 322 00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:32,120 Speaker 1: power to kind of be your meter of like does 323 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:34,960 Speaker 1: this experience warrant this kind of reaction? I don't know, 324 00:16:35,040 --> 00:16:38,480 Speaker 1: because I overreact, and so things that I think are 325 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:40,320 Speaker 1: a big deal aren't a big deal, and I just 326 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:42,480 Speaker 1: need to get over them because it's me. It's all 327 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:44,920 Speaker 1: about me. It's me. It's me, it's me. I'm the problem. 328 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:48,520 Speaker 1: And then the last one is forgetting or like just 329 00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:51,160 Speaker 1: straight up denial, which oh my gosh, it could be 330 00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:54,440 Speaker 1: so frustrating. And this is when the person just straights 331 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:57,240 Speaker 1: up straight up denies something or they forget they act 332 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:00,320 Speaker 1: like they forget what happened, or they just like deny 333 00:17:00,440 --> 00:17:02,680 Speaker 1: that they ever agreed to something or that they ever 334 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:06,520 Speaker 1: said something. They just straight up our lying, which is like, again, 335 00:17:06,640 --> 00:17:09,919 Speaker 1: these people just are lying, which you cannot argue with 336 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:12,360 Speaker 1: somebody who's lying. And they'll say things like I never 337 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:15,360 Speaker 1: said that, I never did that, or they'll say you 338 00:17:15,400 --> 00:17:17,679 Speaker 1: never said that, or you never told me that, or 339 00:17:17,760 --> 00:17:20,639 Speaker 1: you never did that, and all of this. Actually I know, 340 00:17:20,720 --> 00:17:23,800 Speaker 1: I said in the beginning of this episode that I 341 00:17:23,880 --> 00:17:27,040 Speaker 1: had been in experience like this years ago, and this 342 00:17:27,119 --> 00:17:29,960 Speaker 1: was with a romantic partner, and I was like in it, 343 00:17:30,119 --> 00:17:32,479 Speaker 1: so like I had no idea what was going on. 344 00:17:32,520 --> 00:17:34,040 Speaker 1: And again I thought I was crazy. I thought it 345 00:17:34,080 --> 00:17:37,320 Speaker 1: was very selfish. I thought I was a bad person. 346 00:17:37,480 --> 00:17:39,200 Speaker 1: And what would happen a lot of times when we 347 00:17:39,240 --> 00:17:42,240 Speaker 1: would argue is I would go silent because I didn't 348 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:45,280 Speaker 1: know how to respond, because if I agreed, it felt 349 00:17:45,320 --> 00:17:48,680 Speaker 1: like I was abandoning part of myself, and if I argued, 350 00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:52,919 Speaker 1: then it wouldn't be helpful. And so many times I 351 00:17:52,920 --> 00:17:56,440 Speaker 1: would hear myself say things like I don't understand how 352 00:17:56,480 --> 00:17:59,199 Speaker 1: we got here, how are we talking about this? What 353 00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:02,160 Speaker 1: are we even talking about? And then they would say 354 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:05,840 Speaker 1: things to make me feel like stupid for being confused, 355 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:08,480 Speaker 1: and so then I would just go silent. And then 356 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:10,960 Speaker 1: when I went silent, then I became the bad person 357 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:13,400 Speaker 1: because then I'm giving this silent treatment and all of this, 358 00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:15,720 Speaker 1: and then I'm playing the victim. And it's like, well, 359 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:18,080 Speaker 1: I do feel like a victim right now, but then 360 00:18:18,080 --> 00:18:20,680 Speaker 1: I can't be the victim, and so horrible cycle. Good 361 00:18:20,680 --> 00:18:22,720 Speaker 1: news as I got out of it. But this actually, 362 00:18:22,760 --> 00:18:25,000 Speaker 1: as I'm telling this story, is reminding me of of 363 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:28,240 Speaker 1: an experience I had recently with somebody. And I share 364 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:31,040 Speaker 1: this because I mean it when I say this can 365 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:35,359 Speaker 1: happen to anybody, like you can be in a relationship, 366 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:39,080 Speaker 1: any kind of relationship. Again, it's not just romantic. Anybody 367 00:18:39,119 --> 00:18:41,399 Speaker 1: can get into a relationship with a person that uses 368 00:18:41,440 --> 00:18:44,359 Speaker 1: this type of manipulation. It's important to understand how to 369 00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:46,119 Speaker 1: spot it and how to get out, because if you 370 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:49,439 Speaker 1: don't spot it, you'll find yourself in a cycle, and 371 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:52,000 Speaker 1: then you'll start to feel either really frustrated or crazy 372 00:18:52,160 --> 00:18:54,840 Speaker 1: or does you'll be spinning your wheels. And if I 373 00:18:54,880 --> 00:18:56,520 Speaker 1: hadn't had this experience in my past and I knew 374 00:18:56,560 --> 00:18:59,000 Speaker 1: what it felt like, and I had this information I 375 00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:02,040 Speaker 1: probably would have questioned myself in this most recent experience, 376 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:06,720 Speaker 1: and instead I just became very, very, very frustrated because 377 00:19:06,920 --> 00:19:09,400 Speaker 1: what I wanted is to have a conversation that made 378 00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:11,840 Speaker 1: sense with this person, and this person wouldn't allow that. 379 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:15,919 Speaker 1: And I wanted so badly to see the good in 380 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:18,919 Speaker 1: this person, and I wanted so badly to believe that 381 00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:22,560 Speaker 1: we could create a healthy relationship, a healthy friendship, a 382 00:19:22,560 --> 00:19:25,639 Speaker 1: healthy partnership. I wanted to believe that that could happen, 383 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:30,600 Speaker 1: because in the beginning of our relationship, everything was very good, kind, 384 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:34,240 Speaker 1: open um, we valued each other very much. I thought, 385 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:37,640 Speaker 1: not that that's not true, but this was just very frustrating, 386 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:39,359 Speaker 1: and I just became very frustrating cause I was like, no, 387 00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:43,159 Speaker 1: I just didn't want to believe that this is what 388 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:45,239 Speaker 1: was happening. And I think that's something that can get 389 00:19:45,320 --> 00:19:48,360 Speaker 1: us stuck to It's like, we don't want to believe 390 00:19:48,680 --> 00:19:50,760 Speaker 1: that these people are doing that. We want to see 391 00:19:50,800 --> 00:19:53,840 Speaker 1: the good. We want to see how this relationship can 392 00:19:54,160 --> 00:19:58,560 Speaker 1: be something helpful or strong or any of that. And 393 00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:00,600 Speaker 1: it's hard to just walk away from when there is 394 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:04,040 Speaker 1: something that's built underneath of it. And so very very 395 00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:06,879 Speaker 1: long story short. I wish I could tell honestly, I 396 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:08,880 Speaker 1: wish I could tell you the whole story, but it's 397 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:11,720 Speaker 1: not appropriate for the podcast and we don't have time. 398 00:20:11,760 --> 00:20:14,720 Speaker 1: It would be a whole series. But when my friends 399 00:20:14,760 --> 00:20:17,760 Speaker 1: asked me when we had our like we're no longer friends, 400 00:20:17,880 --> 00:20:22,040 Speaker 1: and when I finally decided to walk away permanently from 401 00:20:22,119 --> 00:20:25,679 Speaker 1: this relationship and friendship, my friends asked me to tell 402 00:20:25,840 --> 00:20:28,880 Speaker 1: the story and to tell this experience in this conversation, 403 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:31,840 Speaker 1: to tell them about it, and I just said to them, 404 00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:34,520 Speaker 1: I gave them the bits and pieces that I could, 405 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:36,760 Speaker 1: But then I said, I like, I actually can't tell 406 00:20:36,800 --> 00:20:40,000 Speaker 1: you about this conversation because it's so confusing and it 407 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:43,160 Speaker 1: doesn't make sense, and my brain doesn't have the ability 408 00:20:43,240 --> 00:20:46,640 Speaker 1: to recall it because the things that were said just 409 00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:51,480 Speaker 1: don't make sense, like chronologically, like I would say something 410 00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:53,879 Speaker 1: and then this person would say something that did not 411 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:56,639 Speaker 1: have anything to do with what I just said, or 412 00:20:56,760 --> 00:20:59,160 Speaker 1: would like counter what I just said in a very 413 00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:02,080 Speaker 1: strange way. And so a lot of times when you 414 00:21:02,119 --> 00:21:05,400 Speaker 1: have conversations, the conversation flows right and so it's easy 415 00:21:05,440 --> 00:21:09,920 Speaker 1: to recall. This conversation was all over the place, which 416 00:21:10,119 --> 00:21:13,879 Speaker 1: he was very good at using his tactics that like, 417 00:21:13,960 --> 00:21:16,240 Speaker 1: I couldn't even tell the story, and I think that's 418 00:21:16,320 --> 00:21:19,080 Speaker 1: part of what happens, right, So when our friends are like, 419 00:21:19,119 --> 00:21:21,760 Speaker 1: what's happened, we can't even tell them, and so then 420 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:24,200 Speaker 1: we feel like there's something wrong with us. I am 421 00:21:24,359 --> 00:21:27,280 Speaker 1: questioning my reality. I am questioning my memory because I 422 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:29,000 Speaker 1: can't even tell you what happens, so you can't even 423 00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:32,159 Speaker 1: back me up. But really, to me, I think that 424 00:21:32,240 --> 00:21:35,040 Speaker 1: was a part of my brain saying, hey, Kat, this 425 00:21:35,119 --> 00:21:37,239 Speaker 1: doesn't make sense. We don't know where to put this, 426 00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:39,240 Speaker 1: so we're not going to store it. He would say 427 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:42,439 Speaker 1: things that like five minutes ago we agreed on. Literally, 428 00:21:42,520 --> 00:21:44,119 Speaker 1: he told me I was playing the victim as I 429 00:21:44,119 --> 00:21:47,080 Speaker 1: was taking responsibility for something that in all honesty, I 430 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:49,360 Speaker 1: didn't want to take responsibility for, but I just kind 431 00:21:49,359 --> 00:21:51,639 Speaker 1: of want to like move on and it wasn't that 432 00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:53,399 Speaker 1: big of a deal to me. But as I was 433 00:21:53,400 --> 00:21:55,359 Speaker 1: doing that, it's like, you always play the victim, and 434 00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:58,239 Speaker 1: I'm like, name two times where I did that. So 435 00:21:58,280 --> 00:22:01,280 Speaker 1: they use these like all or nothing, very extreme words, right, 436 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:03,159 Speaker 1: So there's a sign right there. And he told me 437 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:06,080 Speaker 1: to let him speak, and that I never let anyone 438 00:22:06,119 --> 00:22:09,120 Speaker 1: else talk, so again, very extreme. I never but then 439 00:22:09,160 --> 00:22:11,560 Speaker 1: when I spoke, he would interrupt me over and over 440 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:13,800 Speaker 1: and over again, where I literally could not even get 441 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:16,800 Speaker 1: a sentence in. So again that my old behaviors came 442 00:22:16,800 --> 00:22:18,280 Speaker 1: in where I'm like, I'm just going to be quiet 443 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:21,200 Speaker 1: and listen, and he made these accusations towards me that 444 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:23,560 Speaker 1: I very much knew or not true. Um. He said 445 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:26,080 Speaker 1: things like I'm the most judgmental person he's ever met. 446 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:29,640 Speaker 1: And that's a gross overstatement, right, the most judgmental person 447 00:22:29,680 --> 00:22:32,919 Speaker 1: he's ever met. Like, sure, I'm not perfect, so at 448 00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:35,399 Speaker 1: times I might be judgmental, but I know I'm not 449 00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:38,000 Speaker 1: the most judgmental person that somebody's ever met. And the 450 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:39,960 Speaker 1: thing is, you can't argue with these people because the 451 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:42,360 Speaker 1: more you try to prove your point, the more heavier 452 00:22:42,480 --> 00:22:45,680 Speaker 1: their accusations get. Right, and if you try to disagree, 453 00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:47,560 Speaker 1: they'll make you feel stupid or they'll try to make 454 00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:50,920 Speaker 1: you feel crazy. And there's no compromise with these kinds 455 00:22:50,920 --> 00:22:53,480 Speaker 1: of people either. They're not trying to compromise, they're trying 456 00:22:53,520 --> 00:22:57,359 Speaker 1: to manipulate you. And to tell tale sign you're in 457 00:22:57,400 --> 00:23:01,760 Speaker 1: this dance is when you feel crazy which is confusing 458 00:23:01,760 --> 00:23:03,560 Speaker 1: because they want to make you feel crazy, because then 459 00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:05,720 Speaker 1: I feel crazy, then they have power over you. But 460 00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:08,040 Speaker 1: when you start to feel crazy and you haven't always 461 00:23:08,040 --> 00:23:11,080 Speaker 1: felt like you're crazy, that's your sign of like my 462 00:23:11,160 --> 00:23:14,760 Speaker 1: head spinning, I cannot connect these dots. I feel crazy. 463 00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:18,159 Speaker 1: Maybe I'm being manipulated. So the second you start to 464 00:23:18,200 --> 00:23:21,200 Speaker 1: feel crazy, that is your second red flag after the 465 00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:31,119 Speaker 1: love bombing one. So a question you'll hear a lot, 466 00:23:31,560 --> 00:23:34,879 Speaker 1: and something you might wonder yourself, why don't people like 467 00:23:35,119 --> 00:23:37,479 Speaker 1: stand up for themselves and why or why don't they 468 00:23:37,520 --> 00:23:40,440 Speaker 1: leave and all that? And because most people don't want 469 00:23:40,440 --> 00:23:43,880 Speaker 1: to leave and they don't want to threaten the relationship. Right, 470 00:23:44,320 --> 00:23:46,760 Speaker 1: So even in this last example that I'm giving you, 471 00:23:47,000 --> 00:23:49,359 Speaker 1: I didn't want to leave. I I did want to 472 00:23:49,359 --> 00:23:51,480 Speaker 1: find a way to to make this work, and so 473 00:23:51,560 --> 00:23:53,760 Speaker 1: part of me wanted to deny what was happening until 474 00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:56,399 Speaker 1: I just couldn't. And when you actually do stand up 475 00:23:56,440 --> 00:23:59,520 Speaker 1: to this kind of thing, either their manipulation gets worse 476 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:03,000 Speaker 1: or the relationship gets threatened. And if I don't want 477 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:05,159 Speaker 1: to leave, that means I don't want the relationship to end, 478 00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:07,200 Speaker 1: which means I also don't want it to be threatened, 479 00:24:08,320 --> 00:24:10,800 Speaker 1: So I'm just not going to do that. Therefore, you 480 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:14,240 Speaker 1: don't press on certain issues. And I talked about this 481 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:16,080 Speaker 1: all the time. I'm guilty of wanting to believe the 482 00:24:16,119 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 1: goodness of everyone. And if you have a love bombing experience, right, 483 00:24:21,400 --> 00:24:23,880 Speaker 1: you want to believe in the goodness that this partner 484 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:27,719 Speaker 1: or boss or human has because you've gone through that 485 00:24:27,760 --> 00:24:31,040 Speaker 1: phase where you saw it and you also saw how 486 00:24:31,440 --> 00:24:34,160 Speaker 1: good and you heard how good and special the relationship 487 00:24:34,359 --> 00:24:36,720 Speaker 1: and quotes was or is. So we go back to 488 00:24:36,760 --> 00:24:39,520 Speaker 1: this like rosy retrospect, like but it was so good 489 00:24:39,520 --> 00:24:41,480 Speaker 1: and we were so good and he was so kind 490 00:24:41,520 --> 00:24:44,600 Speaker 1: and he was so understanding back then. Okay, but where 491 00:24:44,600 --> 00:24:47,399 Speaker 1: are we now? And the more you push right on this, 492 00:24:47,520 --> 00:24:49,679 Speaker 1: the heavier the person who's gas letting may go in 493 00:24:49,960 --> 00:24:52,760 Speaker 1: and they can be ruthless, right, So there's no rationalizing 494 00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:56,159 Speaker 1: with them. So if we can get into our heads 495 00:24:56,280 --> 00:24:59,600 Speaker 1: right that the agenda they're pushing of the reality that 496 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:02,480 Speaker 1: they're trying to make you believe or understand or adhere 497 00:25:02,520 --> 00:25:05,399 Speaker 1: to is not true. Right. But if you try to 498 00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:08,080 Speaker 1: stand up to this, they have this fake agenda, this 499 00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:10,800 Speaker 1: fake reality they're they're pushing. If you try to put 500 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:14,600 Speaker 1: push against this. What will happen is they'll escalate. But 501 00:25:14,800 --> 00:25:19,760 Speaker 1: as they escalate, their manipulation will create you as the problem. Now, right, 502 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:23,040 Speaker 1: So you're being dramatic, you're being crazy. Um, you you you, 503 00:25:23,040 --> 00:25:24,879 Speaker 1: you're making a big deal about this. Why don't you 504 00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:26,560 Speaker 1: just believe me? Why don't you just understand? Why do 505 00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:28,040 Speaker 1: you have to be so difficult? Why do you have 506 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:31,600 Speaker 1: to question everything? And then it's like, whoa, Now I'm 507 00:25:31,640 --> 00:25:34,760 Speaker 1: deeper in this. Now what what did I do? How 508 00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:39,000 Speaker 1: did I create such a big deal out of this? Wow? 509 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:43,240 Speaker 1: I'm just getting worked up talking about this. Okay. Also, 510 00:25:43,720 --> 00:25:44,879 Speaker 1: I don't know if this fits right here, but I 511 00:25:44,920 --> 00:25:46,280 Speaker 1: have to say because I don't know if I don't 512 00:25:46,280 --> 00:25:49,120 Speaker 1: remember if I said it. But I often think that 513 00:25:49,359 --> 00:25:52,760 Speaker 1: people just think gaslighting is when somebody denies something. So 514 00:25:52,760 --> 00:25:54,760 Speaker 1: what we already talked about how that's just a tactic. 515 00:25:55,480 --> 00:25:57,880 Speaker 1: But a lot of times we think gas lights when 516 00:25:57,920 --> 00:26:00,720 Speaker 1: somebody's denying truth, and that's just it. But it also 517 00:26:00,800 --> 00:26:04,879 Speaker 1: can be when they deny something that you did, or 518 00:26:04,880 --> 00:26:07,880 Speaker 1: they deny your memory. Um, and it's not just their 519 00:26:07,880 --> 00:26:10,440 Speaker 1: denying their behavior. There they might say things like you 520 00:26:10,520 --> 00:26:13,800 Speaker 1: never said that when you already did, or denying just 521 00:26:13,840 --> 00:26:15,600 Speaker 1: a memory of something of you, and it's not just 522 00:26:15,960 --> 00:26:18,560 Speaker 1: um them. So I think that's important too, UM, because 523 00:26:18,560 --> 00:26:20,760 Speaker 1: that can be really confusing when they're like you never 524 00:26:20,840 --> 00:26:23,440 Speaker 1: said sorry or you never told me that you wanted 525 00:26:23,560 --> 00:26:26,080 Speaker 1: me to be home at this time, and it's like, yes, 526 00:26:26,200 --> 00:26:28,360 Speaker 1: I did, I did say that. I swear I said that. 527 00:26:28,440 --> 00:26:30,840 Speaker 1: And we'll move into how we can kind of combat 528 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:32,960 Speaker 1: that later, but I want to just make that point too. 529 00:26:33,440 --> 00:26:36,439 Speaker 1: And again, this happens over time. This isn't just like 530 00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:39,440 Speaker 1: a snap my fingers has happened. This happens over time. 531 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:43,320 Speaker 1: And there is a great article that I want to share. Um. 532 00:26:43,359 --> 00:26:46,720 Speaker 1: This is not my information. I'm taking this from somebody else, 533 00:26:46,880 --> 00:26:48,520 Speaker 1: but there's a great article I want to share that 534 00:26:48,520 --> 00:26:50,920 Speaker 1: helps makes sense of why this can be so hard 535 00:26:50,920 --> 00:26:53,320 Speaker 1: to snap out of because it talks about the progression. 536 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:57,560 Speaker 1: There's a woman named Stephanie Sarkis, and she wrote a 537 00:26:57,560 --> 00:27:02,200 Speaker 1: book called Gaslighting, Recognize mennipulative and emotionally abuse of People, 538 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:06,080 Speaker 1: and Break Free. And she had an article on psychology 539 00:27:06,080 --> 00:27:08,520 Speaker 1: today that went viral, UM, and I think it went 540 00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:11,240 Speaker 1: viral because so many people are finally waking up to 541 00:27:11,280 --> 00:27:13,560 Speaker 1: the stuff and talking about this stuff and it's interesting. 542 00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:17,760 Speaker 1: And in this article she summarizes eleven ways how gaslighters 543 00:27:17,800 --> 00:27:21,560 Speaker 1: typically use the following techniques, which she details in her 544 00:27:21,560 --> 00:27:24,560 Speaker 1: book that I just mentioned, which I will link her book. 545 00:27:24,600 --> 00:27:26,879 Speaker 1: I haven't read this book, but I love the article. 546 00:27:27,280 --> 00:27:30,439 Speaker 1: So in this article, again she summarizes these eleven ways 547 00:27:30,480 --> 00:27:34,200 Speaker 1: how gaslighters typically use the techniques I'm going to mention, 548 00:27:34,280 --> 00:27:37,120 Speaker 1: and how this progression happened. So how you get from like, oh, 549 00:27:37,160 --> 00:27:40,399 Speaker 1: I'm a normal person that knows my reality to what 550 00:27:40,600 --> 00:27:44,080 Speaker 1: in the world I'm questioning everything? So here we're gonna 551 00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:47,600 Speaker 1: go through eleven Number one. I'll also link this article 552 00:27:47,920 --> 00:27:49,239 Speaker 1: as well, so if you want to just go back 553 00:27:49,280 --> 00:27:50,880 Speaker 1: and read it, because I'm just gonna read what she says. 554 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:53,960 Speaker 1: So Number one, they tell blatant lies. You know it's 555 00:27:53,960 --> 00:27:56,520 Speaker 1: an outright lie. Yet they are telling you this lie 556 00:27:56,560 --> 00:27:59,800 Speaker 1: with a straight face. Why are they so blatant Because 557 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:02,800 Speaker 1: they're setting up a precedent. Once they tell you a 558 00:28:02,880 --> 00:28:05,639 Speaker 1: huge lie, you're not sure if anything they say is true. 559 00:28:06,040 --> 00:28:08,800 Speaker 1: Keeping you unsteady and off kilter is the goal. Here. 560 00:28:09,440 --> 00:28:13,080 Speaker 1: Number two, they deny they ever said something, even though 561 00:28:13,080 --> 00:28:16,040 Speaker 1: you have proof. You know they said they would do something. 562 00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:18,800 Speaker 1: You know you heard it, but they out and out 563 00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:22,200 Speaker 1: deny it. It makes you start to question your reality. 564 00:28:22,359 --> 00:28:24,920 Speaker 1: Maybe they never said that thing. And the more they 565 00:28:24,920 --> 00:28:27,359 Speaker 1: do this, the more you question your reality and you 566 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:31,199 Speaker 1: start accepting their's. It's like Chinese water torture. Right. The 567 00:28:31,280 --> 00:28:33,679 Speaker 1: longer this is me talking, not the the article, but 568 00:28:33,920 --> 00:28:36,600 Speaker 1: it's like the longer you do something, the more starts 569 00:28:36,640 --> 00:28:39,160 Speaker 1: to set in. And just like our belief systems about 570 00:28:39,200 --> 00:28:41,680 Speaker 1: like our core beliefs, the longer we believe we're not 571 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:43,640 Speaker 1: good enough, the longer we tell that story, the more 572 00:28:43,680 --> 00:28:46,160 Speaker 1: we live in that screen, the more that becomes who 573 00:28:46,240 --> 00:28:48,280 Speaker 1: who we are and what we think and what our 574 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:51,360 Speaker 1: reality is. Number three, they use what is near and 575 00:28:51,440 --> 00:28:55,080 Speaker 1: dear to you as ammunition. They know how important your 576 00:28:55,160 --> 00:28:57,280 Speaker 1: kids are to you, They know how important your identity 577 00:28:57,400 --> 00:28:59,960 Speaker 1: is to you, so those may become the first things 578 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:02,280 Speaker 1: they attack. If you have kids, they tell you that 579 00:29:02,280 --> 00:29:04,600 Speaker 1: you should not have had those children. They will tell 580 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:06,400 Speaker 1: you that you'd be a worthy person if only you 581 00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:09,000 Speaker 1: didn't have a long list of negative traits. They attack 582 00:29:09,080 --> 00:29:12,400 Speaker 1: the foundation of your being. So this is cat agan. 583 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:15,520 Speaker 1: They go in on you. Number four, They wear you 584 00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:17,960 Speaker 1: down over time. This is one of the insidious things 585 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:21,400 Speaker 1: about gas sighting. It's done gradually over time. A lie here, 586 00:29:21,440 --> 00:29:24,240 Speaker 1: a lie there, a snide comment every so often, and 587 00:29:24,280 --> 00:29:27,560 Speaker 1: then it starts ramping up. Even the brightest, most self 588 00:29:27,600 --> 00:29:30,480 Speaker 1: aware people can be sucked into gas fighting. It is 589 00:29:30,520 --> 00:29:33,680 Speaker 1: that effective. It's the frog and the frying pan analogy. 590 00:29:34,040 --> 00:29:36,160 Speaker 1: The heat is turned up slowly so the frog never 591 00:29:36,200 --> 00:29:39,000 Speaker 1: realizes what is happening to it, and then the frog dies. 592 00:29:39,160 --> 00:29:41,719 Speaker 1: This number five. Their actions do not match their words 593 00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:44,640 Speaker 1: when dealing with the person or entity that gaslights. Look 594 00:29:44,680 --> 00:29:47,000 Speaker 1: at what they are doing rather than what they're saying. 595 00:29:47,160 --> 00:29:49,320 Speaker 1: What they are saying means nothing. It is just talk. 596 00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:51,960 Speaker 1: What they're doing is the issue. I have to step 597 00:29:52,040 --> 00:29:54,120 Speaker 1: in here as cat again because this is one of 598 00:29:54,120 --> 00:29:58,120 Speaker 1: the things that's so tough, because you'll have these conversations 599 00:29:58,120 --> 00:30:01,720 Speaker 1: and they'll say like I'm sorry, be better, or they'll 600 00:30:01,760 --> 00:30:06,400 Speaker 1: have these moments of like goodness and trueness and care. However, 601 00:30:06,640 --> 00:30:08,880 Speaker 1: then their actions don't line up with that. But we 602 00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:10,760 Speaker 1: go back to well, they said this, they said this, 603 00:30:10,840 --> 00:30:14,280 Speaker 1: they said this right, But to trust and believe and 604 00:30:14,280 --> 00:30:17,480 Speaker 1: and and sit with somebody's trueness, their their speech and 605 00:30:17,480 --> 00:30:21,280 Speaker 1: their actions have to act together. We can't just pick one. Okay. 606 00:30:21,280 --> 00:30:24,600 Speaker 1: So number six they throw in positive reinforcement to confuse you. 607 00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:27,440 Speaker 1: This person or entity that is cutting you down, telling 608 00:30:27,480 --> 00:30:29,600 Speaker 1: you that you don't have value, is now praising you 609 00:30:29,640 --> 00:30:32,400 Speaker 1: for something you did. You think, Well, maybe they aren't 610 00:30:32,440 --> 00:30:36,040 Speaker 1: so bad. Yes they are. This is a calculated attempt 611 00:30:36,040 --> 00:30:40,120 Speaker 1: to keep you off kilter and again to question your reality. Also, 612 00:30:40,160 --> 00:30:42,600 Speaker 1: look at what you were praised for. It's probably something 613 00:30:42,640 --> 00:30:46,160 Speaker 1: that served the gas lighter. Again, so I love the 614 00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:48,600 Speaker 1: part where she's saying this is a calculated attempt to 615 00:30:48,680 --> 00:30:51,400 Speaker 1: keep you off kilter and question in reality is because 616 00:30:51,520 --> 00:30:54,320 Speaker 1: it's nothing is all the time, right, So you have 617 00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:57,000 Speaker 1: that evidence that's like they're not all bad? Yes, And 618 00:30:57,040 --> 00:31:00,480 Speaker 1: this is where we ask ourselves that percentage question. How 619 00:31:00,600 --> 00:31:03,120 Speaker 1: much of the percentage of this relationship do I feel crazy? 620 00:31:03,160 --> 00:31:05,240 Speaker 1: And how much do I feel like they are kind? Okay? 621 00:31:05,280 --> 00:31:09,320 Speaker 1: Number seven They know confusion weakens people. Gas Lighters know 622 00:31:09,400 --> 00:31:12,200 Speaker 1: that people have a sense of stability and normalcy. Their 623 00:31:12,240 --> 00:31:14,960 Speaker 1: goal is to uproot this and make you constantly question 624 00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:18,920 Speaker 1: everything and humans natural tendency is to look to the 625 00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:22,560 Speaker 1: person or entity that will help you feel more stable 626 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:26,400 Speaker 1: and that happens to be the gas lighter. Really scary. 627 00:31:26,880 --> 00:31:30,240 Speaker 1: Number eight. They project they are a drug user or 628 00:31:30,280 --> 00:31:33,880 Speaker 1: a cheater, yet they're constantly accusing you of that. This 629 00:31:33,960 --> 00:31:36,320 Speaker 1: has done so often that you start to defend yourself 630 00:31:36,400 --> 00:31:39,400 Speaker 1: and then you're distracted from their behavior. Oh my gosh. 631 00:31:39,400 --> 00:31:41,600 Speaker 1: When you start defending yourself from things that you've this 632 00:31:41,720 --> 00:31:44,560 Speaker 1: is cadian. When you start defending yourself from things that like, 633 00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:48,840 Speaker 1: actually are so off, that is such a telltale sign, right, Like, 634 00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:51,880 Speaker 1: I'm defending myself, But have you ever had to defend 635 00:31:51,920 --> 00:31:54,600 Speaker 1: yourself from this before? In my experience, I was told 636 00:31:54,600 --> 00:31:57,120 Speaker 1: that I was selfish so often, and I really believe 637 00:31:57,160 --> 00:32:00,760 Speaker 1: that to the point where I apologize to my friends often, 638 00:32:00,800 --> 00:32:03,480 Speaker 1: like I'm so sorry for being so selfish and so 639 00:32:03,520 --> 00:32:05,960 Speaker 1: sorry for this and that. And the reality is we 640 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:08,360 Speaker 1: all have a bit of selfishness and this if we're healthy, 641 00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:10,800 Speaker 1: and that's okay. But my friends were like, what are 642 00:32:10,840 --> 00:32:13,880 Speaker 1: you talking about? And so I was like, well, why 643 00:32:13,880 --> 00:32:16,120 Speaker 1: has nobody else told me this? And I thought my 644 00:32:16,160 --> 00:32:18,240 Speaker 1: friends were lyned, but really it was that I was 645 00:32:18,280 --> 00:32:21,760 Speaker 1: defending something that actually was not part of me. Number nine. 646 00:32:22,120 --> 00:32:25,000 Speaker 1: They tried to align people against you gas lighters are 647 00:32:25,080 --> 00:32:28,640 Speaker 1: masters at manipulating and finding the people they know will 648 00:32:28,640 --> 00:32:31,200 Speaker 1: stand by them no matter what, and they use these 649 00:32:31,200 --> 00:32:33,760 Speaker 1: people against you. They will make comments such as this 650 00:32:33,800 --> 00:32:36,760 Speaker 1: person knows that you're not right, or this person's knows 651 00:32:36,840 --> 00:32:39,840 Speaker 1: you're useless. To keep in mind, it does not mean 652 00:32:39,840 --> 00:32:43,000 Speaker 1: that these people actually said these things. A gas lighter 653 00:32:43,080 --> 00:32:46,320 Speaker 1: is a constant liar. When the gas lighter uses this tactic, 654 00:32:46,520 --> 00:32:48,480 Speaker 1: it makes you feel like you don't know who to 655 00:32:48,520 --> 00:32:50,920 Speaker 1: trust or who to turn to, and that lead you 656 00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:54,040 Speaker 1: right back to them, and that's exactly what they want. 657 00:32:54,440 --> 00:32:57,280 Speaker 1: Isolation gives them more control. I'll get to this, which 658 00:32:57,320 --> 00:32:59,240 Speaker 1: is why we need to reality check. And when we 659 00:32:59,280 --> 00:33:01,760 Speaker 1: feel like we're in these situations, a lot of times 660 00:33:01,760 --> 00:33:03,840 Speaker 1: we don't want to tell anybody about it because it's like, oh, 661 00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:05,840 Speaker 1: I don't want to tell me by dirty laundry or 662 00:33:05,840 --> 00:33:08,120 Speaker 1: this is just between us. But that's what they want. 663 00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:10,840 Speaker 1: They wanted to be between you, so then you don't 664 00:33:10,880 --> 00:33:14,520 Speaker 1: have anybody giving you a reality check. Number ten, they 665 00:33:14,560 --> 00:33:17,239 Speaker 1: tell you or others that you're crazy. This is one 666 00:33:17,280 --> 00:33:19,800 Speaker 1: of the most effective tools of the gas lighter because 667 00:33:19,840 --> 00:33:23,240 Speaker 1: it's dismissive. The gas lighter knows if they question your sanity. 668 00:33:23,560 --> 00:33:25,960 Speaker 1: People will not believe you when you tell them the 669 00:33:25,960 --> 00:33:28,560 Speaker 1: gas lighter is abusive or out of control. It's a 670 00:33:28,640 --> 00:33:32,680 Speaker 1: master technique. So what's the point If nobody's gonna believe me, 671 00:33:32,800 --> 00:33:35,400 Speaker 1: what's the point? And then eleven they tell you everyone 672 00:33:35,440 --> 00:33:37,800 Speaker 1: else is a liar. By telling you that everyone else, 673 00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:40,520 Speaker 1: your family, the media, X, Y Z is a liar, 674 00:33:40,920 --> 00:33:43,560 Speaker 1: it again makes you question your reality. You've never known 675 00:33:43,720 --> 00:33:46,720 Speaker 1: someone with the audacity to do this, so they must 676 00:33:46,760 --> 00:33:50,440 Speaker 1: be telling the truth right now. It's a manipulation technique. 677 00:33:50,520 --> 00:33:52,640 Speaker 1: It makes people turn to the gas lighter for the 678 00:33:52,760 --> 00:33:57,520 Speaker 1: correct information, which actually isn't correct at all. Oh man. 679 00:33:57,720 --> 00:33:59,520 Speaker 1: And I think one of the things that's highlighting these 680 00:33:59,520 --> 00:34:02,360 Speaker 1: steps is the idea this is kept talking about the article, 681 00:34:02,720 --> 00:34:05,120 Speaker 1: is the idea that, like, they want you in this isolation, 682 00:34:05,200 --> 00:34:08,160 Speaker 1: so you don't have any other information and you're going 683 00:34:08,200 --> 00:34:10,640 Speaker 1: to them to get it, and so what they say 684 00:34:10,680 --> 00:34:15,160 Speaker 1: and what they do is gold. My goodness, So I 685 00:34:15,200 --> 00:34:17,359 Speaker 1: have so many feelings right now, And if you have 686 00:34:17,360 --> 00:34:19,319 Speaker 1: so many feelings right now, I'm in it with you. 687 00:34:19,400 --> 00:34:21,520 Speaker 1: This is so frustrating, and this is the kind of 688 00:34:21,560 --> 00:34:23,640 Speaker 1: thing that I talk about this and I'm like, why 689 00:34:24,160 --> 00:34:26,120 Speaker 1: are these kind of people in the world, and why 690 00:34:26,160 --> 00:34:28,520 Speaker 1: is this something that we have to deal with and 691 00:34:28,520 --> 00:34:30,399 Speaker 1: and move through? And I don't have an answer for that. 692 00:34:30,640 --> 00:34:33,239 Speaker 1: I don't have an answer for why we have to 693 00:34:33,239 --> 00:34:35,080 Speaker 1: move through a lot of the tough things in life. 694 00:34:35,120 --> 00:34:38,439 Speaker 1: But I do have some helpful tips to help you 695 00:34:38,640 --> 00:34:40,080 Speaker 1: kind of get out of it not have to stay 696 00:34:40,120 --> 00:34:42,560 Speaker 1: in this. So let's kind of just talk about those 697 00:34:42,560 --> 00:34:46,160 Speaker 1: as we summarize and close out this conversation. And also 698 00:34:46,280 --> 00:34:49,360 Speaker 1: I will link that article in the show notes for 699 00:34:49,400 --> 00:34:52,520 Speaker 1: you guys, and I'll link the episode on love addiction, 700 00:34:52,560 --> 00:34:55,399 Speaker 1: and I'll link the episode that I did on narcissism 701 00:34:55,520 --> 00:34:57,799 Speaker 1: as well, So if you want some more information on 702 00:34:57,840 --> 00:34:59,520 Speaker 1: some of this stuff, you can go get that there 703 00:34:59,760 --> 00:35:01,520 Speaker 1: and link her book. Even though I want you guys 704 00:35:01,520 --> 00:35:03,080 Speaker 1: to know I haven't read it, so I can't vouch 705 00:35:03,080 --> 00:35:06,960 Speaker 1: for it. But here's some suggestions of what to do 706 00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:10,000 Speaker 1: um when you find yourself in a relationship like this, 707 00:35:10,080 --> 00:35:17,319 Speaker 1: whether it be parent, friend, spouse, romantic partner, boss, anything. No. 708 00:35:17,560 --> 00:35:19,840 Speaker 1: Right now that you are not weak, bad, or wrong 709 00:35:19,960 --> 00:35:22,280 Speaker 1: if you have experienced this, and this is so important, 710 00:35:22,760 --> 00:35:25,480 Speaker 1: abuse of any kind, does this thing that makes us 711 00:35:25,520 --> 00:35:28,120 Speaker 1: feel bad about ourselves for being found inside of it, 712 00:35:28,200 --> 00:35:30,960 Speaker 1: but nobody asks to be abused. It is not a 713 00:35:31,040 --> 00:35:33,360 Speaker 1: moral failing on you. And I need you guys to 714 00:35:33,400 --> 00:35:35,399 Speaker 1: know that you're not weak, bad, or wrong if you're 715 00:35:35,400 --> 00:35:38,279 Speaker 1: in this situation. It's not something to be ashamed about. 716 00:35:38,320 --> 00:35:40,120 Speaker 1: And the more we believe that, the more we'll get 717 00:35:40,160 --> 00:35:42,719 Speaker 1: stuck inside of it too. I want you guys to 718 00:35:42,840 --> 00:35:46,319 Speaker 1: pay attention to red flags. And this is something that's 719 00:35:46,360 --> 00:35:49,120 Speaker 1: so frustrating at the same time. I get it, but 720 00:35:49,160 --> 00:35:52,920 Speaker 1: there's so much like laughter and joking, nous and just 721 00:35:53,040 --> 00:35:57,719 Speaker 1: like what's the word like self deprecation around ignoring red 722 00:35:57,719 --> 00:36:00,360 Speaker 1: flags these days. And I get some of it and 723 00:36:00,400 --> 00:36:03,040 Speaker 1: some of it the humor. We need to not make 724 00:36:03,080 --> 00:36:05,760 Speaker 1: everything so heavy, but we've got to start paying attention 725 00:36:05,760 --> 00:36:08,400 Speaker 1: to red flags, especially when they're like this, because it 726 00:36:08,440 --> 00:36:11,200 Speaker 1: can really get you into some trouble. And again that's 727 00:36:11,239 --> 00:36:13,720 Speaker 1: not your fault, but when we are ignoring red flags, 728 00:36:13,719 --> 00:36:16,279 Speaker 1: we do have to take some responsibility for that. That part. 729 00:36:16,960 --> 00:36:19,800 Speaker 1: Perk up the first time you experience one of these techniques. 730 00:36:19,880 --> 00:36:22,560 Speaker 1: Perk up the first time you are experiencing love bombing, 731 00:36:22,640 --> 00:36:26,200 Speaker 1: just because you're having this like intense reaction in a relationship. 732 00:36:26,239 --> 00:36:28,120 Speaker 1: Early It doesn't mean it's going to end up in this, 733 00:36:28,320 --> 00:36:30,200 Speaker 1: but I at least want you to pay attention to it, 734 00:36:30,280 --> 00:36:33,160 Speaker 1: so you know, if one of these other things follows, 735 00:36:33,239 --> 00:36:34,839 Speaker 1: Hey I need to talk about this. Hey I need 736 00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:37,800 Speaker 1: to be mindful of this right down. When you experience 737 00:36:37,840 --> 00:36:40,240 Speaker 1: these things the first time, it's helpful to have written 738 00:36:40,280 --> 00:36:42,480 Speaker 1: accounts of these so when your memory as questions later, 739 00:36:42,560 --> 00:36:45,240 Speaker 1: when this gets heavier, you can go back and say, nope, 740 00:36:45,480 --> 00:36:47,560 Speaker 1: I'm not crazy. I didn't make this up. I wrote 741 00:36:47,600 --> 00:36:50,520 Speaker 1: this down. And also sometimes when we have that written down, 742 00:36:50,640 --> 00:36:53,600 Speaker 1: we can go, WHOA, this wasn't just a little small thing. 743 00:36:53,920 --> 00:36:57,040 Speaker 1: Look at all these accounts and one of um, I 744 00:36:57,080 --> 00:36:58,800 Speaker 1: actually found this later and this wasn't really what I 745 00:36:58,880 --> 00:37:00,920 Speaker 1: was doing. But I write a lot of letters to myself, 746 00:37:00,960 --> 00:37:03,560 Speaker 1: and I'll write text messages to myself instead of sending 747 00:37:03,560 --> 00:37:07,319 Speaker 1: them to people. And after this long ago relationship ended, 748 00:37:07,360 --> 00:37:09,560 Speaker 1: I found a letter that I had written and I 749 00:37:09,600 --> 00:37:11,759 Speaker 1: was like in this spot where I was like so 750 00:37:11,840 --> 00:37:14,240 Speaker 1: still kind of sad about the relationship, and I found 751 00:37:14,239 --> 00:37:15,839 Speaker 1: this letter and as I read it, I was like, 752 00:37:15,960 --> 00:37:20,719 Speaker 1: oh my goodness, I'm so glad I read wrote this 753 00:37:20,840 --> 00:37:23,480 Speaker 1: because now I'm reading this and realizing that this rosy 754 00:37:23,560 --> 00:37:26,360 Speaker 1: retrospect that I'm having was so off. So it's helpful 755 00:37:26,360 --> 00:37:28,560 Speaker 1: to write that stuff down. Number three, do not try 756 00:37:28,560 --> 00:37:31,600 Speaker 1: and argue. Be willing to leave these conversations with these 757 00:37:31,600 --> 00:37:35,760 Speaker 1: people without making your point or without feeling validated or understood. 758 00:37:35,800 --> 00:37:38,399 Speaker 1: There they very likely will not validate you. It can 759 00:37:38,440 --> 00:37:42,120 Speaker 1: be super disorienting to be in conversations with people who 760 00:37:42,160 --> 00:37:45,879 Speaker 1: are um using techniques to gaslight you, because what they're 761 00:37:45,920 --> 00:37:48,799 Speaker 1: doing is trying to knock you off your stability, knock 762 00:37:48,880 --> 00:37:51,959 Speaker 1: you off of your reality, and they'll change the path 763 00:37:51,960 --> 00:37:55,040 Speaker 1: of the discussion. Like I said, so if you're trying 764 00:37:55,080 --> 00:37:57,840 Speaker 1: to be understood and have a conversation about A, you 765 00:37:57,920 --> 00:38:00,279 Speaker 1: might be having a conversation about B later and then 766 00:38:00,320 --> 00:38:02,120 Speaker 1: all of a sudden you're blowing things out of proportion 767 00:38:02,280 --> 00:38:04,240 Speaker 1: or whatever one of the things that I said earlier, 768 00:38:04,600 --> 00:38:06,760 Speaker 1: when you're just trying to share your feelings and be validated. 769 00:38:06,840 --> 00:38:09,719 Speaker 1: So do not try to argue. Do not try to 770 00:38:10,000 --> 00:38:12,600 Speaker 1: beat a dead horse to get your feelings validated. Just 771 00:38:12,840 --> 00:38:15,279 Speaker 1: know that that might ever happen, and be willing to 772 00:38:15,360 --> 00:38:19,960 Speaker 1: leave without that. For don't try to rationalize, don't try 773 00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:22,400 Speaker 1: to outsmart this person. Do not try to manipulate the 774 00:38:22,400 --> 00:38:25,239 Speaker 1: person who's manipulating you, because again they're usually lying. And 775 00:38:25,280 --> 00:38:28,320 Speaker 1: if I'm going off of life, I can continue that 776 00:38:28,400 --> 00:38:30,960 Speaker 1: narrative as far as I need to go encounter anything 777 00:38:31,000 --> 00:38:33,239 Speaker 1: you say. And the more you try to outsmart the person, 778 00:38:33,400 --> 00:38:35,600 Speaker 1: the more you will get confused, because then you're not 779 00:38:35,640 --> 00:38:37,920 Speaker 1: actually sitting in your reality, right, You're trying to like 780 00:38:38,120 --> 00:38:40,439 Speaker 1: be a step ahead, but they're not in reality either, 781 00:38:40,719 --> 00:38:42,879 Speaker 1: so you're essentially letting go of your truth in order 782 00:38:42,920 --> 00:38:46,480 Speaker 1: to jump into this mind game. So being disengaged, like 783 00:38:46,600 --> 00:38:50,760 Speaker 1: disengaging from this stuff and being unbothered by them doing 784 00:38:50,800 --> 00:38:54,560 Speaker 1: these things, that's your best course of action to again, 785 00:38:54,640 --> 00:38:57,000 Speaker 1: be willing to walk away. Do not try to outsmart 786 00:38:57,040 --> 00:39:01,480 Speaker 1: this person. Master manipulators, right, and most healthy people are 787 00:39:01,520 --> 00:39:05,000 Speaker 1: not master manipulators. We don't have it in us because 788 00:39:05,000 --> 00:39:07,880 Speaker 1: when you're sitting and rooted in truth, a manipulation cannot 789 00:39:07,920 --> 00:39:10,240 Speaker 1: sit there as well. And then repeat this one needed. 790 00:39:10,320 --> 00:39:13,640 Speaker 1: This is my my fifth little tip. My feelings are valid. 791 00:39:13,920 --> 00:39:16,120 Speaker 1: No one else can tell me how to feel. Again, 792 00:39:16,360 --> 00:39:19,279 Speaker 1: my feelings are valid. No one else can tell me 793 00:39:19,400 --> 00:39:22,120 Speaker 1: how I feel. You can even add in there, my 794 00:39:22,360 --> 00:39:26,520 Speaker 1: reality is valid because listen, We're all walking around with 795 00:39:26,560 --> 00:39:29,840 Speaker 1: different realities, right, because we see things through different screens. 796 00:39:30,239 --> 00:39:33,560 Speaker 1: So just because your reality doesn't match up exactly as 797 00:39:33,560 --> 00:39:37,160 Speaker 1: somebody else's doesn't mean it's even false to begin with. Right, 798 00:39:37,880 --> 00:39:40,880 Speaker 1: So my feelings are valid, my reality is valid. No 799 00:39:40,920 --> 00:39:43,279 Speaker 1: one else can tell me how to feel. And then 800 00:39:43,280 --> 00:39:45,279 Speaker 1: the sixth thing I just want to drive this home 801 00:39:45,440 --> 00:39:49,560 Speaker 1: is like fine support, Find find support, reality check with 802 00:39:49,640 --> 00:39:53,360 Speaker 1: people you trust. So instead of hiding, right, instead of 803 00:39:53,440 --> 00:39:55,960 Speaker 1: hiding when somebody when you start to notice somebody's trying 804 00:39:56,000 --> 00:39:58,680 Speaker 1: to keep you small, keep you in this one on 805 00:39:58,680 --> 00:40:01,840 Speaker 1: one relationship where only going to reality check with one person, 806 00:40:01,880 --> 00:40:04,560 Speaker 1: I can only trust one person. That one person makes 807 00:40:04,560 --> 00:40:06,399 Speaker 1: me feel like I'm wrong all the time. Red red 808 00:40:06,400 --> 00:40:08,839 Speaker 1: red red red red, red, red, red, very very bright 809 00:40:09,080 --> 00:40:12,520 Speaker 1: red like neon flag. Always know that you should be 810 00:40:12,560 --> 00:40:14,839 Speaker 1: able to reality check with more than one person. So 811 00:40:15,000 --> 00:40:18,600 Speaker 1: find support, go to those people, ask them questions, talk 812 00:40:18,680 --> 00:40:21,319 Speaker 1: to them. And when you feel crazy, right, So when 813 00:40:21,360 --> 00:40:23,680 Speaker 1: I was like, I can't even tell the story because 814 00:40:23,719 --> 00:40:27,360 Speaker 1: it's so wild, know that, like, if you feel crazy, 815 00:40:27,360 --> 00:40:31,000 Speaker 1: it doesn't mean you are crazy. I think that's so important. 816 00:40:31,239 --> 00:40:33,520 Speaker 1: When you feel crazy, it doesn't mean you are crazy, 817 00:40:33,920 --> 00:40:36,160 Speaker 1: that just might be where somebody wants you to sit. 818 00:40:36,840 --> 00:40:40,120 Speaker 1: And when I feel crazy, sometimes it's because I'm being manipulated. 819 00:40:40,160 --> 00:40:42,360 Speaker 1: I'm actually not crazy. It makes me think of and 820 00:40:42,400 --> 00:40:43,759 Speaker 1: I think I'm gonna close it out with this of 821 00:40:44,360 --> 00:40:47,640 Speaker 1: the book Girl interrupted. It was also a movie um 822 00:40:47,680 --> 00:40:50,520 Speaker 1: with Angelina Jolie and Britney Murphy. It's super good, super dark. 823 00:40:51,120 --> 00:40:56,040 Speaker 1: I wouldn't recommend watching it alone at night. But in 824 00:40:56,080 --> 00:40:58,080 Speaker 1: the book. I read the book for a project in 825 00:40:58,120 --> 00:41:02,080 Speaker 1: grad school, and I think was like in the last chapter, 826 00:41:02,200 --> 00:41:04,960 Speaker 1: like the very end of it. Long story short, this 827 00:41:05,040 --> 00:41:09,040 Speaker 1: girl has spent a significant amount of time in a 828 00:41:09,080 --> 00:41:12,160 Speaker 1: mental health institution. Back then. I think they were even 829 00:41:12,200 --> 00:41:14,719 Speaker 1: called like a sane asylums things like that, which we 830 00:41:14,760 --> 00:41:18,520 Speaker 1: don't call them those. But she talked about how after 831 00:41:18,600 --> 00:41:21,440 Speaker 1: she left there she always had this essence of questioning 832 00:41:21,440 --> 00:41:25,000 Speaker 1: her reality. Because after somebody tells you enough times you're 833 00:41:25,040 --> 00:41:28,359 Speaker 1: crazy or crazy or crazy or crazy, essentially you're going 834 00:41:28,440 --> 00:41:31,000 Speaker 1: to believe them, right. And so the longer we stay 835 00:41:31,000 --> 00:41:33,239 Speaker 1: in these relationships where people are telling us this, the 836 00:41:33,320 --> 00:41:35,000 Speaker 1: more we're going to start to believe them. And and 837 00:41:35,080 --> 00:41:37,560 Speaker 1: she said, even after she got out, and there's a 838 00:41:37,560 --> 00:41:39,719 Speaker 1: part of her that knows she's not crazy, she would 839 00:41:39,800 --> 00:41:41,800 Speaker 1: question herself and she would be walking in the grocery 840 00:41:41,800 --> 00:41:43,879 Speaker 1: store and and and wonder, am I seeing these black 841 00:41:43,880 --> 00:41:46,960 Speaker 1: and white checkers on the tiles or is this my imagination? 842 00:41:47,400 --> 00:41:49,920 Speaker 1: And that just speaks to the power of what we 843 00:41:49,960 --> 00:41:52,080 Speaker 1: allow ourselves to hear and what we allow ourselves to 844 00:41:52,080 --> 00:41:55,440 Speaker 1: stay in. And so find people who you feel super 845 00:41:55,480 --> 00:41:58,759 Speaker 1: safe with and who make you feel stable, and who 846 00:41:58,800 --> 00:42:02,120 Speaker 1: make you feel like confidence around yourself, with people who 847 00:42:02,239 --> 00:42:05,680 Speaker 1: allow you to know that you're not crazy. Right when 848 00:42:05,680 --> 00:42:08,280 Speaker 1: we're around people that make us feel like we are crazy, 849 00:42:08,920 --> 00:42:12,440 Speaker 1: and that's never happened before Red Flak because that doesn't 850 00:42:12,440 --> 00:42:14,560 Speaker 1: just like pop out of nowhere. I mean, I guess 851 00:42:14,560 --> 00:42:16,440 Speaker 1: it can. We can't have psychotic breaks, but you know 852 00:42:16,480 --> 00:42:19,600 Speaker 1: what I mean, So long episode to do by myself, 853 00:42:19,640 --> 00:42:22,160 Speaker 1: a lot of talking, and I could go on about this, 854 00:42:22,280 --> 00:42:24,200 Speaker 1: and you know what, maybe one day we'll get Stephanie 855 00:42:24,239 --> 00:42:27,000 Speaker 1: Sarkas on the podcast and she can talk to us 856 00:42:27,040 --> 00:42:29,520 Speaker 1: about this because she's an expert in this and I'm 857 00:42:29,520 --> 00:42:32,560 Speaker 1: a mental health expert, but I don't specialize in gas lighting. 858 00:42:32,760 --> 00:42:34,279 Speaker 1: It's something that I do know about, but it'd be 859 00:42:34,320 --> 00:42:36,560 Speaker 1: nice to have somebody who specializes in this on here 860 00:42:36,640 --> 00:42:39,120 Speaker 1: talk to us, so maybe that will happen in the future. 861 00:42:39,600 --> 00:42:42,919 Speaker 1: I don't know lots of planning to do for two, 862 00:42:43,080 --> 00:42:45,880 Speaker 1: but with that, I want to say, if there's stuff 863 00:42:45,920 --> 00:42:48,160 Speaker 1: that you just love and you want to know more about, 864 00:42:48,280 --> 00:42:50,400 Speaker 1: and you have questions about our stuff that you've just 865 00:42:50,480 --> 00:42:53,240 Speaker 1: loved hearing about and or things we haven't talked about, 866 00:42:53,440 --> 00:42:55,920 Speaker 1: send me an email like, I'm so open to like 867 00:42:55,960 --> 00:42:58,200 Speaker 1: what you guys are interested in, because as I plan 868 00:42:58,360 --> 00:43:01,920 Speaker 1: for next year's content, I want to make sure that 869 00:43:02,239 --> 00:43:04,799 Speaker 1: you guys are continuing to get content that fuels you 870 00:43:05,280 --> 00:43:08,080 Speaker 1: and um, that's helpful, So feel free to send that 871 00:43:08,120 --> 00:43:12,680 Speaker 1: to Catherine at You Need Therapy podcast dot calm. Again, 872 00:43:12,719 --> 00:43:14,960 Speaker 1: you can follow me at cat dot de fata and 873 00:43:15,000 --> 00:43:19,520 Speaker 1: the podcast at You Need Therapy podcast on Instagram. I 874 00:43:19,560 --> 00:43:24,160 Speaker 1: would love that. And yeah, again little reminder, it's my 875 00:43:24,200 --> 00:43:26,719 Speaker 1: birthday week, so if you really want to give me 876 00:43:26,760 --> 00:43:29,279 Speaker 1: a birthday gift, that would be awesome in the form 877 00:43:29,400 --> 00:43:32,400 Speaker 1: of a rating on the bottom of this if you 878 00:43:32,440 --> 00:43:35,000 Speaker 1: scroll down, just give us five stars. If I mean, 879 00:43:35,200 --> 00:43:37,080 Speaker 1: I don't want to tell you to give us five stars. 880 00:43:37,080 --> 00:43:38,880 Speaker 1: If you really don't think this is a good podcast. 881 00:43:39,000 --> 00:43:40,640 Speaker 1: But if you do think it's a good podcast, I 882 00:43:40,680 --> 00:43:42,960 Speaker 1: want to know, like, that's really helpful for me. And 883 00:43:43,360 --> 00:43:44,799 Speaker 1: I don't get to talk to you guys and see 884 00:43:44,800 --> 00:43:47,040 Speaker 1: you guys and know what's going on all the time, 885 00:43:47,080 --> 00:43:49,120 Speaker 1: so that's really helpful when I see that you guys 886 00:43:49,200 --> 00:43:52,200 Speaker 1: like this, and it meant enough that you took thirty 887 00:43:52,239 --> 00:43:54,520 Speaker 1: seconds out of your day and did that, So that 888 00:43:54,520 --> 00:43:57,799 Speaker 1: would be awesome birthday gift. And I will be back 889 00:43:57,880 --> 00:44:00,239 Speaker 1: on Wednesday for couch Talks. Thank you for being here 890 00:44:00,280 --> 00:44:02,560 Speaker 1: with me, and I hope you guys had the Thanksgiving 891 00:44:02,560 --> 00:44:06,000 Speaker 1: you need to have and are walking into this holiday 892 00:44:06,000 --> 00:44:08,520 Speaker 1: season with the feelings that you need to have. So 893 00:44:08,719 --> 00:44:14,680 Speaker 1: I love you guys and talk to you on Wednesday.