What You Should Actually Do If You're Accused of GaslightingGaslighting is a negative term that can follow you forever. You need to fight back before the label sticks.
ByRyan Droste•
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
The termgaslightinghas become much more common in our discourse over the past several years. The word has become so commonly used that Merriam-Webster ranked it as theword of the yearfor 2022, with search activity increasing at a rate of 1,740%.
Merriam-Websterdefines gaslightingas the "psychological manipulation of a person usually over an extended period of time that causes the victim to question the validity of their thoughts, perception of reality or memories." The term gaslighting is commonly used in political speech, often to criticize a politician or political committee's messaging. But it's increasingly used in daily life, especially in theworkplace. However, it's often misused.
Yes, gaslighting refers to lying or manipulation, but the person accused of gaslighting must also be denying others' sense of reality across several instances. Gaslighting refers to a very specificmanipulation style, typically used by someone who is in a position of power or authority. As such, the term should be used carefully and accurately when labeling an individual's actions and behavior.
