What is it called when someone turns the situation around on you?
They turn the story around to make it seem like you are at fault, deflecting attention and blame away from them to make you feel guilty. This type of emotional manipulation is called gaslighting.
Gaslighting happens when an abuser tries to control a victim by twisting their sense of reality. An example of gaslighting would be a partner doing something abusive and then denying it happened. Gaslighters may also convince their victims that they're mentally unfit or too sensitive.
Gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse in which a person or group causes someone to question their own sanity, memories, or perception of reality. People who experience gaslighting may feel confused, anxious, or as though they cannot trust themselves.
- insist you said or did things you know you didn't do.
- deny or scoff at your recollection of events.
- call you “too sensitive” or “crazy” when you express your needs or concerns.
- express doubts to others about your feelings, behavior, and state of mind.
- twisting or retelling events to shift blame to you.
- First, make sure it's gaslighting. ...
- Take some space from the situation. ...
- Collect evidence. ...
- Speak up about the behavior. ...
- Remain confident in your version of events. ...
- Focus on self-care. ...
- Involve others. ...
- Seek professional support.
They control with fear.
Narcissists gain control by making people fear them. You become so afraid of who they are at their worst you just do what they want you to, to avoid it.
Often a gaslighter will use some of the following tactics to maintain control over their partner: They use their love as a defense for their actions. They accuse their victim of being paranoid. Constant criticism of their victim.
- They tell blatant lies.
- They deny they ever said something, even though you have proof.
- They use what is near and dear to you as ammunition.
- They wear you down over time.
- Their actions do not match their words.
- They throw in positive reinforcement to confuse you.
Certain mental health conditions such as narcissistic personality disorder and antisocial personality disorder lend themselves to gaslighting as those illnesses give people a distorted view of themselves and others and a propensity toward manipulating others for their own ends by any means necessary, as well as never ...
In addition, perpetrators of gaslighting typically suffer from mental health issues as well. They may have developed these controlling behaviors as a response to childhood trauma, or as the result of Narcissistic Personality Disorder or another psychological condition.
What are 10 signs of gaslighting?
- Blatant Lies. You know the person is lying, often and with ease, yet they say they do not recognise this in their behaviour. ...
- Deny, Deny, Deny. You know what they said. ...
- Using What You Love Against You. ...
- Losing Your Sense of Self. ...
- Words Versus Actions. ...
- Love and Flattery. ...
- Confusion. ...
- Projecting.
Today, we use the term gaslighting to describe someone who tries to manipulate another person by making them question their reality. This type of emotional abuse is designed to make the victim doubt themselves and their own experiences.

Gaslighting lies on a spectrum. Some gaslighters don't know they're gaslighting and are largely unaware of how their behavior is affecting the other person. But some gaslighters are very well aware of what they are doing, and it is done with intention and without remorse.
Narcissistic gaslighting is a form of emotional abuse that involves intentionally manipulating or distorting the truth to instill self-doubt in someone. 1,2,3. Gaslighting is a form of narcissistic abuse that involves tactics that cause a person to question their sanity and doubt their perception of reality.