Although you may hear the word "gaslighting" thrown around often, it's not always clear what it means. As reported in a previous POPSUGAR article, "gaslighting happens when a person makes an effort to manipulate and control a situation or relationship" by making someone question their reality and what they know to be true.
For example, a toxic partner will turn something that seems like common sense or knowledge into a baffling fight, Mahler explains. Let's say you ask your partner why they got home at 7 p.m. when they are usually back by 5 p.m. Despite the fact that you have a text message timestamped 6:45 p.m. in which they said, "Be there in a few minutes," they'll say, "No, I got home at 5." And when you call them on it, they'll reply, "Believe what you want to believe."
"Constant confusion is a red flag," Mahler says. "Your partner is attempting to rewrite the narrative. The more they do this, the more you will doubt your reality and you'll start to think you must have 'looked at the time wrong.'"
