One of the most devastating effects of abuse is when a survivor begins to doubt their own mind.
Dear Survivor,
My friend Joanna once sat across from me and said something I’ll never forget. “You know,” she whispered, “I thought I was crazy, but it was just gaslighting.”
She shared story after story of how her ex manipulated her. He would deny things he had clearly said, move her belongings and then accuse her of losing them, rewrite entire conversations. And worst of all, every time she tried to speak up, he called her crazy.
That is gaslighting.
It is a form of emotional abuse where someone intentionally distorts your reality, causing you to question your memory, perception, or even sanity. The goal is control. The impact is disconnection from your own truth.
When someone does this to you repeatedly, it chips away at your sense of self until all that remains is confusion and self-doubt.
If this sounds familiar, I want to be clear. You are not alone, and you are not losing your mind.
You were being conditioned to distrust your own voice. And that is why so many survivors walk away not just with wounds, but with lingering questions like, “What if it really was me?”
It wasn’t you.
Gaslighting thrives in silence. But when you speak your truth, even to yourself, the spell begins to break. Naming what happened is the first step back to clarity.
If you’re ready to name what you’ve experienced, the Types of Abuse Worksheet is a free resource to guide you gently and clearly.
You are not crazy. You are awakening. And you are allowed to trust yourself again.
Blessings and healing,
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