A noxious mental phenomenon that resembles gaslighting but is self-directed has emerged in an era where success is highly valued and societal expectations abound—self-gaslighting.
This subtle but profound act has been found to hinder personal growth and mental health as well.
Persons with longstanding self-doubt and low self-esteem are likely to engage in a series of events that eventually will lead them into a space known as self-gaslighting.
This means that they tend to discount their own experiences, emotions, thoughts, and thus become oblivious to reality rendering them incapable of developing themselves.
Recent psychological studies have revealed three major motives behind people’s self-gaslighting behaviors giving insight into the complicated network of fears, insecurities and negative beliefs that underlie this phenomenon.
Fear of Falling Short
Essentially, this behavior is based on fear of failure. This fear of failure has its roots in the fear of external judgment and societal expectations and unrealistic personal history.
People with this intense fear tend to gaslight themselves. They come up with stories about their experiences that will protect them from the anguish or embarrassment they predict will follow perceived defeats.
According to experts, another way to deal with this fear is by changing one’s perspective.
Instead of seeing challenges as only highlighting inherent flaws, they argue for the individual to look at these hurdles as opportunities for personal growth.
Taking up this attitude can make stumbling blocks into steppingstones that can help people improve themselves better by being more resistant and having better strategies when it comes to facing life’s difficulties.
Negative Self-Worth
Essentially, this behavior is based on fear of failure. This fear of failure has its roots in the fear of external judgment and societal expectations and unrealistic personal history.
People with this intense fear tend to gaslight themselves. They come up with stories about their experiences that will protect them from the anguish or embarrassment they predict will follow perceived defeats.
According to experts, another way to deal with this fear is by changing one’s perspective.
Instead of seeing challenges as only highlighting inherent flaws, they argue for the individual to look at these hurdles as opportunities for personal growth.
Taking up this attitude can make stumbling blocks into steppingstones that can help people improve themselves better by being more resistant and having better strategies when it comes to facing life’s difficulties.
Self-Gaslighting Criticisms
External negativity is adopted as internalized criticism as a defense mechanism to protect oneself from emotional pain previously experienced due to not being accepted or feeling unworthy.
When affected by this form of self-gaslighting represented by an inner conversation, which keeps repeating critical voices heard in the past leading to self-doubt and low self-esteem.
Self-worth that is not based on external validation but rather is built upon recognizing it from within oneself can help break the cycle of self-gaslighting.
Developing self-awareness, confronting irrational thoughts, and promoting self-compassion are essential steps towards self-acceptance in this quest for breaking free from distorted self-image.
To get out of self-gaslighting individuals need to understand its psychological origins as well as seek professional assistance and create a supportive environment.
It is through these root causes that a person will attain true identity, genuine acceptance and healthy living.
According to experts, understanding what lies beneath the surface of self-gaslighting is crucial for good mental health and self-awareness.
By paying attention to these underlying psychological mechanisms people will be able to start healing their minds, hence experiencing personal development.
In conclusion, despite being deeply rooted in us, one can overcome self-gaslighting. People should be aware of it, support it and make themselves compassionate enough so that they can move away from this cycle into a real existence with more authenticity and happiness.
