Mental Health Expert Dr. Ketam Hamdan Shares 6 Ways to Deal with Gaslighting in Relationships
Gaslighting is a form of emotional abuse that leads you to question your reality. The term ‘gaslighting’ was coined from a 1938 play called Gas Light, which depicted a husband who intentionally did things to make his wife question her reality or make her question her beliefs by saying, ‘It’s all inside your head.’
According to mental health expert and influencer Dr. Ketam Hamdan, gaslighting can mess up someone’s head and alter their state of reality. Gaslighting is when the person has a “deliberate intent” to make you question your reality. It’s abuse because the person is intentionally making you doubt things.
Dr. Hamdan’s life work has revolved around helping people understand the complexities of brain science in light of psychology and spirituality. She is a guide which helps and educates people out of their miseries and enables them to live fulfilling lives through enlightenment. But her influence is not bound within her clinic Brain Health but also expands over the gigantic social media, inspiring hundreds and thousands to live life to the fullest. As a psychologist and certified therapist, she is regularly asked the question, “How to deal with a gaslighting partner?.”
According to the brain health doc, here are six ways to deal with gaslight in relationships:
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Privately verify their information
Gaslights are pathological liars. They will directly lie in your face to twist your reality or protect themselves from blame. If you confront them, they get defensive, reactive and can explode with rage. Make your own private assessment of the situation before discussing it to prevent gaslighting.
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Do not argue
Gaslights are great at rationalizing. They are experts in being emotionally reactive, and their flight and fight response is activated, so there is no getting through to their rational brain. Arguing with a gaslight rarely ends well.
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Ground yourself
One of the essential defenses on dealing with gaslighting in a relationship is to keep your individual identity. A gaslighter will try to destroy your perception. It is essential to work on your sense of self and beliefs to avoid them being destroyed.
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Rebuild your self-esteem
One of the critical ways gaslighters can affect you is to break down your self-esteem. You might need to rebuild your self-esteem gradually to prevent gaslighting.
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Meditate
Meditation can be an essential tool to deal with a gaslighting partner and help you reduce reactivity. Dr. Hamdan regularly preaches the unique blend of western concepts of science and eastern traditions rooted in ancient wisdom and religion for true and consistent healing. She believes that meditation can help you become more mindful of your thoughts.
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Consult a professional
A professional can help you deal with gaslighting and set boundaries to avoid further abuse. Despite providing science-based knowledge and educating minds on matters of brain health on Instagram, Dr. Hamdan always recommends professional consultation because she says, “Instagram can never compensate for therapy.”
For regular insights on brain health and mental health by Dr. Hamdan, check out her page: @brainhealthdoc.
