What's this technique?!


Question: Trying to confuse someone intentionally. Denying reality, denying things that happened that you both know happened. Twisting things around or completely disregarding something that happened. Why would a person do this and is this a form of abuse and what do they get out of that?


Answers: Trying to confuse someone intentionally. Denying reality, denying things that happened that you both know happened. Twisting things around or completely disregarding something that happened. Why would a person do this and is this a form of abuse and what do they get out of that?

This strategy is often called "gas lighting" in reference to an old Charles Boyer movie in which he was married to a wealthy woman that he wanted to get out of the way so he could enjoy her money with abandon. He would hide her valuables and after she had made a fuss about the loss of theft of them, he would later put them back where they had always been kept. He did other things like this, as well, but the movie title refers to his practice (during Victorian times) of purposely turning the gas down so that all the lights in the house seemed dim. When the wife commented on how dim the lights were, he contradicted her. The point was to make her feel as if she were losing her mind, and react in such a way that others began to believe that she was crazy. Then she could be committed to an asylum. No divorce or murder necessary; husband gets all the financial goodies and probably some sympathy, to boot. It is actually a very common tactic with abusive people who must have absolute control and don't care how they get it; people so cruel they will destroy spouse, family members, and dear "friends" to serve their own ends.

I do it naturally - I don't notice I do it. But unintentionally I twist people's words to suit me and I make up lies just to get my own way. I only know I do it because I'm told by my friends. They have grown used to it so it doesn't bother them anymore.

I guess it is a Psychopathy.
Most of what you describe above can be found on the following check list:

http://faculty.ncwc.edu/TOConnor/301/psy...

It's called many things... manipulation is one thing its called...cruel is another...selfish is another immature is another...disrespectful is another..





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