“Why are you crying? Aiiii. Why are you over reacting? One slap is something to make someone cry? Toughen up, are you a child? Sasa, ningekuchapa mbili?” This is a classic example of gas lighting.
Dr Robin Stern, an Associate Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and author of “The Gaslight Effect” explains, “Psychologists use the term “gaslighting” to refer to a specific type of manipulation where the manipulator is trying to get someone else (or a group of people) to question their own reality, memory or perceptions and it’s always a serious problem.”
Gas lighting is used as an emotional tool to overpower and subject the “victim” under the abusers will power. It presents itself in various forms of facets and structures. The moment a person starts to question and second guess themselves on matters they were fully confident a while back but now can’t, is the biggest and the initial red flag.
Gas lighting and Gassing up someone are two words most people confuse but they are as different as day and night. Gas Me Up refers to, “inflate somebody’s ego via compliments, praise, or actions. When the ego of a person is self-inflated.” The phrase refers to hyping up an individual who might be low, demotivated or struggling with their self-esteem or work. To be more confident, rise up and remember their worth.
The only gas we should be giving out to the world is Gassing up someone. Not Gas lightning!
