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Gaslighting can make anyone feel like they don’t know up from down.
In today's post, we’ll be taking a look at gaslighting and how narcissists spin a web of deceit and attempt to control you simply by making you doubt yourself.
In many cases, skill in manipulation and narcissism go hand in hand. We’ll also be giving you a list of gaslighting quotes to help you understand how to deal with these people.
Before we get to the quotes, let's discuss more about narcissism and gaslighting.
Why Read Gaslighting Quotes?
Gaslighters are masters at making people second guess their reality. The term “gaslighter” actually refers to the title of a 1938 British stage play called Gas Light. This is the tale of a man convincing his wife that what she sees in front of her isn’t real and as such, slowly but surely drives her insane.
This is the playbook for all gaslighting – the person uses psychological deception and abuse to make the victim think they aren’t capable of anything with the narcissistic manipulator's approval or help.
So – how does reading these quotes help you? If you’re searching for gaslighting quotes perhaps you’re interested in learning more about it or your intuition might be trying to tell you something. A gaslighter is not a strong, powerful person – they are most like engaging in this behavior because they have their own issues that aren’t being dealt with.
Modern media in some cases likes to glorify people like this (look at all the narcissistic serial killer documentaries that major entertaining companies regularly produce). However, make no mistake, a gaslighter can very much harm your sanity, self-esteem, and slowly but surely sap the joy out of living.
These gaslighting quotes will help offer you some perspective and help you shake off the hold of a gaslighter – or let you know what to do if you encounter this type of dysfunctional behavior.
75 Gaslighting Quotes to Deal with Narcissistic Manipulators
- “Some people will label you as vindictive, unforgiving or even evil for not allowing them to hurt you, yet again.” – Wayne Gerard Trotman
- “Gaslighting is mind control to make victims doubt their reality.” – Tracy Malone
- When narcissists ask “how do you feel”, they are actually saying, “I am not feeling good, and now listen to me.” – Emma Xu
- The worst part about gaslighting is that it undermines your self-worth to the point where you’re second-guessing everything.” – Dana Arcuri
- “Where there is much pride or much vanity, there will also be much revengefulness.” – Arthur Schopenhauer
- “If you alter your behaviour because you are frightened of how your partner will react, you are being abused.” – Sandra Horley
- “If people are really narcissistic or have a need to be seen as more than they really are, or to be admired as having it all together, then they cannot be followed and trusted by others.” – Henry Cloud
- “The only principle that governs their minds is the question “How do I look?” – Haruki Murakami
- “Remember, a fact is a fact, no matter how hard the liars amongst you might try hushing it up.” – Billy Childish
- “Changed behavior is the only apology, otherwise, it's just manipulation.” – Maranda Pleasant
- “Some people do Oscar-winning performances to gaslight your good heart. Do not forget what they are.” – Dinakar
- “Realize that narcissists have an addiction disorder. They are strongly addicted to feeling significant. Like any addict they will do whatever it takes to get this feeling often.” – Shannon L. Alder
- “Gaslighting is implanted narratives cloaked in secrecy.” – Tracy Malone
- “The narcissist loves playing mind games with you. They are clever to conceal who they are.” – Dana Arcuri
- “But that’s the thing about narcissists. They can try to fool you, with all their heart, but in the end, they’re just fooling themselves.” – Ellie Fox
- “Gaslighting are lies with a purpose to confuse and control.” – Tracy Malone
- “Remember, someone that does something bad to you, will always try to control the narrative, and they generally get out there first and spin the story to anyone who will listen.” – Maranda Pleasant
- “When dealing with a narcissist, don’t defend yourself against attacks. Instead say, ‘Your attempt to portray me in a negative light is noted.’” – Tina Swithin
- “Gaslighting, brainwashing, cults, hostage situations, and totalitarian propaganda have a common basis. They use similar techniques to confuse, intimidate, and disempower people.” – Linda Hatch
- “The narcissist loves playing mind games with you. They are clever to conceal who they are.” – Dana Arcuri
- “Sometimes you have to choose between being lonely and being crazy.” – Anonymous
- “Lies require noise and misdirection to blend in, silence is the best way to draw the truth to the surface.” – Anna Pitoniak
- “The more you value yourself, the healthier your boundaries are.” – Lorraine Nilon
- “Gaslighting is the systematic attempt by one person to erode another person’s reality by telling them that what they are experiencing isn’t so — and, the gradual giving up on the part of the other person.” – Robin Stern
- “Kindness from a narcissist is called an illusion.” – Alice Little
- “Gaslighting of the soul: They do everything to dim your light, and then they ask you why you’re not shining.” – Unknown
- “Many victims of narcissistic abuse are hypersensitive. They don't want to be told by others that they wrong when they fight with their narcissist. They see it as standing up for themselves, when in reality it is perpetuating what the narcissist wants- drama and a reaction.” – Shannon L. Alder
- “If I promise to miss you, do you promise to go away?” – Tracy A. Malone
- “It starts with a lie. Each day the lies amplify. Time goes by, the lies turn to gaslighting. Eventually the lies become smears about you.” – Tracy A. Malone
- “There's nothing so dangerous for manipulators as people who choose to think for themselves.” – Meg Greenfield
- “Whenever someone is not seeing, accepting, owning and expressing their actual personal truth, it will automatically become a gaslighting situation.” – Teal Swan
- “This term is used in the 1944 Ingrid Bergman film Gaslight, in which a husband purposefully drives his wife insane by flickering lights, making noises in the attic, and then claiming the very real experience was all in her head.” – Samantha Rodman
- “Toxic people be like, ‘How dare you set boundaries and not allow me to control and manipulate you?’” – Wingheart
- “Essentially, a Gaslighter spins their negative, harmful, or destructive words and actions in their favor, deflecting the blame for their abusive deeds and pointing the finger at you.” – Aletheia Luna
- “Narcissists withhold affection to punish you. Withhold attention to get revenge. And withhold an emotional empathetic response to make you feel insecure.” – Alice Little
- “The true manipulator never has a reputation for manipulating.” – Martin Amis
- “Emotional abuse is designed to undermine another’s sense of self. It is deliberate humiliation, with the intent to seize control of how others feel about themselves.” – Lorraine Nilon
- “Gas-lighters are most successful when they believably cast themselves as loyal and dutiful protectorates who are unconditionally invested in defending and caring for their beloved gaslit victims.” – Ross Rosenberg
- “The aim of gaslighting is to make you feel bad about something you need not feel bad about. Gaslighting is emotional abuse… happens in the real world and on social media, too.” – Vikram Karve
- “Someone who gaslights you is trying to talk you out of your experience to alleviate their shame and responsibility to an issue. It’s a tool to control and manipulate you.” – Dr. Henry Cloud
Someone who gaslights you is trying to talk you out of your experience to alleviate their shame and responsibility to an issue. It’s a tool to control and manipulate you.” – Dr. Henry Cloud
- “Remember that any time you're filled with resentment, you're turning the controls of your emotional life over to others to manipulate.” – Wayne Dyer
- “Let us not get scooped up by gaslighting manipulators stealing our emotions and taking possession of our inner child to carry out their dark agenda. Let the light of our intuition guide us subtly and wisely along the path of trust and suspicion.” – Erik Pevernagie
- “Invalidation is crazy-making, and it is also at the root of gaslighting, where victims’ feelings are purposely denied or manipulated in order to make them question their sanity.” – Samantha Rodman
- “If you hate being yelled at, you have the right to insist that yelling not be a part of your disagreements. Maybe some other woman wouldn’t mind the loud voice, but you do. If that makes you sensitive, so be it.” – Robin Stern
- “It is not okay for someone you like to treat you poorly and then pretend it didn’t happen, making you question your own grasp of reality. This dynamic is called gaslighting.” – Unknown
- “Narcissists, however, are similar to a spider that has built a web for its prey to bring itself.” – Mwanandeke Kindembo
- “If they can no longer score on you, then they can no longer manipulate you.” – Dorothy McCoy
- “I stopped fighting for people who gossiped about me. I stopped fighting for those who didn't respect me. I quit worrying about those who wouldn't value me for being me.” – Dana Arcuri
- “Your narcissistic abuser withholds information in a conversation and replaces it with false information. That’s gaslighting.” – Unknown
- “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” -Alice Walker
- “Manipulative people do not consider the other person’s point of view; they will take at the expense of others.” – Richard Malthouse
- “This doesn’t happen in all instances but it is remarkable the lengths these malicious individuals exceed to trash you, put you at fault, and lead others to believe that you are “crazy;” – Linda Martinez-Lewi
- “Often enough the manipulator approaches, stimulates, or even creates a powerful wish or a strong desire in the target’s mind.” – Sapir Handelman
- “Beware of narcissistic people. They'll tell everyone you're crazy, only to cover up their trickery. ” – Mitta Xinindlu
- “Driving someone to insanity is the devil’s work.” – E.A. Bucchianeri
- “A ‘Svengali’ is more than just someone who is manipulative. It’s somebody who makes you think you need him in order to accomplish anything.” – Ann Beattie
- “Manipulative people are those who wish to be loved on their own terms.” – David S. Viscott
- “I'm not crazy, I was abused. I'm not shy, I'm protecting myself. I'm not bitter, I'm speaking the truth.” – Rene Smith
- “You are not broken and in need of fixing. You are wounded and in need of healing.” – Danu Morrigan
- “If you allow people to make more withdrawals than deposits in your life, you will be out of balance and in the negative. Know when to close the account.” – Auliq Ice
- “Intuition — once you have had a narcissist in your life, you must develop your intuition and learn to listen to it and act accordingly.” – Tracy Malone
- “A narcissist paints a picture of themselves as being the victim or innocent in all aspects. They will be offended by the truth.” – Karla Grimes
- “Emotional blackmail is a powerful form of manipulation. It leaves you in a FOG when there is haze of Fear, Obligation, and Guilt.” – Carey West
- “Dealing with manipulation is all about reading between the lines and recognizing the lies for what they are.” – Unknown
- “An emotionally abusive relationship, in very simplistic terms, is much like standing up in a too-hot bath and sinking back in so as not to feel so dizzy.” – Jackie Haze
- “When we allow another to alter our thinking, it can take a long time to return to our previous reality. That's the awesome power of manipulation.” – Ryan James
- “When I was with my mother, I sometimes thought of myself as a trophy-something to be flaunted before friends. When out of public view, I sat on the shelf, ignored and forgotten.” – Joan Frances Casey
- “Gaslighting their partners into believing the abuse isn’t real by denying, minimizing, or rationalizing the abuse. This includes deflecting any conversations about accountability using circular conversations and word salad in order to avoid being held accountable for their actions.” – Shahida Arabi
- “The success of the manipulation depends on the level of conviction and force of the denial.” – Tess Binder
- “A narcissist’s criticism is their autobiography.” – M. Wakefield
- “Because of our built-in insecurity, we are very sensitive when it is manipulated.” – Rick Tobin
- “Love doesn’t die a natural death. Love has to be killed, either by neglect or narcissism.” – Frank Salvato
- “Everybody has the ability to be manipulative, to be hateful and deceitful.” – Neil LaBute
- “Half of the people lie with their lips; the other half with their tears.” – Nassim Nicholas Taleb
- “Most women learn the hard way never to let a man treat you like worn out old house slippers, only good for taking to bed or for comfort while he watches tv. If he wouldn't take you into the world, proudly, for everyone to see, he can do Netflix alone.” – Jennifer DeLucy
Final Thoughts on Gaslighting Quotes
That brings us to the end of our gaslight quotes compilation. We hope these quotes make you realize that you aren’t crazy or as weak as a gaslighter would have you believe. Even if you’re dealing with a masterful gaslighter, you can escape from their clutches and grow all the wiser for it.
If you want an action plan on how to respond to these types of people, then check out the 11 ways to turn the tables on a gaslighter.
And if you want more inspirational quotes, be sure to check out these blog posts:
- Gaslighting at Work: 5 Signs, Examples, and Phrases
- 23 Gaslighting Memes to Help with Narcissistic Gaslighters
- 11 Signs of Unintentional or Unconscious Gaslighting
- 65 Toxic Relationship Quotes to Free Yourself Today
- 101 Toxic People Quotes to Stay Away from Negativity
Finally, if you want to use these quotes to make a lasting change to your life, then check out and recite these 57 affirmations for success.
Tom Smith is a creative writer with over 6 years of professional experience. He discovered the joy of writing after covering some furniture in his childhood home with graffiti. In later years, he got himself a BA in creative writing and hasn’t looked back. After discovering the power of positive thinking and discovering the spiritual side of life, he believes it's a huge privilege to be able to write about all things personal development.
