Neuroscientist's insights into the factors that may make certain individuals more susceptible to gaslighting
In the realm of psychology and social interaction, the term 'gaslighting' has gained significant attention due to its profound effects on individuals and relationships. This insidious form of manipulation, named after the 1944 film Gaslight, is not just a social or psychological phenomenon but has distinct neural correlates that interfere with cognition, emotion, and perception in the brain.
Neuroscientist Dr Eamonn Walsh, who has spent years studying how words can shape, shift, and rewrite our worlds, particularly in the context of hypnotism, has shed light on this intriguing subject. His research reveals that gaslighting creates conflicting information that challenges a person's reality, a phenomenon known as cognitive dissonance. This mental state, which activates the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a brain area associated with error detection, conflict monitoring, and emotional regulation, causes the brain to struggle to reconcile these contradictions and reduce mental stress[1].
Gaslighting manipulates emotional language to undermine confidence and perception of reality. This manipulation can disrupt neurotransmitter circuits such as serotonin and dopamine systems, which are crucial for mood regulation. Imbalances in these circuits caused by sustained emotional stress from gaslighting may lead to heightened emotional lability, making individuals more sensitive and reactive to minor provocations, further altering perception and emotional stability[3].
Over time, repeated exposure to manipulative language may impact activity in the amyggdala, the brain’s centre for processing threats. Familiarity with certain stimuli generally reduces amyggdala activity, signalling less perceived threat, but when language manipulation creates persistent uncertainty and fear, the amyggdala’s threat response may become hyperactive, reinforcing anxiety and mistrust[4].
In gaslighting, a person's reality is distorted through deliberate psychological manipulation, making them question their memory, judgment, and even their grip on reality. This gradual and multi-pronged manipulation is more likely to succeed if we've been primed through a relationship with the gaslighter. Suggestibility is not fixed and can be influenced by substances like alcohol, while isolation from friends is a tactic often used in manipulative relationships.
However, it's important to note that concrete evidence, such as text messages or diary entries, can help reaffirm the truth in disputed events. In a group context, others can help stop psychological manipulation when they challenge and hold the manipulator accountable.
In a study by American researcher Stephen Kosslyn and others, participants were made to see a greyscale image as vibrant colours or vice versa through verbal suggestion, demonstrating the power of language to alter our perception. Walsh and his colleagues have published a paper called "Editing Reality in the Brain", arguing that words can alter reality much like putting on a virtual reality headset.
Hypnotizers have techniques such as counting and breathwork that they can use to prepare the brain, distract it, and get it into a state of calmness, making it more pliable and easy to influence. If someone is trying to destabilize you, avoiding alcohol or drugs can help reduce vulnerability.
In conclusion, the neuroscience of gaslighting offers a fascinating insight into the ways our brains can be manipulated by language. As we continue to unravel the complexities of this phenomenon, it becomes increasingly clear that understanding its neural underpinnings is crucial in combating its insidious effects and protecting ourselves and others from its harmful influence.
[1] E.g., [Neuropsychologia](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002839321100310X), [2011] [2] E.g., [Cognition and Emotion](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02699931.2010.505333), [2010] [3] E.g., [Neuropsychologia](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0028393213003565), [2013] [4] E.g., [Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763411004278), [2011]
- In the field of health-and-wellness, neuroscientist Dr Eamonn Walsh's research on the impact of language on reality, particularly gaslighting, has revealed its potential to create cognitive dissonance, a mental state that activates the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and causes mental strain due to conflicting information.
- Gaslighting, through its manipulation of emotional language, can disrupt neurotransmitter circuits like the serotonin and dopamine systems, which are critical for mood regulation. Imbalances in these circuits may lead to increased emotional lability and sensitivity to minor provocations, further affecting emotional stability.
- The repeated use of manipulative language can influence activity in the amygggdala, the brain's center for processing threats. While familiarity with certain stimuli usually reduces amygggdala activity, gaslighting can cause the amygggdala's threat response to become hyperactive, reinforcing anxiety and mistrust.
- Understanding the neurological aspects of gaslighting, through research and scientific literature, is essential in combating its effects and protecting ourselves and others from its harmful influence. For instance, studies have shown that language can alter perception, similar to virtual reality, and that suggestibility can be influenced by substances like alcohol and isolation from friends.
- In education-and-self-development, learning about the science behind gaslighting can provide valuable insights into the ways our brains can be manipulated, empowering us with the knowledge to recognize and resist such manipulation, promoting mental health and overall well-being.
