Written by Saima Ahmad, Ph.D., and Melissa Wheeler, Ph.D.

Have you ever found yourself second-guessing your own experiences after a workplace interaction? Perhaps you leave a meeting confident that your innovative idea was well-received, only to find out later that your boss is taking credit for it. Or think about a time when your manager completely denied assigning you a certain project or task despite clear verbal communication. These situations can leave you feeling bewildered and wondering if you are just imagining things.

We’re encouraged to be reasonable in the workplace and to approach problems with a collaborative spirit. When things go sideways, it’s natural to look inward and question your own actions and words. Before spiraling into self-blame, consider another possibility: You might be experiencing workplace gaslighting.

Workplace gaslighting occurs when a colleague or supervisor deliberately sows seeds of doubt in an employee’s mind about their perceptions of reality or sanity to gain power or control over them. Gaslighting doesn’t have to be as blatant as a complete denial of reality. It can be a........

© Psychology Today