Gaslighting can be one of the most effective and harmful forms of emotional abuse, as it makes someone second guess their beliefs, actions, and the world around them. As one loses trust in their own abilities and perspectives, they can start to rely more on the abuser to guide their actions and beliefs. In the end, a person can lose all sense of reality.

Gaslighting can often start slow and be hard to notice. As it progresses, gaslighting can cause isolation, anxiety, depression, and a lack of trust in people outside of the abusive relationship.

Athletic Staff & Gaslighting

Athletic staff are in a prime position to use gaslighting as a form of emotional abuse. A few reasons for this:

• Athletes who are teenagers or young adults are still forming their own sense of self and awareness of the world around them.

• The large amount of trust that is often put into the coach from the start.

• The prevailing rhetoric that you “must be 100% committed to the coach’s methods, if you want to succeed”.

A person goes to an athletic staff person with the purpose to learn, improve, and keep their body healthy. When an athlete is in the “I am here to improve and learn” mindset, it can become difficult to separate what is helpful advice and what is the start of an abusive relationship.