Gaslighting Vs Scizophrenia

I believe there is a sociopath where I work. I believe he is gaslighting me. I have a Doctor's appointment coming up and I was thinking of mentioning this because it may be one of the reasons for my current depression. I realise this sounds delusional.

It has crossed my mind that appearing delusional and having some of my other symptoms could conceivably get me diagnosed with scizophrenia. I don't hear voices or anything though. Anyway, I am certain the sociopath would love me to end up on a psychiatric ward. I think he'd get a real kick out of that. He would also have the added bonus that any of the nastiness in him that I personally have witnessed could be dismissed as a delusion.

I am not sure what to believe any more. I do have a few of the symptoms of scizophrenia. No voices (except once about 5 years ago when I smoked too much cannabis. Not touched drugs for 4+ years now.)

Is there any way to truly tell if I am scizophrenic or not? A Dr isn't likely to believe my story, is he? Anyone with similar experiences? What should I do now?

In short, Please help!!!!

I would recommend talking to your doctor. Only allow a trusted medical professional to diagnose you, do not try it yourself based on information from the internet.

Honestly, you may be delusional or you may be perfectly sane. I don't know. If you think that you are being gaslighted, then you may very well be right, but you might also be making it up. Try to ignore your co-worker if you can, or at least give less weight to what he says.Talk to your boss if you can.

Best advice: gather evidence. Simply saying "That guy is a dick, he must be ######6 with me." is not the best evidence. Have someone else be with the two of you at all possible times: the other person will help maintain what is true and real and call out what is false. You don't even need to tell the third person why they are there, just let them exist near you and they will call out any #######4.

And lastly, if you feel you might be delusional, DO NOT think up possible motives for the other person's behavior: if you are delusional then you will be digging yourself into a hole, and even if you aren't delusional it might just hide the true purpose for why someone is gaslighting you.

If you have concrete obvious logical evidence that adds up, don't tell the dr you're being gaslit tell him you're being bullied at work and its contributing to your depression.

-- Sun Oct 28, 2012 10:06 pm --

- if you want to check the evidence, put it up in front of an impartial friend or two and let them scrutinise and challenge.

Normal people don't worry about this type of stuff. Have you ever heard of someone explaining a similar problem as you are explaining? In a work environment, people tend to be hostile at times due to stress. There is also a disconnect of empathy for people with psychosis as well as a curiosity about your illness.(people tend to see psychosis as supreme stupidity or think that the psychotic individual is "off on another world" or unaffected by what goes on around them). These two factors can make people appear malicious. Being the victim of a plot to make you appear unhinged and therefore having no one believe you is quite common in schizophrenia. I doubt anyone is trying to do this intentionally, however, people can be idiot jerk-offs.

He could very well be gaslighting you.

Calmly confront the person about it the next time you suspect it. Be strong in this situation and realize that you are not wrong.

You are probably depressed because you are giving this person control over you. Simply stand up to the bully in an adult fashion and you will feel better about yourself.

The truth will always triumph, ignorant people do not.

"Normal people don't worry about this type of stuff." -- Ehhhh, yes and no.

Normal people definitely worry about if people are intentionally f-ing with them. That's for sure.
It's not normal to worry about it all the time, but on a case-by-case basis and regarding someone you see almost every day...it makes sense.

It's normal to want to get along with co-workers. But yes, work is definitely a stressful environment, and stress can cause strange behaviors and strange perceptions.

It's normal to worry about what people think about you as well...but yeah, the guy that said try not to put much stock in what he says...especially if you are sure he's messing with you.

The more you react to it, the more he will do it if he is indeed doing it to bully you.

And I agree with the others that said finding a witness and gathering proof is a good idea as well if you just can't ignore it

Side note: never heard of gaslighting, but thanks for teaching me a new concept!

Gaslight was a movie about a husband who would do things to make it look like his wife was insane, like put her purse in the refrigerator and deny ever having touched it. It's an old black and white movie. Here's a link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaslight_(1944_film)

don't talk to a quack about it, they aren't too open to ideas like that and will diagnose you with persecutory delusions and give you antipsychotics instead of talking through with you methods for dealing with this guy.

btw had no idea what gaslighting was until someone mentioned the movie.

can you describe what he's actually done maybe someone here can help you deal with it. don't give in to the s@#$t

This is an old subject. recetnly i found th world gaslighting and it fit to what people were doing to me. for fact they dot have to be right in ur face or room and i ahve had persons in work who were malicious and know they had psychic intent and bragged and showed me. It is those persons who lead to persons to hear voices or feel anxiety ridden or fearful. i had experienced a situation younger when someone got to my mind and tried to gaslight me but i escaped. i was cought in a horrible prison between it and escape for years . no doctor unles they are gifted, and have a special interest in this might understand. u would have to approach it in a way to make them..
they dont even care about you past drug any way. I had seen what i saw and escaped and cut off doctors as they kept me bound to feelign i was insane. i rised out of that and conquer. i also encountred persons who used this tactic which is a cliche common and have had someone in m life realm somewhere trying again to use this on me to driv eme downand met a few jamaicans who are also person who get off on feeling powerful toget over and to use thsi on someone would be a feeling of power. confusion and control. i had held off that . and my own sister might also had used ot to keep me from escaping and geting to talk about her and her abuse of me as a kid. i escaped adn won back my life bybeleiveing in me not them when ur gaslight you cant tell what is real and not. if u read all the specs of what in darks call szhizophrenia. the lap to perfectly. weather u hear voices or not gaslighting is an extreme form of inducing schizopnrenia .. and i was not schizophrenic prove it and got to live a happy life. last erson in ml ife was a dirty player jamaican and he was a tool used b someone outside to try to drive m down willingly was not a person protecting me but wanted to rob me in any way he could and not face punishment... alot can happen when someone trys to make u controled by their intentions. i strugled to get a dr to remove me before someone could do to me and they did not and someone like this and this clever or dirty person jamaican got in and i am now a lost person.. it is hellihs and i saw the gaslighting go on. until exhaustion failed my defenses and i lost batle and my identity. walking around as someone madden by it.. they are same to me. i studied this for over 30 years. i got to live 19 years happy and persons made threats to make me go insane need a straight jacket b time they got done with me, and etc. never get famous.. jelousy. to many to list but this person was put in my life when others failed. all of people i know would desire to take me down.. my family also . were not protective and guilty. so i was in hard place. i wanted to get to police before it began to be lost of sanity and un beleived..

I'm having the same problem. I was dating a guy who was gaslighting me. I now question if he was gaslighting me or if I'm crazy. I believe he was stalking me but I also may have made this up in my head. Again, I don't really know. Could I have a delusion disorder? Or CPTSD? Or social anxiety?