'Gaslighting' , Is Merriam-Webster's <br />2022 Word of the Year.<br />Gaslighting is defined as: , "the psychological manipulation of a person, <br />usually over an extended period of time.".<br />According to Merriam-Webster, gaslighting , “causes the victim to question the validity of their own thoughts, <br />perception of reality, or memories and typically leads to confusion, ...<br />... loss of confidence and self-esteem, uncertainty of one’s emotional <br />or mental stability, and a dependency on the perpetrator.”.<br />Compared to 2021, searches for <br />the word on merriam-webster.com , increased 1,740%. .<br />The word of the year is typically driven <br />by a single significant event that <br />spiked curiosity across the country.<br />According to NBC, no single event drove <br />curiosity in this year's word, because <br />gaslighting was pervasive.<br />It’s a word that has risen so quickly in the English language, and especially in the last four years, that it actually came as a surprise to me and to many of us, Peter Sokolowski, Merriam-Webster’s editor at large, via NBC.<br />It was a word looked up frequently<br />every single day of the year, Peter Sokolowski, Merriam-Webster’s editor at large, via NBC.<br />The term was first penned over <br />80 years ago in the 1938 play<br />"Gas Light" by Patrick Hamilton.<br />Years later, the work would be adopted by mental <br />health practitioners to describe a type of <br />prolonged coercive control in abusive relationships. .<br />NBC reports that those "abusive relationships" extend <br />beyond romantic partners, friends and family, <br />and can include politicians, media and corporations.<br />NBC reports that those "abusive relationships" extend <br />beyond romantic partners, friends and family, <br />and can include politicians, media and corporations.<br />NBC reports that those "abusive relationships" extend <br />beyond romantic partners, friends and family, <br />and can include politicians, media and corporations
