The Effects of Gaslighting and Why Abuse Causes Brain Fog
The Mind Games That Steal Your Clarity: Understanding Gaslighting and Brain Fog from Abuse
Abuse-Related Brain Fog
Have you ever found yourself forgetting simple things, doubting your own memories, or feeling like you’re in a mental fog that just won’t lift? This isn’t just exhaustion or a “bad day.” If you’ve been in an abusive relationship—especially one involving gaslighting—what you’re experiencing is real, and it has a name: abuse-related brain fog. You’re not broken. You’re not weak. You’ve been psychologically attacked in a way that literally scrambles your thinking.
What Is Gaslighting?
Gaslighting is a manipulative tactic used by abusers to make you question your perception of reality. Phrases like:
“That never happened.”
“You’re just too sensitive.”
“You’re imagining things again.”
“No one else thinks that about me.”
These aren’t just disagreements. They are intentional distortions of truth meant to confuse you and make you dependent on the abuser’s version of reality.
The Psychological Toll of Gaslighting:
Gaslighting causes you to:
Constantly second-guess yourself
Struggle to make decisions without reassurance
Apologize frequently for things you didn’t do
Experience anxiety about “overreacting”
Feel like you’re “going crazy”
When your mind is constantly under attack, it’s forced to overwork. You’re not just navigating everyday life—you’re surviving mental warfare.
What Is Abuse-Related Brain Fog?
Brain fog is a cognitive response to ongoing trauma. It can look like:
Forgetfulness
Difficulty concentrating
Slowed thinking
Mental fatigue
Trouble with word-finding
Your brain is trying to protect you by deprioritizing long-term thinking and memory in favor of short-term survival. That’s not dysfunction—it’s self-preservation.
Why Abuse Causes Brain Fog:
Chronic Stress Floods Your Brain with Cortisol: Prolonged emotional abuse floods your brain with stress hormones. Over time, this damages areas responsible for memory and decision-making. BUT it absolutely IS reversible … don’t lose hope!
Hypervigilance Drains Mental Resources: When you're always on alert—watching for signs of an outburst or manipulation—your brain has no space left for clarity.
Learned Helplessness Limits Cognitive Confidence: Repeated gaslighting makes you doubt your thinking so much that your brain slows down to avoid “messing up.”
Lack of Sleep and Emotional Safety: Fear interrupts healthy sleep and emotional regulation, both of which are vital for mental clarity.
How to Begin Healing from Gaslighting and Brain Fog:
Name what’s happening. Understanding the effects helps remove shame.
Limit or end exposure. Healing is nearly impossible while still being gaslit.
Practice grounding techniques. These help reorient you to truth.
Use journaling as proof of your reality. Your written words can help anchor you.
Seek support. A trauma-informed coach can help you rebuild your trust in yourself.
You are not confused—you have been confused. You are not weak—you have been weakened. There is nothing wrong with your brain that time, safety, and support can’t begin to heal. You are strong enough to reclaim your clarity, and you are absolutely worthy of a life where truth is honored and your mind is safe.
xo, Denalee