I am passionate about creating awareness (educating people), about gas lighting, the effects it can have on the victims and community, and treatment for the individual who is the gas lighter. I have been researching and writing a book, based on my own experience. I am pursuing a degree in psychology to better understand and to afford to help this issue with my education along the way as i learn and/ or as opportunities arise. I am using my education to educate others, create changes to the law (hopefully making gas lighting a crime), and counsel both victims and abusers of gas lighting. I believe that gas lighting is an important issue that can easily be over looked or dismissed. I believe that gas lighting is more common than most of us are aware of. I believe that it is an issue that effects children and adults, and that I need to do something to help to better protect people from this abuse and/or help provide proper treatment for a different mindset for the abuser if they are open to seeking help. I think this issue needs to be talked about more and i am doing what I can to use this issue in my classes. I talk about it openly and honestly and have attracted some interest already! In clinical terms, gas lighting is psychological manipulation that makes an individual question their own reality. In simple terms, gas lighting is when someone purposely messes with another person's head and emotions with the intent to cause harm by means of severe confusion as a primary weapon. Isolation, paranoia, loss of independence, and social manipulation with the intent to destroy or alter the reputation and/or character of the victim is often involved in gas lighting as well. The damage caused to the victim is often long term and/or irreversible for the targeted individual. Victims often suffer from PTSD, depression, and/or anxiety, after enduring being gas lit. It is not uncommon for the victim to have to relocate due to this type of abuse. The abuser is likely to be well aware of their actions, although there are cases where gas lighting is done unintentionally. Either way, the abuser is most likely to be mentally unwell and would benefit from psychiatric treatment. Gas lighting is not illegal as a form of domestic violence. I am educating my self and acquiring contacts to help me in my efforts to make gas lighting an illegal form of domestic violence/abuse. Gas lighting is used as a weapon on a targeted individual, but it is definitely a social issue, which I believe many people don't understand it as such. I have personal experience that reflects the way gas lighting can cause social issues. I am only one person, but I am now able to see how important one person, one individual, can influence their community, positively or negatively. At the time I became the target of gas lighting, I was very much involved in my community. I had a well known, positive, reputation that I had built and established over a long period of time and involvement. I was a popular Girl Scout Leader, soft ball coach, volunteered my time with 2 non profits, and a hostess to frequent gatherings and parties for countless members of my community of various ages and backgrounds. My abuser has poisoned these cherished relationships with slander and lies about drug use, causing concern to many parents of the girls i worked with. Eventually, I was forced to move away from my abuser and so also my community.

Recovery means using healthy outlets and being aware and awake. It is to live again and to pursue goals and dreams. To have ambition and motivation to heal old wounds head on. To deal with life as it comes. Recovery means loving myself for once.

Learning is life to me. It's make motivates me to get out of bed every day. I plan to always be learning something new or different. Weather it's in a classroom, research, or about someone new or familiar. Learning is what makes my life worth living.

I agree with that statement. I believe that the way I was raised helped shape me into who I am now. I believe I stayed away from drugs and alcohol because my parents were involved in those things. I wanted something different. Something better, for myself and my future. It did take a lot of counseling, self help books, and self care to unlearn all I had subconsciously and unconsciously learned, but I'm glad to break the cycle.

My experience with mental health has shaken up my whole life and many of my views. It destroyed all of my friend and family relationships but I'm learning how to make healthier relationships now and am thankful for this new awareness. I am currently working toward a degree in psychiatry after what I've experienced.

Your mental health is part of your over all well-ness. It's important to take care of yourself in all aspects. If you don't, it will become a problem. Preventative care is key here.

My neighbor gets a kick out of me fixing his phone after he goes on porn. Lol

I agree. It's a bit over spoken above though, if you ask me. I don't understand all these gamers that sit at home all day consumed by their games.

It comes easy to me. I think it helps me with critical thinking.