Gaslighting is often described as a behavior that erodes trust, but a 2024 study suggests its effects extend far beyond that. Researchers led by Tager-Shafrir found that people who experienced higher levels of relationship gaslighting also reported greater depressive symptoms and poorer relationship quality, indicating that the behavior affects both individual mental health and the relationship itself. Rather than viewing gaslighting as an occasional disagreement or misunderstanding, the findings place it within a broader pattern of psychological abuse that can gradually undermine emotional well-being and the stability of intimate relationships.
People who experienced higher levels of relationship gaslighting reported greater depressive symptoms and poorer relationship quality | Pexels
The study found effects on both mood and the relationshipParticipants who reported greater exposure to gaslighting also described lower satisfaction with their relationships, suggesting that the same pattern affecting mental health was also weakening the quality of the partnership. This distinction matters because it shows that gaslighting does not simply leave someone feeling hurt after an argument. Repeatedly denying another person’s experiences, memories, or perceptions can gradually make the relationship itself feel less secure, less supportive, and more difficult to navigate.Recent research supports that broader interpretation: a 2025 systematic review of gaslighting, published by Jewels Adair, described it as a form of cognitive and perceptual manipulation associated with emotional abuse, social isolation, and psychological distress. While the review examined multiple studies rather than a single relationship sample, it reached a similar conclusion: the consequences of gaslighting often extend beyond trust, as the behaviour repeatedly challenges how people interpret their own reality.
Not every disagreement or lapse in memory amounts to gaslighting | Pexels
The link with depression appears across different settingsThe association between gaslighting and depression has also appeared outside the original 2024 study. Research on adolescent dating, published in Sage Journals, found that experiences of gaslighting were associated with higher levels of anxiety and depression, despite focusing on a much younger population. Although teenage relationships differ from long-term adult partnerships, the consistency of the findings suggests that repeatedly having one’s thoughts, memories, or perceptions dismissed may contribute to emotional distress across different stages of life.That does not mean every disagreement or lapse in memory amounts to gaslighting, nor does the research suggest that depression develops from a single interaction. Instead, the evidence points to a sustained pattern in which one person’s reality is repeatedly questioned or distorted over time. When that pattern becomes part of a relationship, it can affect both psychological well-being and the quality of the relationship itself.The 2024 study adds important evidence to a growing body of research showing that gaslighting is more than a communication problem. Participants who experienced higher levels of relationship gaslighting also reported greater depression and poorer relationship quality, while newer studies continue to associate gaslighting with emotional distress across different populations. Together, the findings suggest that repeatedly undermining another person’s perception of reality can affect not only trust but also mental health and the long-term stability of close relationships.