Are smear campaigns large scale gaslighting?

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DISCLAIMER: THIS INFORMATION IS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR CLINICAL CARE. PLEASE CONSULT A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER FOR GUIDANCE SPECIFIC TO YOUR CASE. THIS VIDEO DISCUSSES NARCISSISM IN GENERAL.

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[violad]

My abuser had me believing that I was the abuser for speaking my truth.. But telling the TRUTH is NOT a smear campaign. Thank you Dr Ramani ❤️

[annmariekeim]

Being a victim of a smear campaign is a horrible nightmare. One of the worst things is having people you thought were friends turning their back on you when you didn't do anything wrong. I got to a place of peace but am still haunted by it. For me it meant moving and leaving behind a lot of familiar memories.

[nicola]

The smear campaign was one of the most traumatic things I have ever been through.
Hearing what my ex said about me to people including my own friends was awful & some of the things he said I did were actually what he had done to me.
Confusion, anxiety, loss of appetite, paranoia of who I could trust were just a few things that the smear campaign caused.

[floridamom]

I was falsely accused of “elder abuse” by my older Narc Spouse - resulting in an arrest. He called everyone we knew and it was reported in the news! (I avoided a mandatory prison sentence only because I was able to videotaped his confession of setting this up to get back at me for wanting a separation.) All charges were dropped after a thorough investigation by the State; but I was utterly and completely traumatized. It took two years before I could leave my house again. I still feel still traumatized some days. I have no friends and am totally isolated.

[edgreen]

It's gaslighting by the narcissist and then by proxy. They have shown you their character. Don't try to change these people's minds. Just go on.

[dianathomas]

The backstabbing is the worst for me. I have never truly recovered from this type of attacks. It's hard to know why other people, as friends and family members start treating you badly as a black sheep, when the smear campaign happens behind your back and you cannot defend yourself.

[kathiemihindukulasuriya]

Going through this. Extremely painful. You think person A's bad behavior is so obvious and the lies they are telling so outrageous, that surely people who love you should see the truth. But, then you realize that some of the people that you thought loved you either don't really know you OR prefer the perks of being associated with the narcissist to a relationship with you - and thus are willing to throw you under the bus to maintain that relationship. It is a bizarre world where good is bad, up is down and your virtues are reframed as selfishness and scheming. And when you set limits for interaction with the narcissist - you get accused of destroying the family - because we could have a "happy family" if you would just take the abuse and continue doing the bulk of the work for family get togethers.

[Mike-htzl]

Just went through a mini smear Champaign at work last night with two coworkers. In that very moment I took a step back and looked at the insanity of the situation and laughed on the inside. I had disengaged shortly after. The gaslighters got bored with me and moved on. Disengaging and LETTING GO has to be the best counter move toward narcissism.

[Co-zmcf]

This is my life story, Dr. Ramani. I was raised in an immigrant community where all the people were from the same village back in their native country. My mother who is deeply ashamed of me (because I’m not accomplished and “good” like other peoples’ kids) would paint me as a horrible daughter to relatives and friends, who in turn would spread gossip to everyone else in their social circle about what a horrible person I am. I’ve endured this through childhood to present. My mother now has Alzheimer’s but continues to spread untruths to relatives, and they continue to believe her while attacking me and spreading gossip to others. After nearly 50 years, I have physically removed myself from these people. I decided I am better off without them and no longer feel guilty.

[joshuaanzalone]

They do this because you have moved on. They have to be the center of attention and strangers come to you naturally while they have to intrude and put a facade on for strangers. Their egos can't accept you no longer want anything to do with them.

[dicerevo]

Smear campaigns can be a blessing in disguise. Yes, the pain is unbearable but it will show you who actually loves you for you.

[Sluppie]

In my experience, only someone who truly loves you and knows you can resist the effects of a smear campaign. Everyone else I've lost... well they weren't that great and they weren't that close to me.

It can be hard when someone you once respected sides with your abuser, but at least you know what kind of person they are now.

[marieborchardt]

It's diabolical. It's devastating. The very worst part of a narcissistic break up. I thought I was losing my mind. And the narcissist is relentless in their campaign to align your family, friends, even people you don't know, against you. Years later and from a different state, this is still going on!
If it hadn't been for some very close family and loyal friends, I would not have healed as well. They all may not have understood narcissism, but they knew the real me. And listened to me for hours on end, for which I am forever grateful.
Thank you for this Dr. Ramini. You help to heal broken hearts. 💔

[betteantor]

I got my dream job in a highly competitive field. My co-workers were so cruel that they had bets on how long i could last (per their abuse). I prevailed and stayed a very long time. I now realize they were all narcissists and i figured out who was the leader of the pack. Cruel and sadistic.

[VRSWGN]

My ex started one well before the end of our relationship. Found out she was telling anyone and everyone who would listen; random people, her coworkers who didn't even know me or us. And everything she was telling them were half truths; just enough to make me look bad and allow her to play the victim. Her friends even bullied me off of social media yet still claimed to be "good people." My own friends even stopped talking to me because she had pushed me to the point of lashing out at the end of the relationship and I looked like I was the abuser. It was so bad that I seriously had considered taking my life to get away from it. The worst part about it all, is all these people still claim to be "good people" but have no problem pushing someone to that breaking point

[izawaniek]

Smear compaigns are collective gaslighting experience. This is utter devastation. It is a blessing to have a person who are anti gaslighting help and can help us stay grounded in our own reality. Without the help and support of such people you need God’s miracle not to lose it. Thank you dr Ramani for your help and support.

[tweldy]

One of the most brutal aspects of narcissism is that the number of therapists that can help is shockingly low and the number of therapists that can make it much, much worse is shockingly high. My experience is that most therapists are useless for victims of narcissistic abuse and at the ratio of remaining therapists that will make things worse vs. those that can help is on the order of magnitude of 5:1. Recovery itself is a toxic, hellish minefield.

[io]

When you find that the ones who were supposed to be there for you are switching sides and blaming you for all you went through in silence, your world falls apart inside and around you. It feels like total annihilation. Moving forward doesn't seem like it's even an option at that point. Very devastating

[arreola]

Having experienced the narcissist smear campaign or gaslighting, I think the thing that makes me the most mad, is the friends/family that BELIEVES the lies, the narcissist is telling them. I always say, judge me on how I TREAT you, NOT on the gossip someone is telling you ABOUT me. The narcissist has also tried to pin ME against someone but I just ignore the narcissist because I know their tactics are only to create division in the family.

[McSpaddenator]

My narcissist sibling constantly held smear campaigns against me. It was awful.