Gas-lighting is a form of manipulation where a person makes someone else doubt their judgment, opinions, or reality. The term started being used in the 1930's in a play about a manipulative husband trying to make his wife think she is losing her mind; this was later developed into an Alfred Hitchcock film.

This manipulative technique occurs in abusive relationships (with a partner, parent, friend, etc) in an attempt to discredit the victim's reality, but can be seen in many types of interactions. Some examples of gas-lighting can be blatantly lying, discrediting your experiences, distracting from the concern, minimizing your thoughts and feelings, shifting blame, denying any wrongdoing, rewriting past experiences, and in general is very dismissive. Gas-lighting can make the victim feel very isolated and alone, as they are being made to believe that they are "crazy", "unstable", "out to get someone", "overly emotional", "too sensitive", and much more. Some signs that you may be being gas-lighted by someone around you are:

• you doubt your feelings and reality
• you question your judgment and perceptions of the world around you
• you feel vulnerable, insecure, alone, or powerless
• you feel confused, and second-guess your opinions and choices
• you worry that you are too sensitive or too emotional
• you struggle to make decisions because you distrust your own opinions

Remember that you are not to blame for what you are experiencing, and are not responsible for the abuser/bully's actions. If you are experiencing this and/or other signs of an abusive relationship, a counselor can help. Contact Student Well-Being to schedule an appointment at wellbeing@mst.edu or 573.341.4211.

Yes, the COVID-19 vaccine is safe to receive. According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, there are actually hundreds of coronaviruses. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that usually cause mild to moderate upper-respiratory tract illnesses, like the common cold. However, three new coronaviruses have emerged over the past two decades to cause serious and widespread illness and death, one of them being COVID-19. While COVID-19 is specific and different from other viruses, previous research on this family of viruses established research ahead of this specific pandemic. And amid a global pandemic, researchers quickly mobilized to share their coronavirus data with other researchers and scientists. The ability to fast-track research and clinical trials was a direct result of worldwide cooperation, which isn't always the case with vaccine and medical developments.

Yes! Counseling services through Student Well-Being are free for all students. Learn more on our counseling appointments page.

Yes! Student Health can help with starting birth control, changing methods, or refilling a prescription. They provide birth control pills at a very reduced rate, and can assist in prescriptions or referrals for other forms of birth control (implant, IUD, patch, etc). Contact Student Health by emailing mstshs@mst.edu, calling 573.341.4284, or going to studenthealth.mst.edu to learn more.