Am I Being Gaslit? Test
When you stop trusting your own memory.
Published by the Healthio+ editorial team · Based on A pattern screener built from published descriptions of gaslighting by the National Domestic Violence Hotline, Cleveland Clinic and Medical News Today. Gaslighting is not a clinical diagnosis, and no validated questionnaire for it exists — this describes patterns, not a condition.
How we build our tests →Gaslighting happens gradually, which is exactly what makes it hard to name from the inside. Answer about one specific person — a partner, parent, friend or boss — and how things usually go with them. Nothing you enter is saved or linked to you.
This is a screening tool, not a diagnosis. Results are for self-reflection only. Only a licensed professional can diagnose a condition.
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About the Am I Being Gaslit? Test
Also known as: gaslighting test, am I being gaslit quiz, signs of gaslighting test, emotional manipulation test, gaslighting in relationships quiz.
Gaslighting is a form of emotional abuse in which someone manipulates you into questioning your own memory, perception and sanity. The National Domestic Violence Hotline describes it as "an extremely effective form of emotional abuse that causes a victim to question their own feelings, instincts, and sanity", and notes that it happens very gradually within a relationship — which is part of why it is so hard to spot while it is happening.
The word comes from Gas Light, a 1938 British play, and its 1944 film adaptation Gaslight, in which a husband manipulates his wife into believing she is mentally unwell in order to get at her family's jewels. The name stuck because it captures the core of it: the goal isn't to win an argument, it's to make you distrust yourself.
Gaslighting is not a mental health diagnosis and there is no official clinical questionnaire for it. It describes someone else's behaviour, not a condition you have. It can happen in romantic relationships, but also with parents, friends, and at work.
The effects are well documented. Cleveland Clinic notes that gaslighting can create or compound mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, which can in turn keep someone locked in a cycle of abuse. Medical News Today similarly reports that it may contribute to anxiety, depression and psychological trauma, particularly as part of a wider pattern of abuse.
This test is a free, anonymous online screening you can complete in about three minutes. It has 12 questions and is adapted from A pattern screener built from published descriptions of gaslighting by the National Domestic Violence Hotline, Cleveland Clinic and Medical News Today. Gaslighting is not a clinical diagnosis, and no validated questionnaire for it exists — this describes patterns, not a condition. Your answers are scored privately in your browser — nothing is saved or linked to you — and you get an instant result framed for self-reflection rather than as a diagnosis.
Signs and symptoms of Am I Being Gaslit?
Published descriptions group the behaviour into recognisable techniques, alongside the effects they produce in the person on the receiving end:
- Countering — questioning your memory of events, such as "you never remember things correctly".
- Withholding — refusing to listen or pretending not to understand, such as "I don't want to hear this again".
- Trivializing — treating your feelings as an overreaction, such as "you're too sensitive".
- Denial — insisting something never happened, or claiming not to know what you're talking about.
- Diverting — attacking your credibility or the source of your idea to change the subject.
- Isolating — suggesting your friends or family are the problem, cutting you off from your support network.
- Constantly second-guessing your own decisions and perceptions.
- Apologising when you don't believe you've done anything wrong.
- Feeling on edge or nervous around the person.
- Wondering whether you are irrational, incompetent, or "crazy".
Who is this test for?
Anyone who has been noticing these feelings or patterns and wants a structured, private way to reflect on them. It's a starting point for people wondering whether what they're experiencing is worth paying attention to — not a way to label or diagnose yourself. It is not suitable for anyone in crisis or in need of urgent help — if that's you, please contact your local emergency services or a crisis line right away.
How to read your results
Low (score 0–15)
Your answers don't show a consistent gaslighting pattern with this person right now. Ordinary disagreements about who remembers what are normal — gaslighting is a repeated pattern that leaves you doubting your own mind.
Moderate (score 16–31)
You recognise a fair number of these patterns. That's worth taking seriously — gaslighting is described as building up gradually, so it often looks like 'not that bad' from inside it. Talking it through with someone outside the relationship can help you check your read.
High (score 32–48)
You strongly recognise these patterns. This isn't a diagnosis of anyone, but what you're describing lines up closely with how gaslighting is documented — and it's described as a form of emotional abuse, not a communication problem. You deserve support from someone who can hear the whole picture: a therapist, a trusted person outside the situation, or a domestic abuse line (see the FAQs below).
Where this test comes from
This screening is adapted from A pattern screener built from published descriptions of gaslighting by the National Domestic Violence Hotline, Cleveland Clinic and Medical News Today. Gaslighting is not a clinical diagnosis, and no validated questionnaire for it exists — this describes patterns, not a condition. We keep the original questions and validated scoring intact and add plain-language explanations of what each result means. You can read our full process, including how we handle sources and sensitive topics, in how we build our tests.
What to do with your result
Whatever your result, treat it as information, not a verdict. If it resonates, it can be a useful thing to bring to a doctor or mental-health professional — they can see the full picture a short questionnaire can't. Feelings and circumstances change, so retaking the test after a few weeks can also show whether things are shifting over time.
Frequently asked questions
What is gaslighting?
Gaslighting is a form of emotional and psychological abuse in which one person manipulates another into doubting their own memory, perception or sanity. The National Domestic Violence Hotline describes it as an extremely effective form of emotional abuse that causes someone to question their own feelings, instincts and sanity. It typically develops gradually rather than all at once.
Am I being gaslit, or am I just being difficult?
That question is itself one of the most commonly described effects of gaslighting — self-doubt is the point of it. This test can't tell you what someone else's intent is, and no online test can. What it can do is show you whether the specific behaviours documented by sources like the National Domestic Violence Hotline and Cleveland Clinic are showing up repeatedly for you. A pattern matters more than any single incident.
Is gaslighting a mental illness or a diagnosis?
No. Gaslighting describes a behaviour one person directs at another — it is not a diagnosis, and it does not appear in the DSM-5. There is no officially validated clinical questionnaire for it, which is why this test is built from published expert descriptions rather than a scored medical instrument.
Where does the word gaslighting come from?
From Gas Light, a 1938 British play, and the 1944 film Gaslight. In the story, a husband manipulates his wife into believing she is losing her mind — including by dimming the gas lights and insisting she is imagining it — so he can search for her family's jewels.
Can gaslighting happen outside romantic relationships?
Yes. It is most often discussed in the context of romantic partners, but the same patterns are described between parents and children, among friends, and in workplaces between colleagues or a manager and their report.
What are the effects of being gaslit?
Commonly described effects include persistent self-doubt, confusion, anxiety, isolation and depression, and losing your sense of what is real. Cleveland Clinic notes gaslighting can create or compound conditions like anxiety and depression, which can lock someone into a cycle of abuse.
Where can I get help if this is happening to me?
In the US, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 on 1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788. In the UK, the National Domestic Abuse Helpline is 0808 2000 247. In India, the women's helpline is 181. A therapist can also help you rebuild trust in your own perception — you do not need to be in physical danger to deserve support.
Is the Am I Being Gaslit? Test free?
Yes — completely free. No signup, no email, and no paywall. Healthio+ is supported by advertising, which is what keeps every test free to take.
Is this test anonymous, and is my data saved?
It's fully anonymous. Your answers are scored entirely in your browser and are never sent to us or stored anywhere. We keep only an anonymous count of how many people take each test, plus which browser family was used and which site you arrived from — never who took it or how they answered.
Is this test a diagnosis?
No. This is a screening tool for self-reflection, not a medical or psychological diagnosis. No online test can diagnose you. If your result resonates, consider speaking with a qualified doctor or mental-health professional.
How long does this test take?
About three minutes. It has 12 questions and gives you an instant result the moment you finish.
What is this test based on?
A pattern screener built from published descriptions of gaslighting by the National Domestic Violence Hotline, Cleveland Clinic and Medical News Today. Gaslighting is not a clinical diagnosis, and no validated questionnaire for it exists — this describes patterns, not a condition.