WHAT IS MEDICAL GASLIGHTING?

The term gaslighting was named Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year in 2022, but it was coined decades earlier, in a 1938 play called Gas Light. The word was originally defined as “psychological manipulation of a person, usually over an extended period of time, that causes the victim to question the validity of their own thoughts, perception of reality, or memories.”

By 2022, that definition had broadened to cover any act of intentionally misleading someone, especially to gain a personal advantage. In its Word of the Year coverage, Merriam-Webster listed the phrase “medical gaslighting” as an example of usage, citing a March 2022 article in The New York Times.

The article discussed patients who felt dismissed by doctors—a growing concern among both patients and the medical community. But many people remain unfamiliar with the term even though they may have experienced the issue firsthand.

CAUSES OF MEDICAL GASLIGHTING

A 2024 commentary in The American Journal of Medicine further defined medical gaslighting as “an act that invalidates a patient’s genuine clinical concern without proper medical evaluation, because of physician ignorance, implicit bias, or medical paternalism.”

However, authors emphasized that medical gaslighting is not motivated by intentional manipulation or willful deceit by doctors. They found that various issues could contribute to medical gaslighting, including:

• A doctor’s lack of knowledge about a disease the patient may have
• Biased or pre-existing ideas about how a disease “should” look in a patient
• A subliminal or unconscious bias about particular patient populations
• A physician’s belief in their own superiority within healthcare knowledge and decision-making

Other experts point to systemic issues in today’s modern medical landscape that interfere with doctor-patient communication, potentially contributing to feelings of gaslighting. A 2023 editorial in the Journal of General Internal Medicine noted these numerous factors outside of a doctor’s control.

For example, physicians experience mounting pressures, like the push for maximum productivity and increasing administrative tasks. Therefore, they may spend less time on direct patient care. As a result, physicians and patients alike may lose confidence in the quality of healthcare provided.

The editorial pointed to a study in which more than two-thirds of primary care medical teams felt that lack of time with patients interfered with screening, diagnosis, or treatment. Meanwhile, patients receiving care from time-strapped providers were more likely to report lower levels of support—which can contribute to feeling gaslit.

Regardless of motive or intent, patients who have been subject to a doctor’s dismissal, misdiagnosis, ignorance, or bias can be left feeling unheard, misunderstood, frustrated, and powerless. And certain populations, such as women and minorities, may be more likely to experience medical gaslighting.

In a 2015 review published in the American Journal of Public Health, 14 of 15 studies found that healthcare professionals exhibited low to moderate levels of implicit racial or ethnic bias. Meanwhile, a survey of nearly 450 women with vulvovaginal disorders, published in 2025, reported that 26.6% of healthcare providers were belittling, and 20.5% did not believe the patient.

Overall, 52.8% of these respondents considered avoiding care because their concerns were not addressed (20.6% were suggested psychiatric help versus medical treatment). More disturbingly, 16.8% felt unsafe, and 39.4% said they were made to feel crazy.

If you’ve ever wondered why women aren’t believed in healthcare settings, this explains it. Lack of knowledge and dismissive behaviors from providers are recurring complaints.