Gaslighting:

Gaslighting is a narcissistic defense strategy involving manipulation over time. The narcissist causes its victims to question the validity of their thoughts, perception of reality, or memories. By design, it leads to confusion, loss of confidence and self-esteem, uncertainty, emotional or mental instability, and dependency. Gaslighting can be subtle or extreme and come from a romantic partner, a child or parent, friends, or medical people. On a societal scale, gaslighting can deny the existence of structural biases. While always manipulative, it’s not always intentionally abusive. More serious gaslighting could be a partner deleting texts or emails and denying they ever existed. With parent and child, gaslighting often happens alongside serious forms of emotional, physical, or sexual abuse. Also see Idealization and Devaluation