02/14/2026
Labeling victims of targeted harassment as "schizophrenic" or mentally ill is a recognized tactic used to discredit, isolate, and silence individuals reporting organized stalking, harassment, or federal crimes. This process, often referred to as "gaslighting" or "medical gaslighting," weaponizes mental health to hide abusive actions.
Tactics Used to Cover Up Targeting
Engineering Mental Illness: Perpetrators may use subtle, systematic psychological warfare to provoke a reaction, then use that reaction as "proof" of instability.
DARVO (Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender): Abusers deny the abuse, attack the victim for complaining, and reverse the roles, painting the victim as the aggressor or the mentally unstable party.
Medical Gaslighting: Perpetrators may fake concern, telling friends, family, and employers that they are "worried" about the victim's mental health to isolate them.
Weaponizing Medical Records: Private, sensitive information or previous treatment for stress/trauma caused by the abuse may be used to shame or "expose" the victim.
Engineered 5150s: In extreme cases, abusers may engineer situations to have the victim placed on a psychiatric hold (5150).
