[Gaslighting](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaslighting) since the advent of social media has become a political topic especially in todays world of organised disinformation and alt-truth. How does Christianity view this? Has there been any papal encyclical directly confronting this? Or if not, can something be said from encyclicals that indirectly touch upon it.

There's this article about narcissists, written from a Christian perspective, ending with claims about how ACONS can honor their nparents . One is: > We honor them by insisting that they get the professional help that they need, before they have anymore contact with us & our family members. **Question: Would the Catholic Church agree with that?** What I tried: Google shows a lot of articles about Catholicism/Christianity and narcissism, but I don't know which ones are (Catholic and) official/officially endorsed. Note: This may extends to abusive parents in general, whether or not they are narcissists. I think it would be a good partial answer to answer in the general case. Maybe it's not really different from the specific case of narcissists, hehe. --- **ETA 1**: Based on the now deleted Mormon answer provided (by JBH, iirc), it seems the answer is likely. (**Update**: See the Mormon answer .) > In general, yes, but the precise actions to be taken during estrangement or steps to be taken to become estranged or, in the first place, whether or not to become estranged must be decided with advice from a religious or mental health professional/s such as priests, psychologists, psychiatrists, etc. Or simply > Probably yes, but definitely seek professional advice. My guess then is that this question instead falls under a broader range of questions to which the answer is either of the above. What range of questions could this be? I'm thinking now of some church document or section entitled 'On matters pertaining to mental health, etc' --- **ETA 2**: Guess we're not ready for Catholicism SE (unlike how we've been ready for statistics SE and how we might be ready for operations research SE ) > I'm disappointed that none of our Catholic participants have been able to contribute an answer. Even a link to a Catholic social services organization would have helped.

In old age due to dementia a person can become irritable and abusive, wholly unlike their prior self. As a married person will have taken vows to be faithful; what guidance is there to a spouse in the instance their partner becomes abusive? I bring up dementia as an example as the persons behaviour maybe completely outside of their own will. Does the Catholic Church have some sort of official guidelines on how to deal with these issues in mental health situations and/or pastoral care training for priests?

Same question as [here](https://christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/46565) but Mormon instead of Catholic. --- **Edit**: Okay fine I'll try to make this self-contained. There's this article about narcissists, written from a Christian perspective, ending with claims about how ACONS can honor their nparents . One is: > We honor them by insisting that they get the professional help that they need, before they have anymore contact with us & our family members. Would the LDS/Mormon Church agree with that? Google (probably) shows a lot of articles about LDS/Mormon Church and narcissism, but I didn't bother to check because I already checked for Catholicism and narcissism, and someone in the other question has an answer for the LDS/Mormon Church. More context: Based on the deleted Mormon answer provided (by JBH, iirc) [in the other post](https://christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/46565) , it seems the answer is likely > In general, yes, but the precise actions to be taken during estrangement (**EDIT**: the estrangement is not necessarily permanently/forever) or steps to be taken to become estranged or, in the first place, whether or not to become estranged must be decided with advice from a religious or mental health professional/s such as priests, psychologists, psychiatrists, etc. Or simply > Probably yes, but definitely seek professional advice. My guess then is that this question instead falls under a broader range of questions to which the answer is either of the above. What range of questions could this be? I'm thinking now of some church document or section entitled 'On matters pertaining to mental health, etc'

We are created in the image and likeness of God, and are therefore acting in accordance with our true nature when we strive for self-emptying love, as we imitate God and Christ in so striving. However, because we are finite and fallen, and subject to original sin, it is impossible for us to love in the way that God, who is infinite, loves. We suffer terribly because of this inadequacy. According to Catholic doctrine, does our continuing to try to give in this way predispose us to abuse by others in this life because we give too much of ourselves, even when our intention is to give to God by giving to others? Abused partners caught in abusive relationships have a quality of never turning from the abuser, despite all of the pain given by the abuser to the abused. There is a great danger of seeing an abusive relationship as a sort of martyrdom. What is the Catholic Church's position on abusive relationships? Does the Catholic Church teach that partners should stay in abusive relationships and continue to love the abuser because we are called to find God (the Other) in the other, and as a martyrdom in the footsteps of Christ? Or are abusive relationships manifestations of our trying to love another person as though that person were God, which is some form of idolatry? I would appreciate an insightful answer on this topic, to see if Catholic doctrine can clarify things.

I know that divorce is frowned upon by God. There are exceptions to this, abuse being one of them, along with adultery. However, when one reads through the Bible, "marital unfaithfulness" gets thrown into the mix. I have run across items referring to this aspect from Matthew here: "What is the exception clause? " Another with several translations is on biblehub.com . So it looks like there are two separate entries: Matthew 5:32 and Matthew 19:9 . Would "marital unfaithfulness" encompass emotional abandonment? I do not refer to one of the partners having an emotional affair, but more along the lines of just not being there for their spouse emotionally. Or does this fall more along the lines of abuse, and does God see emotional abuse as he does physical abuse, as wrong?

Some Christians teach that it is acceptable to divorce a physically abusive spouse. Some would even say that someone in that situation *should* do so. What is the Biblical basis for this? Society would generally say that the sane response would be to divorce an abusive spouse. I'm trying to find scriptural support for this, but the only related verses I can find say "Do not divorce" or "If you divorce and remarry, it's adultery."