Cawing Out the Truth Blog 1-Gaslighting and Narcissistic Abuse in the Blanchard Case: Unpacking the Tactics
Gaslighting and Narcissistic Abuse in the Blanchard Case: Unpacking the Tactics
When people think of gaslighting in the Blanchard case, they often immediately assume Dee Dee was the perpetrator. The widely accepted story is that she lied about Gypsy’s illnesses, forced her into unnecessary medical treatments, and convinced the world her daughter was sick when she wasn’t.
But this version of events ignores the medical evidence that proves Gypsy did have a genetic disorder—1q21.1 microdeletion syndrome—which explains all of her health conditions. It ignores that all of her procedures were medically necessary, and that Gypsy herself has admitted to taking medications and using a wheelchair for mobility issues.
So, if Dee Dee wasn’t fabricating Gypsy’s illnesses, then who is actually doing the gaslighting?
👉 Gypsy and Kristy have worked tirelessly to convince the world that Gypsy was never sick, that all of her diagnoses were a lie, and that medical records from Louisiana were mysteriously “lost” or “destroyed.”
Yet, those records were never missing.
Dr. Steele had them.
Dr. Flasterstein had them.
Dr. Beckerman had them.
Every doctor who treated Gypsy in Missouri had access to her full medical history (Yet several indicate that they can’t get the records even though Steele & Beckerman were the referring doctors not providing them to the doctors that needed them. There was no hold on them as Kristy has claimed. No records were ever hidden or destroyed. So why have Gypsy and Kristy continued to push this lie?
Because admitting the truth—that Gypsy really was sick—would unravel the entire narrative they have built to justify Dee Dee’s murder.
Gaslighting: Who Is the Real Perpetrator?
While Dee Dee’s actions may seem like the definition of gaslighting, especially in how she manipulated public perception of Gypsy’s illnesses, there’s another layer to this manipulation that can’t be ignored. Gaslighting doesn’t just involve creating doubt in the victim’s mind; it involves distorting the truth in a way that shifts the responsibility and creates an alternate reality. According to a study in Psychology of Violence (Anderson, 2019), the gaslighter manipulates the victim’s perception to deflect responsibility for the harm they’ve caused. This is exactly what Gypsy and Kristy have done—they’ve manipulated the narrative to make Dee Dee out to be the sole abuser, even when medical and psychological evidence tell a different story.
The importance of gaslighting in abusive dynamics cannot be overstated. Psychological Trauma and Recovery (Brown & Gilman, 2018) discusses how gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse that ultimately shifts the victim’s perception of reality, leading them to question their own memory, judgment, and even their identity. This is precisely what Gypsy did after her mother’s death—she systematically rewrote her history to discredit Dee Dee and remove herself from the responsibility of her actions.
Narcissistic Abuse: The Need for Control
Another misconception about this case is that Dee Dee was the narcissist in the story. But the traits typically associated with narcissistic abuse—rewriting history, manipulating others for personal gain, and refusing to accept responsibility—are much more evident in Gypsy’s actions post-murder.
Control Through Rewritten History
One of the hallmarks of narcissistic abuse is controlling the narrative—forcing others to accept a version of reality that serves the abuser’s needs. Gypsy’s ever-changing story is a perfect example of this.
In 2015, she claimed she was a helpless victim who had no choice but to kill her mother.
By 2017, she started taking more credit for orchestrating the crime—but still framed herself as manipulated by Nick.
In 2023, she completely rebranded herself—going from ‘poor, disabled victim’ to ‘strong, independent survivor’ who was never really sick at all.
Each version of Gypsy’s story is carefully designed to fit the public image she needs at the time.
First, she needed the public to see her as innocent to avoid a harsher sentence. Now that she’s out of prison, she needs the public to see her as a victim of wrongful incarceration so she can sell books, reality shows, and speaking engagements.
The facts haven’t changed—but Gypsy’s narrative has, over and over again.
👉 That’s classic narcissistic manipulation.
Narcissistic Supply and the Need for Control
The concept of “narcissistic supply” is central to understanding why Gypsy would repeatedly change her narrative. Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment (Smith, 2020) defines narcissistic supply as the validation a narcissist seeks from external sources, whether through admiration, sympathy, or power. In Gypsy’s case, by shifting her story from helpless victim to independent survivor, she secures attention and adoration that feeds her need for validation and, ultimately, control over her narrative.
This manipulation fits with the pattern of narcissistic behavior outlined in The International Journal of Social Psychiatry (Miller & Smith, 2018), which suggests that narcissists often use others as a means to reinforce their self-worth. Gypsy has redefined herself over the years to maintain her public image, ensuring that the narrative serves her need for control and external validation—whether through media appearances, books, or public speeches.
The Real Impact of Gypsy’s Gaslighting
The damage caused by Gypsy’s gaslighting goes far beyond just shifting public perception. She has actively destroyed the reputation of people who have told the truth.
She has discredited doctors who treated her and proved she was sick.
She has convinced people that Dee Dee was a monstrous abuser rather than a mother who struggled but ultimately cared for her daughter.
She has manipulated law enforcement, journalists, and even her supporters into believing her ever-changing versions of the story.
The result? A massive cover-up of the real facts.
Psychological studies on gaslighting indicate that the long-term consequences of such manipulation can be devastating for both the victim and the public. According to the Journal of Family Violence (Jones & Silver, 2021), gaslighting can lead to confusion, emotional trauma, and even re-traumatization for those who have been manipulated, while also distorting the perceptions of those outside the abusive situation, such as the public or professionals who might otherwise intervene.
Dee Dee is seen as a villain, despite there being no legal or medical evidence to prove she committed medical child abuse.
Doctors who actually diagnosed and treated Gypsy are seen as incompetent or complicit in abuse.
Kristy, Rod, and the media have profited off of this false narrative while pretending to be the ‘truth tellers.’
But the truth is still there—buried beneath layers of deception, waiting to be exposed.
Conclusion: Breaking Free from the Lies
It’s time to start asking the hard questions about Gypsy Rose Blanchard.
If she was never really sick, why do her medical records prove otherwise?
If Dee Dee was an abuser, why was there never an official medical abuse diagnosis or criminal investigation?
If Gypsy had “no other option” but to kill her mother, why did she continue lying and manipulating others long after Dee Dee was dead?
The real gaslighting in this case isn’t coming from Dee Dee. It’s coming from Gypsy, Kristy, and those who have pushed this false narrative for years.
👉 The truth doesn’t change. But liars always do.
And Gypsy’s lies? They’ve changed more times than we can count.
Stay tuned as we continue breaking down the falsehoods in Gypsy’s narrative. For more deep-dive analysis, visit thegoodwivesnetwork.com and listen to Gathering of the Crows.
References
Anderson, C. (2019). Gaslighting and its impact on victim perception in abusive relationships: A critical review. Psychology of Violence, 9(4), 487-499. https://doi.org/10.1037/vio0000234
Brown, L., & Gilman, S. (2018). Psychological trauma and recovery: Examining the effects of narcissistic abuse and gaslighting. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 10(1), 49-57. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0000194
Jones, M., & Silver, S. (2021). The long-term effects of gaslighting in intimate partner relationships: Psychological trauma and societal impact. Journal of Family Violence, 36(3), 211-225. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-020-00188-6
Kernberg, O. F. (2016). Narcissistic personality disorder: Understanding and treating a pervasive mental disorder. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 77(4), 597-602. https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.15r10302
Miller, J. D., & Smith, L. (2018). The narcissistic personality: The role of manipulation and control in maintaining self-worth. The International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 64(3), 222-228. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020764018764489
Smith, A. (2020). Narcissistic personality disorder: Symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. Psychiatric Times. https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/narcissistic-personality-disorder-symptoms-diagnosis-and-treatment
True Crime Tour with Fancy – A Weekend to Die For
Get ready for an unforgettable weekend of true crime, mystery, and intrigue with Fancy Macelli and The Good Wives’ Network crew! Whether you’re joining us for general ticketed events or treating yourself to the exclusive VIP experience, this is your chance to dive deep into true crime storytelling like never before.
Depending on the city, events will span Thursday and Friday or Saturday and Sunday, with thrilling activities, personal interactions, and a heartfelt remembrance for Dee Dee Blanchard.
General Ticketed Events
- Candlelight Vigil: Honor Dee Dee Blanchard with a moving vigil.
- Murder Mystery Dinner: A thrilling true crime-themed dinner.
- Book Reading & Signing: Fancy reads from The Companion 2 and signs books.
- True Crime Show: A deep dive into true crime cases with Fancy.
VIP Experience
Includes a luxury party bus tour, personal meet-and-greet, signed book bundles, and an exclusive brunch with Fancy Macelli. Coming Soon Check back for details.
Fancy Macelli and her team’s work can be seen in our 8-part series with InTouch Magazine, The Reelz Channel’s Copycat Killers, A&E’s Killer Cases Season 1 Episode 6 (for which we were listed as contributors), and on our 13-episode The Good Wives’ Guide to True Crime podcast available on all major podcast platforms. You can find more information about us at thegoodwivesnetwork.com as well as on all social media platforms under @thegoodwivesnet.
Alongside her partners Mack and Sara, Fancy has also launched the non-profit Stop the Cycle of Abuse Program (SCOAP) to combat intimate partner violence.
Fancy and her team are currently working on a documentary entitled, Gypsy Rose & Nick, America’s Sweetheart Murderers. Their upcoming tell-all book of their 7-year journey with the De Dee Blanchard case gives a very personal look into what happened on June 15, 2015, in the town of Springfield, MO and more. It is entitled, It’s All a Distraction: Our 7-Year Journey of Investigating the Life, Crimes, & Murder of De Dee Blanchard. But the newest book in our collection on the Murder of Dee Dee Blanchard is Creating a Narrative: How Gypsy Rose the Murder, Her Con Artist Family, Her Lawyer, & the Media Rewrote The Truth in the Murder of Dee Dee Blanchard -Part 1, unpacks all the lies that have been told over the last 10 years. Check out our first three books covering our Original 2019 Podcast on Amazon, and on in our shop, where you can get signed copies.
