Let me be clear, there is a difference between 1) the phenomenon of actually being a victim of trauma or a tragic event in life (victimization) and. Victim mentality is a psychological term that refers to a type of dysfunctional mindset . What is the Difference Between Victim Mentality and Victim Complex?. Victim mentality is an acquired personality trait in which a person tends to recognize . "Getting "Just Deserts" or Seeing the "Silver Lining": The Relation between Judgments of Immanent and Ultimate Justice". Abstract. PLOS ONE - beta.
Why would anyone choose to be a martyr?
There are families and cultures where martyrdom is encouraged, valued, and expected especially from women. You may have grown up in such a family.
Sam was only five years old. His mom lost her temper and yelled at him, as she often did. Sam started to cry as any five-year-old would. She starts to cry: I never do anything right. His mother would withhold all affection. Sam was valued not for the person he was, but for what he could do for his mother.
Victim mentality - Wikipedia
He could comfort her, he could entertain his sister, and he could bring mom her medicine when she had a headache. Not surprisingly, Sam continues this behavior in adulthood. He does everything for everyone else. After work, he binges on fast food and beer to de-stress and keep his feelings at bay. But Sam can only keep his feelings tucked away for so long.
They start to bubble up as resentments, and then as snide remarks said under his breath, or passive-aggressive moves. For example, he frequently complains to his girlfriend when she has to work late. Sam, like all of us, wants to be loved, accepted, and appreciated.
The opposite of martyrdom is expressing your needs. Foundations[ edit ] In the most general sense, a victim is anyone who experiences injury, loss, or misfortune as a result of some event or series of events.
Individuals may identify as a victim  if they believe that: In order to have this sense, there is the need to perceive the harm as undeserved, unjust and immoral, an act that could not be prevented by the victim. The need to obtain empathy and understanding can then emerge.
The Martyr Complex: How to Stop Feeling Like a Victim and Create Healthy Relationships
In essence, victim mentality is a method of avoiding responsibility and criticism, receiving attention and compassion, and evading feelings of genuine anger. This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
November Learn how and when to remove this template message A victim mentality may manifest itself in a range of different behaviours or ways of thinking and talking: Identifying others as the cause for an undesired situation and denying an personal responsibility for one's own life or circumstances.
Awareness of negative intentions of other people. Believing that other people are generally more fortunate.
Gaining relief from feeling empathy for oneself or receiving empathy from others. It has been typically characterized by attitudes of pessimismself-pityand repressed anger. People with victim mentality may also be generally: