Are You a Victim of the Victim Syndrome?

Abstract

Do you know people who always behave like victims? People who blame others when bad things happen to them? And do they blame their family, partner, people at work, or any number of things that they perceive to be victimizing them? The world these people live in appears to be peopled by victims, victimizers, and occasional rescuers. And if you have ever tried helping them, have you discovered that “rescuing” them from the trouble they are in can be an excruciating process? Do you resent the way every bit of advice you offer is brushed aside or rejected, often contemptuously? If any of these observations apply, you may be dealing with people who suffer from the victim syndrome.¹ These are people who always complain about the “bad things that happen” in their lives, due to circumstances beyond their control. Trouble seems to follow them wherever they go.