8 Behaviors That Indicate A Victim Mentality
Do you know the signs of a victim mentality? Learn to identify them, what they say about the person, and whether you own any of them.
Most people try to surround themselves with people who are mental health supporters and who exude positive energy when spending time with them. However, some take advantage of your good nature and helpfulness because they have a high victim mentality .
Negative people are far from making you happy. They steal your energy with their negative thoughts and problems.
There is nothing wrong with helping someone when they need it. However, it’s also important to know if this person really needs your support or is just trying to manipulate you.
Because of your good nature, some people begin to portray themselves as victims. They do this to inspire compassion and to avoid having to be responsible.
This behavior leads them to hold other people responsible for all kinds of things. They can hardly solve any of their problems in life as they always find someone to listen.
Because of this, it is important to know how these people behave and what strategies they are using to get you to step in and help.
Learn to recognize the following 8 signals of a victim mentality .
8 signs of a victim mentality
1. They believe the whole world is against them
While many people are unaware of this, the people who play the victim role often have a mentality that leads them to twist reality into something dark and pessimistic.
They constantly go on the defensive believing that everyone is against them.
They often complain that no one loves them or that no one is able to understand what they are going through.
2. You take no responsibility
The inability to take personal responsibility is one of the primary behaviors for those who play the victim role.
They strongly believe that others should help them and that it is owed to them.
This makes it easier for them to ignore their own role in relation to their problem. Hence , they point at other people no matter what the consequences.
They can even get so manipulative that they will blame you for not being able to help them when you’ve just gained their trust.
3. They exaggerate in describing their problems
As the saying goes, they make “a lot of wind about nothing”.
They feel fragile and exaggerate in describing their problems or any situation they don’t like.
Since they always want to be pitied, they start to cry or get angry at the alleged attacker, making him feel bad and apologize.
4. They think bad things will happen to them
Talking to these people can be really exhausting. Not only because they are always negative, but also because each of their stories is a tragedy.
They will keep telling you how bad things are for them, how bad their families are, or how badly other people treat them.
Therefore, they never realize the possibilities that can arise from adversity and misfortune. They completely resist the idea that anything can be improved if you work hard for it.
5. You never apologize
Most of the time, when a person with a victim mentality apologizes, they don’t mean it. They very rarely recognize their mistakes and only apologize to those who are affected by them.
Their ability to manipulate is so strong that they always find a way to justify themselves and always end up being the “good person”.
6. You feel sorry for yourself
People who are used to being victims show strong self-doubt and are good at displaying their mistakes.
Their habit of feeling sorry for themselves makes them appear helpless and fragile to others.
If they fail to show compassion or empathy, they use that to comfort themselves and limit themselves more and more in their victim mentality.
7. You believe that life is full of mistakes
Even when something good happens to them, victims with a victim mentality always find faults in order to continue with their negative and toxic attitudes.
In her opinion, despite the opportunities that arise in her life, life is always full of flaws. They cannot and will not find happiness no matter what they do.
When they have something, they complain about it. On the other hand, they also complain when they don’t have it. When they lack something or when someone else has more of something, they complain too.
This locks them in a circle that keeps them from overcoming the feeling that tells them they are missing something.
8. They are spiteful people
In order to continue to suffer, victims will keep reminding themselves of past situations in which someone inflicted personal pain on them.
They are unable to forget about things that hurt them. Therefore, they use every opportunity to bring them back to the present.
Do you know someone with this behavior pattern? Be careful. Even if you are very close and want to help the person, it is important to remember that many of their actions are controlled by old habits and that they are difficult to break.
Don’t let these people steal your energy and stay out of their problems so as not to be manipulated.
