Adviсe
- Main signs of Stockholm syndrome
- Who is susceptible to Stockholm syndrome?
- Development of Stockholm syndrome
- Stockholm syndrome in the family
- Everyday Stockholm syndrome: spouses
- Everyday Stockholm syndrome: fathers and children
- Treatment of Stockholm syndrome
- From the history of the concept
This phrase is heard quite often. But not everyone knows what it means. What is Stockholm syndrome? This is a psychological condition where the victim falls in love with his captor . This syndrome is also called Swedish, Munich, Scandinavian, Brussels and Copenhagen syndrome. The main indicator of a person with this syndrome is his interest in the fate of the kidnapper. At court hearings, the victim gives acquittal testimony and demands a reduced sentence. She often hires a lawyer herself, visits her in prison, and performs other similar actions. When hostages protect a terrorist, this is Stockholm syndrome.
Main signs of Stockholm syndrome
During the capture, the victim activates a kind of protective psychological mechanism. She wants to please the criminal and commits actions that are compatible with criminal behavior. This will allow the terrorist to perceive the victim in a positive light and not harm her.
For the victim, release becomes a potentially dangerous event that should not be allowed under any circumstances. The likelihood of getting a bullet in the forehead doubles: either during liberation activities by the police, or from the criminal himself, at a time when he has nothing to lose. Over time, being with the criminal, the victim learns more about him: about his problems, hopes and aspirations. Doubts and thoughts arise that the criminal is actually right, and his actions are correct. The prisoner on a subconscious level is immersed as if in a game, a dream. He accepts the rules of this game. In them, the captors are people who want to achieve justice, and those who rescue the hostages are completely to blame for the situation and what happens to the terrorists and the victim.
Symptoms
Signs of the “classic” form of pathology:
- Prolonged exposure of the victim to captivity leads to the appearance of horror, fear, anger and shock. The hostage cannot express his emotions correctly and begins to perceive the terrorist’s actions in his favor.
- The identification of the parties occurs due to the hostage’s desire to receive the protection of the criminal. The victim is confident that the offender will not harm and will accept any help.
- The hostages admire the kidnapper, protect him, try to please him, and obstruct the rescue operation.
- The victim takes the enemy’s side, realizing that it is safer. If rescue efforts do not go according to plan, this may negatively affect their health and life. If he does not suffer at the hands of the enemy, a threat from the liberator may arise.
- As a result of prolonged contact between the parties, the victim begins to perceive the aggressor as an ordinary person and share his point of view with great confidence.
- The victim refuses to testify against his abusers.
- Hostages do not run away from their captors, even if the opportunity arises.
- For the hostages, the events taking place seem like a dream or a black streak in life that must end.
Manifestations of the everyday variant of the pathology:
- Women, despite insults, violence, daily beatings and insults, feel affection for their tyrant,
- Children idealize their parents, who deprive them of their will and do not give them full development,
- The psychological type of “suffering victim” is characteristic of people who were “disliked” in childhood, with a complex of “second-classness” and unworthiness, who were not taken into account, beaten and morally oppressed,
- The victim is trying to come to terms with what is happening, not to contradict the aggressor, so that anger is replaced by mercy,
- Constant defense and justification of your offender.
Who is susceptible to Stockholm syndrome?
Stockholm syndrome comes from childhood. This problem most often concerns people who are disliked by mom and dad . Such a child was not taken into account, constantly snapped at, not perceived as a full-fledged member of the family, beaten and morally oppressed.
The victim tries once again not to say a word against his offender, believing that in this way there will be less aggression on his part. At the same time, violence towards her is perceived as an action that must take place, and cannot be done without it in the current situation. Experiencing torment, both physical and psychological, the victim still justifies the offender.
Still from the film Beauty and the Beast, 2021. Many believe that Belle exhibited Stockholm syndrome towards the Beast.
One of the reasons why a person is susceptible to Stockholm syndrome is previous experience of physical or psychological bullying . The psyche is disturbed, so the subconscious rearranges information in such a way that violence is a necessary punishment for some sins.
Stockholm syndrome - causes
Many researchers, psychologists and criminologists do not fully understand the cause of Stockholm syndrome. Some continue to debate whether it even exists. However, experts believe that Stockholm syndrome can develop if:
- the kidnapper treats his victims humanely
- captives and captors have significant interaction, allowing them to become close to each other
- prisoners believe that law enforcement officers do not do their job well enough
Development of Stockholm syndrome
This syndrome cannot develop spontaneously out of nowhere; a number of reasons are required for its “activation”:
Being in a confined space with a criminal side by side and one on one. Intense fear of the offender. It seems to the victim that there are no ways of salvation in this situation, and she resigns herself to this state of affairs. After a while, the hostage begins to like the terrorist, and in the end it may happen that the victim falls in love with the maniac. The victim ceases to recognize himself as a person. He completely dissolves in the aggressor, feeling his needs, needs and problems as his own. In this way, the human body adapts to the problem in order to be able to survive in the most difficult and unbearable situation.
Stockholm syndrome - examples
Although Stockholm Syndrome takes its name from the infamous bank robbery in Sweden in 1973, similar events have occurred before.
Mary McElroy (1933)
Four decades before the Normalmstorg bank robbery, four men kidnapped Mary McElroy. The kidnappers released her after receiving the $30,000 ransom they demanded. Although Mary McElroy agreed that her captors should be punished, she sympathized with them and even visited them in prison.
Patty Hearst (1974)
Shortly after the Stockholm Incident, members of a left-wing paramilitary group called the United Federated Symbiotic Liberation Army Forces kidnapped 19-year-old Patty Hearst from her apartment in Berkeley, California. Twelve days after the abduction, Hearst was involved in a bank robbery along with members of the group. According to Hearst, they forced her to join them. The FBI arrested Hearst on September 18, 1975, 18 months after the abduction. Hirst received 7 years in prison. President Jimmy Carter commuted her sentence in 1979, and she eventually received a pardon.
Natasha Kampusch (1998)
In 1998, Wolfgang Priklopil kidnapped 10-year-old Natascha Kampush and isolated her in a basement for more than 8 years. Priklopil beat her and threatened her with death; he also bought her gifts and fed her. Kampusch cried when she learned that Priklopil had committed suicide.
In an interview with the
Guardian , Kampusch said: "I find it quite natural that you adapt to identifying with your captor, especially if you spend a lot of time with that person."
Stockholm syndrome in the family
You see a smiling couple on the street: a young man and woman, they look happy and satisfied with life. However, the first impression is not always true. Often, under the guise of such prosperity, physical or psychological violence within the family is hidden. Everyday Stockholm syndrome in family relationships is not uncommon.
With this disease, the victim does not feel like a victim at all; on the contrary, she remains faithful to her offender, protects him in every possible way and justifies his actions with her past mistakes. Treatment will require the help of a psychiatrist; you cannot cope with this problem on your own. Such things happen not only between husband and wife, but also between parents and their children.
Many women who are beaten by their husbands are susceptible to Stockholm syndrome.
Stockholm syndrome: what is it in psychology
Let's figure out what Stockholm syndrome is and how it can affect everyday life.
Stockholm syndrome, in simple words in psychology, is a term that describes the relationship between an aggressor and a victim, which can be one-sided or mutual sympathy. Authorship is attributed to criminologist Niels Beyeroth.
This includes victims of a rapist, terrorist hijacking, kidnapping and other types of violence. Don’t forget about the everyday Stockholm syndrome, which affects many more people than you might think. There is also a “corporate” version of the syndrome, which includes dictatorial relationships at work.
Simply put, the victim, against the backdrop of a strong experience, begins to justify the aggressor, sympathize with him or identify himself with him.
However, Stockholm syndrome is not usually included in any classification of mental disorders. It is generally accepted that this syndrome is a normal human reaction to a traumatic event.
Everyday Stockholm syndrome: spouses
Of course, not everyone knows what Stockholm syndrome is in a family. This phenomenon is not so common everywhere. Domestic violence harms not only the victim herself, but also everyone around her. Close people know about what is happening, but in fact they cannot do anything. The victim falls into deep depression, his will is suppressed, the person loses his “I”.
The most popular and clear example of Stockholm syndrome is the beating of a wife by her husband. It is not clear to those around her that the woman’s position is that she remains close to her husband, continues to live with him, as if nothing was happening. Why is that? Why doesn’t she leave after the first such incident?
Many of them make excuses by saying that they did not know a comfortable life with their husband, children should be raised in a complete family, but what will others say and other similar excuses?
In fact, it is Stockholm syndrome in all its colorful manifestations that affects the mind in a similar way. Only a doctor or strong enough personal motivation can help.
Children growing up in such families become victims a priori. They see a negative connotation in everything, even when the attitude towards them is positive. Such people grow up depressed, looking for constant injustice, which is necessarily directed in their direction.
Stockholm syndrome can occur in children of a parent who suffered beatings
History of the origin of the term Stockholm syndrome
The origin of the term “Stockholm syndrome” dates back to 1973. This year, in August, an operation to free hostages at Sveriges Kreditbank took place in Stockholm.
Jan-Erik Olsson, released from prison, seized the bank and took four bank employees hostage: three women and a man. At the request of the invader, his cellmate Clark Olofsson was brought to the bank.
During the hostage takeover, the hostages called Prime Minister Olof Palma and demanded that the criminals fulfill the conditions, and a gas attack was also carried out. As a result, the invaders surrendered, but the former hostages suddenly began to defend their offenders.
According to some reports, they hired lawyers for Olsson and Olafsson. Psychiatrist Nils coined the term Norrmalmstorgssyndromet (Norrmalmstorg syndrome) to explain the behavior of the hostages, which later transformed into “Stockholm syndrome.”
During the trial, Olofsson was cleared of all charges and released. Once free, he met one of the hostages, and they became family friends. The second offender was sentenced to 10 years in prison. However, during his imprisonment he also received letters of admiration.
Everyday Stockholm syndrome: fathers and children
In family relationships, children are often susceptible to Stockholm syndrome. Those children who are not the only ones and have other brothers and sisters believe that they are loved less than others; children who are beaten and really disliked and humiliated in every possible way. The situation is complicated by the fact that a child is a small person; he cannot in any way influence the situation and the events that happen to him. Therefore, this disease remains with him until the end of his life. Such a child proves to his parents that he is worthy of their attention, worthy of love and affection, but if his attempts fail, he will begin to think that he is not like everyone else, worse, ugly, stupid, etc.
Syndrome in everyday life situations
All situations of domestic violence (physical or mental) can develop along these lines, especially when they are prolonged or repeated.
The victim will eventually become attached to the abuser against his will and feel grateful that he did not make things worse for him. A kind of physical attachment develops, a habit of this violence (physical or verbal), a feeling that we have experienced something very strong that connects us with this person.
The same mechanism can be seen in adult sexual violence against a child or even within a couple. In addition, Stockholm syndrome can be found in a family when a perverted personality seizes control over one of its members.
Humiliation or neglect of a spouse has the same effect: we are grateful that he does not go further, that he does not do something much more humiliating for us. There is also a tendency to seek to minimize humiliation, especially when the situation is an integral part of everyday life. We try to find excuses for the humiliating, to accept the unacceptable.
Treatment of Stockholm syndrome
It is almost impossible for someone suffering from Stockholm syndrome to recover on their own. Therefore, psychiatrists or third-party people who can have the same influence, comparable to the power of influence of that same maniac, should come to the rescue. The main problem of people suffering from this disease is that it is difficult or even almost impossible to convince them that the situation is really out of control, and they are being subjected to cruelty. They continue to look for the cause within themselves, delving into their own heads all day long, going even deeper into yourself. Stockholm syndrome is more common in women than in men . This is due to the emotional state and vulnerable soul of the weak half of humanity.
There is only one way out - the victim must be confident in the future, she must see that life goes on, that there are still some other positive moments in it that are worth being distracted for. This will help you get back on your feet and feel a surge of fresh strength.
Often, treatment does not end after a couple of months of conversation with a psychotherapist; usually it takes years of diligent auto-training and drug treatment. But you shouldn’t stop, each person is a separate independent person who should not be led by anyone else.
Still from the film “V for Vendetta”, 2006. Natalie Portman’s heroine at some point began to sympathize with the kidnapper of “V”
Stockholm syndrome: how to get out of it?
1. Realizing that you are under someone’s authority is already good. Recognize that this behavior is not acceptable. Realize that you are gradually accepting the point of view of another, that you are surprised to discover how you even begin to admire this person.
Example: standing up for him when someone else points out that the way we are being treated is not “the norm,” and minimizing the facts when considering the issue, explaining that “it really doesn’t matter.” ” and “things could be much worse.”
2. After realizing this, you need to act, talk to someone from the outside. You can do this with a doctor, spouse, psychologist, friend, relative. This will allow you to hear from someone else that what is happening is not normal, that you are not the only one. This approach will allow you to open your eyes to the seriousness of the situation and take matters into your own hands. Know that there is more than one solution to get out of it. By the way, thinking that there is no way out is one of the signs that you are in the grip of Stockholm syndrome.
3. Next, the goal is to take a certain position, that is, to set boundaries in interaction with this person who is dangerous to you. To do this, you can talk to him essentially, explaining what you are experiencing, presenting extremely specific facts. You can also radically change your behavior to prevent yourself from being treated this way again.
From the history of the concept
Nils Biggeroth is the creator of the very concept of “Stockholm syndrome” . The essence and history of the term “Stockholm syndrome” dates back to 1973. Then the terrorists took hostages in the bank and held them at gunpoint for almost a week. At first everything went according to the standard scenario. But later during the siege, the police were shocked when they realized that the hostages were doing their best to protect their offenders, while preventing them from doing their job. What followed was something completely strange. After the terrorists were taken into custody, the hostages demanded amnesty, and one divorced her husband and swore that she would be faithful to one of the hostages, who had recently threatened to kill her. After some time, the two women “victims” became engaged to their offenders. Since then, the syndrome when the victim falls in love with his tormentor is called Stockholm syndrome.
Stockholm syndrome: history
This phenomenon got its name in honor of an emergency that happened in the Swedish city of Stockholm in 1973 of the last century. Two dangerous criminals tried to rob a bank and took four people hostage. The captured group consisted of one man and three women. For six days the criminals kept people in the bank building, threatening their lives, but periodically allowed them to get up, eat food and move around the premises.
After the operation to free the hostages, the unexpected happened: the women completely sided with the male criminals and even tried to interfere with the police officers taking part in the operation. After the situation was successfully resolved, the former hostages began to stand up for their tormentors, and one of them even divorced her own husband and swore eternal love to the criminal.
Psychiatrist Nils Birgeroth was the first to describe this phenomenon in detail. As a criminologist, Birgeroth took an objective look at the situation and realized that in the minds of the victims, fear was replaced by sympathy: perhaps this was the defensive reaction of the psyche of women exposed to danger and stress for a long time.
How often does the syndrome occur?
In families with an atmosphere of patriarchy, a man - due to the fact that he provides for the family, and therefore “has more power” - can show aggression towards his partner, humiliate, insult her, taking out accumulated anger.
According to Rosstat, every third woman in Russia is subjected to verbal violence. Considering our mentality and the stereotypical attitude of “not washing dirty linen in public,” the real data can be many times larger. Often, abuse is not done with just words—statistics say that every fifth Russian woman has experienced physical violence. Unfortunately, not all women manage to leave abusive partners, so we can say that everyday Stockholm syndrome is common.
How does everyday Stockholm syndrome work?
Being in a stressful situation, our body tries with all its might to free itself from it - we want to leave, break out of the relationship. But if a woman has no one to turn to, nowhere to go, her self-esteem is too low, or she and her husband have children together, the brain turns on another defense mechanism. In order to reduce the harm done to her psyche, a woman will begin to defend the abuser, justify his actions, and find an explanation for every bad word. She loses touch with reality.
A woman who is in an abusive relationship and justifies violence from her partner will unconsciously try to “meet” inadequate demands and hope that then the partner will change his attitude - this is how our brain tries to get rid of stress.
