2023-11-05 09:33:31
The dramatic event that gave its name to Stockholm syndrome is 50 years old. ©Freepik
Stockholm syndrome refers to a psychological phenomenon in which a person taken hostage develops an emotional attachment to their captor. This phenomenon, which was first observed in 1973 during a bank hostage situation in Stockholm, Sweden, has since sparked intense interest and much discussion in the field of psychology. This syndrome can extend into a romantic or family circle.
A particular syndrome
The name of the syndrome comes from the event that brought it to light. In August 1973, a gunman took bank employees hostage in Stockholm. During this six-day hostage situation, something very strange happened. Rather than feeling fear or hatred toward their captor, some hostages began to develop a form of emotional attachment to him. They began to defend him, sympathize, listen to his concerns and express compassion towards him. During the trial, none of the victims testified once morest them. In addition, some of them maintained a relationship with their captor or his accomplices. It was following the analysis of the psychiatrist in charge of the case that the name Stockholm syndrome emerged for the first time.
Among the best-known examples of Stockholm syndrome, we might cite the case of Natascha Kampusch. Kidnapped in 1998, the young girl spent eight and a half years locked up in the house of Wolfgang Priklopil, her captor. Finally, Natascha will keep a photo of her kidnapper in her wallet and will even go so far as to buy his house.
The mechanisms of Stockholm syndrome
Several factors can explain the development of Stockholm syndrome. First of all, the person taken hostage is faced with a situation of danger and uncertainty, which can cause great anxiety. In these circumstances, the brain can activate survival mechanisms that include creating a bond with the aggressor to increase the chances of survival. In other words, the hostage can convince himself that his captor is not a threat, which reduces his stress level.
Indeed, Stockholm syndrome manifests itself when several triggers are present or perceived as such by the victim. This usually happens when the victim is in a situation of extreme danger, causing a complete feeling of helplessness. The loss of control in the face of imminent threat causes intense stress, and this is when the prefrontal cortex of the brain, responsible for thinking and reasoning, gives way to the more primitive part of our brain, resulting in an instinctive mode of survival.
Due to the inability of this part of the brain to exercise discernment, a turnaround occurs, causing the victim to perceive the situation the same way as the perpetrator. The emphasis is then placed on the fact that the victim becomes totally dependent on their attacker, the only one who can satisfy their needs. This dependence creates total submission from the victim, who also develops a feeling of gratitude towards the attacker for sparing their life.
This mechanism is reinforced by the isolation of the victim from the outside world, thus creating an imbalance in the relationship.
How to get out of it?
Stockholm syndrome can have long-term consequences for people who suffer from it. They may experience confusion, shame, and guilt because of their conflicting feelings toward their captor.
The first path to recovery for people with this syndrome is awareness. Once this awareness is made, the person can refer to a psychologist or psychiatrist. Despite everything, psychological reconstruction can be long and extend over several years.
Stockholm syndrome in the family circle
Contrary to what one might think, Stockholm syndrome does not only apply in cases of kidnapping. It is enough for one person to exert psychological control over another for this syndrome to appear. Stockholm syndrome reveals itself when, within a relationship, tension and physical or moral violence persist over time due to a power dynamic between a dominant individual and a submissive individual. Thus, we can find it within a couple, a family or at work.
This is often the case when a child suffers physical, sexual or moral violence from one of his parents. Due to his youth, the child lacks reference points and is in the process of defining what is acceptable or not for him. This situation concerns the intimate sphere, he cannot compare himself to other families. By forming an image that excuses his parents, he will create a scenario that exonerates the parent responsible for the abuse, which can gradually lead to the development of Stockholm syndrome.
Without really addressing the case of violence, the functioning is the same in a couple or at work.
If you think you are a victim of a third party, do not be ashamed and do not hesitate to talk regarding it. You can contact a trusted loved one or a professional.
TO KNOW
Lima syndrome is the opposite of Stockholm syndrome: the psychological mechanism is the same, only the roles are reversed. It is regarding the aggressor who feels affection going as far as a romantic feeling towards his victim.
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