Psychology Facts

▼ Stockholm Syndrome ▼

Hope you all enjoy!! I kept thinking of Stockholm syndrome by one direction while writing this

》Stockholm syndrome is a psychological response / coping mechanism that occurs when hostages or abuse victims bond with their captors or abusers.

》Stockholm syndrome isn't a psychological diagnosis. Instead, it is a way of understanding the emotional response some people have towards a captor or abuser.

》Sometimes people who are held prisoner or are subject to abuse can have feelings of sympathy or other positive feelings toward the captor. This seems to happen over days, weeks, months, or years of captivity and close contact to the captor. 
A bond can grow between the victim and the captor. This can lead to kind treatment and less harm from the abuser as they might also create a positive bond with their victims.

》Someone who has Stockholm syndrome might have confusing feelings toward the abuser, including:

Love
Sympathy
Empathy
Desire to protect them
Stockholm syndrome might also cause the hostage to have negative feelings toward the police or anyone who might try to attempt a rescue.

》Though the disorder had been around for centuries, it wasn't named until 1973 when two men held four people, hostage, for 6 days after a bank robbery in Stockholm, Sweden. After the hostages were released, they refused to testify against their captors and even began raising money for their defense.

》Some key pieces seem to increase the likelihood of a Stockholm syndrome. These include:

Being in an emotionally charged situation for a long time

Being in a shared space with the hostage-taker with poor conditions (e.g. not enough food, physically uncomfortable space)

When hostages are dependent on a hostage-taker for basic needs

When threats to life are not carried out (e.g. mock executions)

When hostages haven't been dehumanized

》Some famous kidnappings have resulted in high profile episodes of Stockholm syndrome including:

Patty Hearst

Natascha Kampusch

Mary McElroy

》In today's world, there are many unknowing people currently experiencing the syndrome in their relationships including:

Sport coaching

Abusive relationships.

Child abuse

Sex trafficking trade

》Stockholm syndrome isn't listed as a formal mental health diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM–5). People who have this syndrome seem to have some other common symptoms, though:‌

Embarrassment about their emotions toward an abuser

Confusion

Guilt

Difficulty trusting others

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Nightmares

Insomnia

Flashbacks

Startling easily

》After abuse or being held captive, they might also have many other symptoms, including:
Denial
Social withdrawal
Chronic feeling of tension
Feelings of emptiness
Feelings of hopelessness
Depression
Anxiety
Learned helplessness
Excessive dependence
Loss of interest in activities

》If you feel you have Stockholm syndrome or know someone who might, you should speak to a therapist. Therapy can help you through recovery, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression.

》If you believe you or someone you know has developed Stockholm syndrome, you can find help. In the short term, counseling or psychological treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder can help alleviate the immediate issues associated with recoveries, such as anxiety and depression.