Sometimes I post entries that are a bit uncomfortable to read about, will not produce any laughter and I do not accompany them with any cute videos or songs. Today is one of these.
We have all known people in our lives that display the “Victim Mentality” (let me shorten this to “VM”). VM is an acquired personality trait in which a person tends to recognize or consider themselves as a victim of the negative actions of other people or outside circumstances. At its core, a victim mentality is a form of avoidance. It’s a way of saying, “I refuse to take any responsibility for myself or my life.”
Here are 4 signs that you may have VM:
1. You Catastrophize All Your Problems
Individuals who catastrophize problems are always thinking the worst. Catastrophizing your problems is when you allow yourself to believe that even the smallest inconveniences are the end of the world.
2. You Feel Powerless
One of the hardest things to deal with when you live with a victim mentality is feeling helpless. When bad things happen, it’s easy to feel like you have no control over the situation.
3. You Engage in Negative Self-Talk
Self-doubt is intimately connected to victimhood. Once someone falls for the victim mentality, they will subconsciously self-sabotage their best efforts so that they are congruent with their conscious mind.
If you believe that you aren’t worthy, you will always feel as if the world is out to get you. Destructive beliefs will nourish victim behavior to the point where putting yourself down becomes a norm. It will be hard to stay motivated in life when you’re always talking down on yourself.
4. You Think That the World Is Out to Get You
If you feel like the world is constantly trying to hurt you or make you miserable, you know that you have spiraled into victimhood.
To the weight control arena: Having VM will very much negatively impact your ability to lose weight and keep that weight off. There is NO doubt that outside factors such as aging, slowing metabolism, concurrent medical conditions, etc. will make losing weight quite difficult. HOWEVER, despite these roadblocks and challenges, we can all rise above this and still succeed.
If you believe that you have VM, then steps should be taken to reverse this. A good start would be to visit your doctor (or me if you do not have one!) to talk this through.
