Stockholm Syndrome is one of the most terrifying psychological responses that victims suffer after they have been held captive for extended periods of time. It has been observed in situations as varied as child kidnappings and prisoners of war and there is no widely accepted definition of the disorder. However, there are a few common symptoms that never vary from situation to situation.
Instructions
1. Determine whether the victim has bonded with his abductor. In many cases, a victim of Stockholm Syndrome will develop a co-dependent relationship with his captor and will feel as though they are friends rather than the abuser and abused.
2. Look for signs for anxiety in the victim if she thinks that she is doing something of which her captor would not approve. For example, some victims of Stockholm Syndrome won't use the restroom without asking because their abductors would be angry. It isn't fear of punishment, but fear of disappointing their abusers.
3. Observe the victim during conversations with friends and family. Does he seem to feel out of place and anxious because his captor is not nearby? Stockholm Syndrome engenders a feeling of worthlessness when the victim is away from his abductor, as he has come to depend on that other person for validation.
4. Ask about the victim's time with her abductor. Did she fix meals for the two of them? Did she prepare coffee in the morning for her captor? Another major symptom of Stockholm Syndrome is the compulsion to take care of one's abuser. It almost becomes reminiscent of a parent-child relationship, with the victim being the parent.
5. Determine whether the victim resisted his rescue by police or other authorities. Did he ask to stay with his captor, or did he leave willingly? Most victims of Stockholm Syndrome are terrified of change and are unwilling to leave their abductors despite the possibility of returning to their normal lives.
6. Watch for signs of identification with the abuser. Victims will frequently defend their captors to police and even to their friends and family and will explain that they understand why their abusers did what they had to do.
7. Look for signs of gratitude toward the abductor. Victims of Stockholm Syndrome come to believe that every small kindness is a grand gesture and will even believe that permission to live is more than they deserve.
8. Determine whether the victim is likely to try and return to his captor. If given the opportunity, will he abandon the life to which he has been rescued and go back to what he now feels is home?
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