Critical Thinking: Is The Virus Known As The Victim Mentality Undermining Peoples Mental Health?

In recent years, both the mainstream media and the government have said a lot about “mental health” and how people need to look after this part of them. Mainstream society offers a number of different ways for someone to do this.

One option that is often put forward is for them to talk about what is going on, another is for them to change their “negative” thoughts and feelings by “reframing” what is going on. For some people, the solutions on offer are not good enough, but, what can be denied is how far society has come.

A Big Shift

For a very long time, the primary focus was on people’s physical health, with their mental health largely being overlooked. If someone did have inner problems before, they would have most likely been seen in a negative light and even ostracised.

This is not to say that someone won’t be seen in this way now but there is likely to be help available and they probably won’t be cast aside. Quite simply, what is taking place inside them (their inner world) is starting to be taken as seriously as what is taking place outside them (their physical body).


The Toddler Stage

The human condition has been pondered and analysed for thousands of years and yet, mainstream society is only just beginning to understand this area. Therefore, while the average person can have a good understanding of what a certain celebrity is doing, know how to drive a car or how to cook a wonderful meal, for instance, they might know very little about themselves.

Those that know more are often those who have broken away from mainstream society and live the examined life. Consequently, a society can have incredible technology and be very “advanced” in that respect but, when it comes to self-understanding and ‘knowing thyself’, it can be very primitive.

Off The Beaten Track

What this means is that the options that are available from mainstream society can pale in comparison to those that are available on the fringes. Or to be more precise, the options that are available on certain websites.  

To become aware of these options, however, someone will need to do their own research and not rely on the system to take care of them. One will need to be a seeker who takes responsibility for their own mental and emotional health.

A Start

Still, the main thing is that mainstream society is changing when it comes to this area and what is going on internally is being acknowledged. If a society has largely overlooked this area, it is clear that it is not going to acknowledge it and then provide the perfect solutions overnight.

Now, although a lot of good is taking place when it comes to this area, it could also be said that it is also being undermined. The reason for this is that, on the one hand, a lot is said about how important “mental health” is and, on the other; people are being encouraged to see themselves as victims.

No Agency

When someone sees themselves as a victim and has a “victim mentality”, they are likely to feel powerless and believe that they have no control over their life. Someone and/or something “out there” will define what does or doesn’t happen to them.

Considering this, the victim mentality is to mental health what acid is to metal; it is something that will have a detrimental effect on their inner world. By believing that they have very little effect on their reality, it will be normal for them to feel down and depressed, anxious and fearful, angry and resentful, and they could even contemplate ending their life.

Manipulation

It might not be accurate to say that those who promote “mental health” awareness are always those that are promoting the virtues of the victim mentality but there is often a cross-over. At this point, it could be said that perhaps these people simply haven’t thought through what they are saying, which is why they are promoting both of these things.

This can be the case and there can be other times when people have a hidden agenda, with them talking about “mental health” as this is the right thing to do and encouraging the victim mentality to weaken others, to create division and to gain control in the process. Whether it is a politician or another figure that does this, they are unlikely to be a mentally balanced human being.

Trapped

The trouble with the victim mentality, as destructive as it is, is that once someone has this mentality, it can be incredibly difficult for them to realise that they have it and then to gradually let it go. Their ego-mind is likely to be strongly attached to this identity, so it will be irrelevant that it is making them feel bad and powerless.

This part of them can become attached to any identity and any feelings, and it won’t matter how miserable, bitter or resentful it is making them. Along with this, their outer reality will mirror back what is taking place inside them, thereby validating their belief that they are a victim.

The power Of Awareness

In other words, someone’s ego-mind can cause them to feel comfortable with something that is not serving them and their reality is a reflection of what is taking place in their own consciousness. Once someone believes that they are a victim, they will have to co-create situations and circumstances and draw people in who will validate this belief.

Without the understanding that they are not purely an observer of their reality and that this is just an illusion that their mind creates (one that allows them to have their own experience on this planet), one won’t be able to see that it is not the world that is victimising them; it is that they are being victimised by their own mind. To have good mental health, then, it will be essential for one to understand their mind and how this part of them manifests their reality.

Final Thoughts

What this emphasises is how important self-understanding is when it comes to having good mental and emotional health. If one wants to be in a good place internally, they won’t be able to hold onto their victim mentality, that’s if they have one.

If they are ready to let go of this mentality, they can soon find that a big part of them is holding on. They can find that by seeing themselves in this way, it allows them to gain power indirectly, be seen as virtuous, thanks to the current political climate, and they can receive a fair amount of attention, approval and acceptance – three things that their ego-mind interprets as love.

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Oliver JR Cooper
http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk