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Feeling like a victim in a relationship is an awful feeling

In an intimate relationship, we want and need to feel safe, loved, and valued. When difficult things happen, it can be extremely painful. Sometimes, it is a condition or circumstance that is challenging (like a health issue, family crisis, natural disaster, etc). But when our partner behaves badly or unskillful, it can be heartbreaking. We can feel hurt or betrayed. This emotional reaction can play a part in developing a victim mentality in relationships.

When awful things happen, it is natural to feel the hardship, pain, and injury, and it is incredible important to attend your experience.

Resources For Relationship Hardship

If you are experiencing immediate hardship and crisis, it might be helpful to check out some of these previous podcast episodes:

• How to handle Grief and loss in relationship – Part One
• How to handle Grief and loss in relationship – Part Two
• How to Repair a Breach of Trust in Relationship
• How to Deal with the Effects of Trauma in Relationship with Dr. Janina Fisher
• How to Get Relational Support When Dealing with Illness & Chronic Pain with Dr. Jackie Black
• How to Identify Manipulative & Emotionally Abusive Relationships with Paul Colaianni

In the podcasts about how we deal with pain, I addressed the fact that the way in which we handle pain contributes to greater levels of suffering (i.e. when we resist pain, anticipate, ruminate, and protest against pain).

The Drama Triangle

In this episode, I am going to address how we unknowingly get stuck in a destructive dynamic. This is known as the Drama Triangle.

The drama triangle is a social model of human interaction that can occur between people in conflict, which was developed by Stephen Karpman, M.D.

This common relationship dynamic perpetuates pain and suffering, and keeps us stuck in endless cycles of difficulty. It also has an impact on developing the victim mentality in relationships.

The problematic interaction can occur in any type of relationship where there is struggle (i.e. spouse, partner, family member, friend, colleague, etc). Here's a diagram of what the Drama Triangle looks like:

Please listen to the podcast episode or read the transcript to hear stories, explanations, and examples.

Concepts for today's episode are referenced from my course, the Connected Couple, and The Power of Ted, written by David Emerald.

When exploring The Drama Triangle, you may notice you can occupy all positions at various point. Or you may notice a stronger tendency to take on a particular role.

The Victim

• Helpless and hopeless
• Collapsed and powerless
• Doesn’t advocate for self
• Poor me

“Victims may be defensive, submissive, over-accommodating to others, passive-aggressive in conflict, dependent on others for self-worth, overly sensitive, even manipulative. They're often angry, resentful, and envious, feeling unworthy or ashamed about their circumstances.” By David Emerald, The Power of TED

“Death of a dream: All victims have experienced a loss – a thwarted desire or aspiration – even if they're not aware of it.” By David Emerald, The Power of TED

The Villain or Persecutor

• Often times a person, but sometimes it is a circumstance or condition.
• Aggressive, domineering, and judgmental.
• Uses blame, criticism, and or oppression.
• Persecutors were almost always former victims. “I will never be the victim again.”
• Fear of loss of control

The Hero or The Rescuer

• Overly helpful and overextends (usually with good intentions)
• Feels responsible for others
• “Poor you”
• Interpersonally, we might engage in behaviors that rescue ourselves from painful feelings (i.e. substance use, alcohol, sugar addiction, computer gaming, watching tv, shopping, overeating, etc.)
• Fear of loss of purpose

When couples seek support in the way of coaching or therapy, often times they are looking for the helping professional to validate their experience. However, it is often done through the way of the victim position.

“Arguments are caused by two people racing to occupy the victim position (why are you doing this to me?) and then tries to get person B to agree with that assessment. In other words, person B has to agree that he or she is the persecutor. Therein lies the problem. It’s almost impossible to get the other guys to agree that it’s his fault.” By Gay Hendricks in The Big Leap

In the next episode, I will discuss how to shift out of The Drama Triangle.

MENTIONED:

• ERP 135: How to handle Grief and loss in relationship – Part One
• (podcast)
• ERP 136: How to handle Grief and loss in relationship – Part Two (podcast)
• ERP 153: How to Repair a Breach of Trust in Relationship (podcast)
• ERP 148: How to Deal with the Effects of Trauma in Relationship with Dr. Janina Fisher (podcast)
• ERP 154: How to Get Relational Support When Dealing with Illness & Chronic Pain with Dr. Jackie Black (podcast)
• ERP 113: How to Identify Manipulative & Emotionally Abusive Relationships with Paul Colaianni (podcast)
• ERP 140: How Pain and Suffering Increase & What to Do about It (podcast)
• ERP 141: How To Decrease Relationship Pain and Suffering (podcast)
• POWER OF TED* (*THE EMPOWERMENT DYNAMIC) (*Amazon Affiliate link) (book)
• The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level (*Amazon Affiliate link) (book)
• Connected Couple (program)
• Wild Quest (website)
• Photo by Alex Iby on Unsplash

TRANSCRIPT:

Click on this link to access the transcript for this episode: ERP 156: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE A VICTIM IN RELATIONSHIP [TRANSCRIPT]

If you have a topic you would like me to discuss, please reach out to me. Here is my contact information.

Thank you so much for your interest in improving your relationship. Identifying the symptoms of victim mentality in relationships help couples improve and understand each other to connect rather that neglect the feelings of each other.

I would really appreciate your honest rating and review. Please leave a review by clicking here.

Thank you! ❤

*With Amazon Affiliate Links, I may earn a few cents from Amazon, if you purchase the book from this link.