Victim Mentality? This is a dangerous topic.

Last week during a 5-day meditation retreat that I and 300 others attended, a special small group consultation session was offered to “anyone who has experienced trauma OR knows someone who has experienced trauma.” Duh! Crowd murmuring began immediately with the gist being: wouldn’t that include everyone here, if not everyone on the planet.

While first or second-hand trauma seem part of our times, does that mean we should “wallow in misery”?

A Healthline article, How to Identify and Deal with a Victim Mentality, written by Crystal Raypole (see http://www.healthline.com/health/victim-mentality), offers a lot of information on this malady. Here are a couple of highlights:

1. “The victim mentality rests on three key beliefs: Bad things happen and will keep happening. Other people or circumstances are to blame. Any efforts to create change will fail, so there’s no point in trying.
2. People identify with the victim role when they “veer into the belief that everyone else caused their misery and nothing they do will ever make a difference.”
3. A victim mentality can be distressing and create challenges, both for those living with it and the people in their lives. But it can be overcome with the help of a therapist, as well as plenty of compassion and self-kindness.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6yUY7M9yfw

Today’s senryu: A Victim Mentality Or ….

It’s clear, we’re in pain –

should we tell everyone or

someone who can help?