Occupational stockholm syndrome: definition, symptoms and treatment

A person is said to suffer from stockholm syndrome when they have unconsciously identified with their own aggressor, at the level of putting himself in his place, understanding and justifying the reasons that led him to submit and commit his kidnapping. However, this type of situation not only usually occurs with victims of kidnappings, but also with victims of physical and / or psychological violence in any area such as, for example, at work. Although it may seem strange to some people, the labor stockholm syndrome exists and occurs in many more cases than we can ever imagine. The person ends up identifying with the negative situations that they experience in the company until they even stop noticing them and downplay them. Interesting, right? If you would like to learn more about this syndrome, in this Pisology-Online article about Occupational stockholm syndrome: definition, symptoms and treatment, we are going to explain in detail what this condition consists of and what is the appropriate treatment to overcome it.

Index

1. Occupational stockholm syndrome: definition
2. Symptoms of occupational stockholm syndrome
3. Consequences of labor stockholm syndrome
4. Occupational stockholm syndrome: treatment

The labor stockholm syndrome refers to the identification that an employee of a company has with its work despite being badly valued, to find himself in an extremely stressful environment, where he does not have a good relationship with the boss and / or colleagues, as well as where he is not being respected and paid as he deserves.

The employee comes to justify and increasingly consent to the mistreatment that he receives from his superiors and even, on occasions, also from his colleagues. This is explained because the person submitted to it from the beginning and as time went by, he became so used to the mistreatment that he stopped seeing it as something negative. It also happens that as he has received so much psychological abuse where they can constantly repeat things such as: "You are not good for this", "You are very slow", etc., the self-esteem of the person has deteriorated over time to the level of getting used to this type of bad deals.

Among the main symptoms or characteristics presented by the people with occupational stockholm syndrome in the company, there are the following:

• The relationship you have with the boss is based on fear and not on respect.
• Coexistence with the boss and even, on some occasions, with colleagues, is bad and there is a generally tense atmosphere.
• They prefer to remain in the company despite the mistreatment received, not being paid fairly, not feeling comfortable at work, among other negative situations.
• Bad behavior of the boss towards him or the employees is justified.
• This syndrome can be present at all ages and educational levels.
• A submission posture is constantly maintained.
• You have the feeling of not being able to leave the company.
• Stop seeing all or part of the negative that the company has and focus only on the positive despite having a very bad time.

The labor stockholm syndrome brings with it a series of consequences if it is not treated and eliminated in time. The person will eventually go losing security and self-confidence. He will feel more and more limited and with fewer capacities than he really possesses, so that he will not be able to defend himself and much The less she will dare to change jobs, which will have great consequences for her emotional, physical, economic well-being, etc.

A person who does not feel comfortable in her work, you will feel extremely frustrated not only being in it, but also in other areas of your life, which will not allow you to feel full and fulfilled. After a while, the person may begin to suffer from one or more psychological disorders, the most common being the Depression Y the anxiety. It is also very common for the person to have some type of physical illness, such as illnesses related to the stress they suffer.

Another important aspect to take into account is that the person suffering from the labor stockholm syndrome develops over time a learned helplessness syndrome, in which the person becomes so used to being manipulated and mistreated that they really believe that has another way out, that he cannot do anything to defend himself and somehow adapts to continue living like this.

So that a person can recover from the labor stockholm syndrome and the different situations of mistreatment to that is exposed in the company, it is necessary that you take into account the following tips that will help you achieve it and to overcome workplace mobbing:

• Be aware that you are being abused. It is necessary for him to identify and acknowledge that in the company where he works he is being mistreated. The abuse can range from insults, yelling, constant teasing, contempt, not receiving the corresponding salary, no have all the benefits established by law and work many more hours than agreed, physical abuse, among others. You have to identify the situations you are going through, be objective and aware of the rights you have as a worker and, above all, as a person.
• Recognize the consequences caused by suffering from this syndrome. Learn to identify each of the psychological and / or physical consequences that we have been continuously receiving mistreatment in the company. To find them, we can more easily base ourselves on the previous section and recognize if any of this is happening in ourselves.
• Alleviate the consequences of labor abuse. Once the consequences that the mistreatment has brought with it in the company have been identified, it is necessary to start working to eliminate them and recover from them. For example, if one of the consequences is that the affected person suffers from insomnia constantly and / or has stomach problems caused by the stress to which you are exposed, it is advisable that you attend the doctor and the psychologist, who will give you the appropriate treatment according to your individual case to recuperate
• Set limits or change jobs. It is extremely necessary that the person who is being abused begins to establish personal limits. To do this, first you have to identify what are the rights that we all have by the mere fact of being people, after that, you have to recognize your own limits and from there begin to enforce them and respect them. In case it is decided to continue in the company, the person has to begin to impose himself on the that they are mistreating her, since it is a way of being respected and gradually slowing down the abuse. However, the situation may not always change and if that happens, it is necessary to start looking for another job where the person receives the respect and validation they deserve.
• Consult with other professionals. Whenever there are doubts or seeking to find specific solutions to the problem, a specialist can be consulted who can advise the person according to their case. Some professionals who can fulfill this role are, for example, human resources specialists, psychologists, union representatives and even lawyers.

The tips that we show in the article can also be of great help How to deal with toxic people at work.

This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

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