Being A Victim vs. Playing the Victim Role

Being a victim occurs when something bad has happened to them that's outside of their control. Situations like rape, betrayal, loss of a loved one or even a fatal illness could cause someone to become a victim. If anyone were to tell a rape survivor to just move on or stop dwelling on what happened, that would likely trigger some feelings of anger for that person. I myself have not been in that position thankfully, but one thing I realize is that those kinds of circumstances aren't something you can just throw away and never think about again. 

When someone is acting like a victim, that mindset could have occurred based on a number of things. The most likely cause would be because this person has suffered more than they should have, and that suffering can take on many different phases in life. It could be because of their upbringing, or because of the decisions they made based on this lack of security within themselves. More often than not, a lot of people suffer from poor self-esteem/lack of confidence. 

I feel like there are some things in life that society just doesn't tell you when it comes to living and coping with situations that cause us to have feelings of grief or discomfort. We have to figure those things out ourselves, and while some of us might be wise enough to find those answers/solutions, that doesn't mean that others will get it or follow through as easily. I myself have been on both ends of that ladder, and if I'm being honest, I'd say that while it does take effort to care for your mental health and self-esteem, it is worth it to seek help. It also helps if you have one or two hobbies that you know you enjoy. If you're not putting in that effort, then you're never going to feel better about yourself; that's just something I feel strongly about.