Posted by Emily Elizabeth on January 23, 2009, at 18:03:50
In reply to Re: Attitudes and Judgements » DAisym, posted by raisinb on January 23, 2009, at 13:42:48
This makes me think about how people like to blame the victim so they feel like they are safe from whatever happened to the victim. For example, if you hear someone got cancer, you ask questions like "Did he smoke? Did he eat right? Was he overweight?" That way you can feel safe because YOU don't smoke, etc. But the reality of the situation is that we are all human and suceptible to deadly diseases.
Thinking about this in terms of mental illness, it is scary as h*ll to think that anyone can be crippled by a debilitating bout of depression that doesn't respond to breif therapy or a single course of meds. So I think people (including MH professionals) tend to put some blame on the victim so that they can distance themselves from it. "I wouldn't be in that position because I would do such-and-such differently."
I hope that makes sense---it is so clear in my head!! :)
Best,
EE
poster:Emily Elizabeth
thread:875522
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20090109/msgs/875677.html