Stockholm Syndrome
Stockholm syndrome refers to symptoms that may occur in a person who is in a hostage situation or otherwise held prisoner. Typically, these feelings can be described as sympathy toward captors or the development of a bond with the captor or captors.
This reaction can also be recognized in those who have left religious cults, abusive relationships, or other traumatic situations.
Understanding Stockholm Syndrome
Stockholm syndrome is not a recognized psychological diagnosis, but rather, an attempt to explain the symptoms appearing in some individuals who are held captive. A person who experiences Stockholm syndrome comes to bond with the captor and may experience feelings of love, empathy, or a desire to protect the captor. The hostage may also often develop negative feelings toward the police or other parties who are attempting rescue.
Studies of incidents involving hostages indicate Stockholm syndrome appears to be most likely to occur when individuals are held captive for several days and have close contact with their captors. These individuals are generally not harmed by their captors and may even be treated with kindness. A person who develops Stockholm syndrome often experiences symptoms of posttraumatic stress: nightmares, insomnia, flashbacks, a tendency to startle easily, confusion, and difficulty trusting others.
From a psychological perspective, this phenomenon can be understood as a survival mechanism. In fact, some experts may even encourage those in a hostage situation to act as if they are experiencing Stockholm syndrome in order to improve their chances of survival, as a connection with the perpetrator can potentially make the situation more bearable for the victim and may make the captors more inclined to meet the captive’s basic needs.Researchers generally agree a hostage with Stockholm syndrome will develop positive feelings toward the captor and negative feelings toward the police. The captor/captors are also likely to feel positively about the hostages.
Anna Freud first described something akin to Stockholm syndrome when she talked about identification with an aggressor, or one’s attempt to cope with fear by transforming oneself from the threatened person to the threatening one. Freud considered this to be a defense mechanism that might give one a sense of power in a situation otherwise likely to be terrifying.
Prevalence of Stockholm Syndrome
An FBI study undertaken in an attempt to understand more about Stockholm syndrome suggests about 8% of people in hostage situations develop observable characteristics of Stockholm syndrome. However, theories about this reaction cannot be tested easily, as placing people in a hostage situation for the sake of a trial is not considered to be ethical.
Because there is little data about the syndrome and because existing data was obtained from widely varied situations, experts are not in complete agreement about what characterizes Stockholm syndrome or what leads some people to experience it and not others. Some researchers also disagree on the application of this syndrome to other traumatic situations, such as abusive relationships.
History of Stockholm Syndrome
The term originated following a bank robbery in Stockholm, Sweden in 1973. During the robbery, bank robbers held four bank employees captive in a vault for more than five days. While in captivity, the hostages bonded with their captors, mostly due to the small acts of perceived kindness on the part of the abductors. Eventually, the captives began to fear the police more than they feared the bank robbers and became resistant to the idea of rescue.
The behavior of the captives confused the police and the general public as well as the captives themselves. Psychiatrists likened the reaction to the shell shock (the term that was used to describe what is now known as posttraumatic stress) experienced by soldiers in war and explained that the captives felt grateful to their abductors, rather than to the police, for sparing them from death.
High Profile Cases of Stockholm Syndrome
The term Stockholm syndrome became widely used in 1974 in the kidnapping case of heiress Patty Hearst. Hearst was kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) and later assisted her captors in a series of bank robberies, even claiming that she had joined the SLA of her own free will. When she was arrested a year later following her involvement in the robberies, she said that she had been brainwashed by the SLA, and despite being sentenced to prison, her sentence was eventually commuted, and she was later pardoned.
Stockholm syndrome has also been used to describe the reaction of kidnapping victim Elizabeth Smart. Smart was taken from her home in 2002 at the age of 14 and held captive for nine months. Even though it appears that Smart had various opportunities to escape, she never attempted to do so. It is unclear, however, whether she did not try to escape because she developed Stockholm syndrome or due to other reasons, such as her statement that she was terrified of her captors.
References:
- Carver, J.M. (n.d.). Love and Stockholm Syndrome: The mystery of loving an abuser. Counselling Resource. Retrieved from http://counsellingresource.com/lib/therapy/self-help/stockholm.
- Fuchs, E. (2013, October 20). Why Stockholm Syndrome could be a total myth. Business Insider. Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/stockholm-syndrome-could-be-a-myth-2013-10.
- Patty Hearst kidnapped. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/patty-hearst-kidnapped.
- Klein, C. (2013, August 23). The birth of “Stockholm Syndrome,” 40 years ago. History in the Headlines. Retrieved from http://www.history.com/news/stockholm-syndrome.
- Sandler, A.M. (1996). The psychoanalytic legacy of Anna Freud. The Psychoanalytic Study of the Child, 51, 270-284.
- Stockholm Syndrome. (n.d.). The Free Dictionary. Retrieved from http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Stockholm+syndrome.
Last Updated: 01-8-2016
- 24 comments
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Taysier Elshaikh
April 26th, 2017 at 8:00 PMI agree to the terms
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Deborah
March 7th, 2019 at 4:04 AMThank you for this. I’ve been trying to understand, it all makes sense now. I am a victom and a survivor! My life has never been the same since.
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LoriH
March 28th, 2019 at 6:14 PMHi Paige, very sorry to hear that someone close to you, could be so cruel. What type of abuse did you endure at the hands of your father? I am curious as someone I know is going through some abuse and I think it may have.been physical, verbal as well as sexual abuse by her father.
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Leasha
December 18th, 2019 at 10:32 AMI am exactly the same chick. Here I thought it was normal in the relationship and made me feel guilty like I it was all my fault all the time yet believed him ! And the black blue will never be !!!!! Ever Again!!!! J have finally met my tru match. And treated like you couldn’t fathom
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Sharon M
April 17th, 2020 at 5:26 AMHOW does one get away?? What event or action can be taken? When you feel like your in quicksand and cant make any move whatsover, what can you do to make a difference??
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G Deva
April 5th, 2018 at 1:34 PMGood article
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John
September 10th, 2018 at 8:44 AMThanks for putting this up. I know a victim of this problem and you have taught me to encourage patience and understanding.
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Paige
March 12th, 2019 at 4:29 PMmy lawyer for a court case against my dad listened to me rant about not wanting to get him in trouble and still wanting to see him so now she told me to google stockholm syndrome and is rushing child protective services to get me a therapist so… thats nice.
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Deborah
April 16th, 2019 at 11:15 PMI was a victim! Recognizing and understanding the patterns of your thoughts, actions gives you something to work on and with. Surviving mental, physical and sexual abuse I’ve also survived a terminal illness. This road I’ve walked as many of you taught me to never give up hope. I see life differently now, it hasn’t been easy and will always be work in progress. I finally can say it has empowered me as we are the strong ones, we are worthy, learning to love yourself again. I finally completed a Lay Counseling course through my church, this is the path, helping others which has set me free.
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Paige
September 5th, 2019 at 3:54 AMWell, I’m glad you managed to find a happier place for yourself. <3
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Sarah L.
April 9th, 2019 at 5:03 PMI’ve just learn from my friend about Stockholm syndrome and truly believe I suffer from this. I have a complicated upbringing and have suffered an abusive relationship.
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Barbara
July 18th, 2019 at 9:51 AMI hope you know that just because you might have similar symptoms doesn’t mean you have Stockholm Syndrome
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Mike
December 13th, 2019 at 4:43 PMOdd because just a few months before this was posted by sarah, I sent my friend Sarah information on it… Weird just saying
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Tuna
May 20th, 2019 at 7:52 AMThis was a very good article to read and I enjoy reading up on this, i am student studying up on bride kidnapping and feel that many may go through this so thank you.
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Kate
August 13th, 2019 at 2:08 AMI was in a highly abusive marriage, 2 children, my my now ex husband was a true jekyll and Hyde long story short although I eventually managed to get away from him by totally switching off my emotions, I still trusted his every word even forgave him abuses that he would be imprisoned for.. I still hold feelings for me though I haven’t seen him for years now but he has parentally alienated my daughter from me since she was 9 yrs old, she is now 25 and disowned me
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Jayden S
October 5th, 2019 at 9:36 AMWow. I’ve known about Stockholm syndrome for a while. And I always knew it was possible to get. I’m friends and have been friends for a while with a psychopath who loves getting all the attention. He continuously uses me and manipulates me and yet I can’t seem to stop talking to him. It hurts me not to. I love him with all my heart and I now realize that. This is probably why.
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Michelle H
March 29th, 2020 at 5:20 AMSounds like a classic Narcissist to me, anx your an Empath. Dangerous combo.
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jeannie
February 1st, 2020 at 3:03 AMwow i just keep learning. I stayed with a man for forty years and finally left and even as mean as he is or as nice as he can be i miss that part of me even though i dont want to ever go back to it. This makes so much sense thank you to whoever put this on my read feed
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Michael
April 23rd, 2020 at 12:20 PMHow does one get away. What event or action can be taken
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Jackie
May 14th, 2020 at 6:13 PMI was kidnapped, sexually assaulted and had my life threatened for 2 days. I could not find a way out. I knew I was going to be killed. This was 35 years ago. I did black this out of my memory for 5 years after it hapoened and remembeted having this bond towards him. The PTSD has always been with me and I finally started treatment. I know I feared telling anyone after it happened, but I also chose to protect him. This is really helpful for me to see what I did to survive and will mention this to my new therapist to help me recover.
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Sarah K
July 6th, 2020 at 6:11 AMMy neighbor (let’s call him C) became my only and closest friend while I was in a very abusive relationship and C did everything he could to care for my daughter while I was at work because my then boyfriend wouldn’t. I fell in love with C in a matter of months. He did everything for me, until he had to move away. My then boyfriend laid hands on me the next day and C came back to help me escape, but whrn I took my daughter back to my ex’s to get my daughter’s meds C came after me, beat my ex in front of me, held me hostage and pointed a gun at my daughter, when my ex stated that she was the most valuable thing in the house. I escaped with my child and called police.
It’s been 2 years since that happened, and I absolutely hate myself for the fact that I am still in love with C, ans I can’t get him out of my head. Is this Stockholm? Cuz it’s tearing me up inside and I want to walk away from this. -
Brittnee
February 15th, 2021 at 8:45 PMThe Stockholm Syndrome is quite real. The Traumabond is as well.
I will work hard to find out how to free others from this . My research concerns this. -
banica
June 30th, 2021 at 7:38 AMCan Stockholm Syndrome be caategorized as a memory defect? If so, how? Thank you :)
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MARION
January 10th, 2022 at 9:09 PMThank you I have a family member that is in an abusive relationship and as we have tried to rescue this family member it has turn into a real negative situation. I will employ the knowledge i have learn from these postings.
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