17th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest People
Victim complex

Anyone can fall into a position called a “victim”. This happens for various reasons: from low self-esteem due to the requirements of parents and dependence on other people's opinions, to real physical or psychological violence. Sometimes this sacrifice can be far-fetched. A person with a victim complex suffers from a soul, he is disappointed, suffers greatly and requires fulfillments of a duty in relation to himself, but he is not able to get enough or to thank. Instead of coping with difficulties, he chooses a safer way to run, do nothing or demand other decisions. Or he can develop compelling and sophisticated explanations in support of ideas, which he then uses to explain his situation to himself and others. In these pictures I tried to reflect my understanding of such a passive struggle and a certain contrast of the external warm world and the internal feeling of helplessness, loss of control, strong guilt, shame and self-accusation.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 08.2018
Date Uploaded: 11.2019
Photo Location: Outokumpu, Finland
Copyright: © Nina Karaush