ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Victim complex

Victim complex means someone who always thinks that bad things are happening to them, and no one else has it as bad as they do. They feel like the universe is picking on them and they can’t win.

Imagine you are playing a game with your friends, but you are not doing well. You start to feel like everyone is against you and no one is playing fair. You might stomp your feet and cry because you feel like you are the victim. You might think that a game is only fair if you win, and if you don’t, you feel like the whole game was rigged against you.

Now imagine this feeling happening all the time, not just in a game, but in life. A person with a victim complex feels like everything is against them all the time, and there's nothing they can do to change it. They think that people are out to hurt them and that they are powerless to improve their situation. They may feel like they're always the victim, even in situations where they're not the one being harmed. This can make it difficult for them to build healthy relationships or take responsibility for their actions.

It’s important to remember that bad things happen to everyone, but people with a victim complex tend to focus more on the negative things and use them as an excuse to avoid taking responsibility for their own actions. We can help them by encouraging them to focus on positive experiences, take responsibility for their own actions, and seek help if needed.