Many prisoners are learning to come to terms with issues that led to their criminality by coming to terms with their thought processes.

People who experience blame and frustration can be overwhelmed at times. Self-preservation can easily turn into emotional shutdown, based on a victim mindset.

“A victim mentality is when a person feels like a victim across situations, even when the evidence suggests otherwise,” according to clinical psychologist Dr. Julie Landry, PsyD, in “What Are Signs of a Victim Mentality?” an article published by Psych Central. “They may feel they have no control over what happens to them.”

A person who takes a victim’s stance might have experienced multiple situations where they lacked control, ongoing emotional pain that led to learned helplessness, and betrayal by someone close.

San Quentin residents spoke about some of the mental and emotional signs related to victim mentality.

Resident D. Hernandez said that it is easier to point the blame at someone else. He said he’s dealt with this type of behavior since he was a child, adding that it’s good that the article has placed a name and a face on the stuff he normalized.

Resident T. Tarques said he thinks the mental health services at San Quentin are convenient because a person can seek help without judgment.

“One thing is for sure, you can’t come back from suicide,” Tarques said.

Resident P. Graves admitted that he has been sabotaging his relationships and that he recognized his need for help. Graves said there are many people with whom he will make amends; it starts with forgiving himself.

People can self-sabotage and have trouble taking personal responsibility, not clearly seeing the role that they play in a situation, and sometimes placing that blame on external factors and or other people when things go wrong, according to the article.

“I never considered how I did things before. Sometimes going to a group is just that. Taking time to understand me requires more self analysis,” said resident M. Fox.

People with a victim mindset can experience thoughts of self-harm, suicidal ideation, or an unfair or unsafe world. They can also have pessimistic thoughts and harmful thinking patterns, according to the article.

The article noted key signs from people who bring a victim mentality into a relationship, such as keeping score in a relationship or having limited empathy for others. Other indicators are having trouble accepting criticism and being emotionally unavailable.

In addition, the article highlighted signs of an emotional victim mindset, which included low self-esteem, social isolation, and depression.

“I work on taking my time to learn what a healthy relationship feels like. I didn’t have much practice before I came to prison,” Graves said.