After an assault, the victim frequently takes on the behavior of the perpetrator. Is there a way to overcome?

Question

The world seems to be spinning out of control with a wave of destructive behaviors, linked and reactive from the previous.

Answer 1

I think its because they are determined that "this will never happen to me again!" That'd be why I get beat up, then I start acting tough so I don't get singled out again.
The cliche says victims victimize. I had 2 people get mad at me in road rage situations. I still carry hate for these 2, even though I got the better of both. I didn't so much take on being a jerk like them, but I did (for a couple of years) get mad in traffic, out of my car and so on.
Why did I take on their behavior? I think I had a mindset that this will not happen to me again AND that people in traffic will treat me with respect or pay for it. Why did I get that attitude? i transfered my hate from those guys to others. Plus, in the hate for the 2 guys is the fact that I know I could have really hurt them more. On some level I must have believed I would feel so good if I had. Maybe energy from that got channeled into my self-destructive behavior of putting myself at risk to be killed.
I think sometimes people are unable to get it all out with a parent or whatever hits them at a personal level and pick some other place to do it where they feel safe, like big fish small pond.
Another thing that has to feed into this is low self-esteem!
I felt I wasn't tough enough, I felt demasculated by these guys, or somehow I felt a LIE that I was lacking something. Was I proving it to myself, my dad or what? Like someone else said here, it is complex.
You had an EXCELLENT question and insight!!

Answer 2

All this boils down to basic psychology of the human mind. The most common way psychiatrists/therapists treat this is nothing more than modernized brainwashing with assistance from drugs (they call it therapy, but let's be realistic here).

Usually, the problem is, that the vivtim felt completely helpless, and thus wants to NOT be helpless anymore (instinct kicks in; it's called survival mode). Since the aggresor was so powerful, why not become like him/her? It's actually an incredibly complex chemical change within the brain that causes the changes, and almost all humans do it subconsciously (instinctively). Strangely enough, it only occurs when one feels his/her life is in danger, probably attributed to fear being the most prominant emotion we posess.

I theorise that taking on the behavior of the aggresor is part of the most basic learning traits, even at childhood, which is why children have rolemodels, weather they want them or not, weather they are good or evil, weather they are constructive or destructive.

Rape victims are the most common showcase of this problem. Even after years of therapy, the trauma still manifests itself into sexual fetishes or hinderances.

Oh, the answer, I amost forgot! The cure totally depends on the person's willingness/ability to accept and move-on.

Answer 3

wow i think the first answer answered your question.
I did not know that it actually happens that way.
Why would anyone want to act like there attacker that is weird.
I think it would be interesting to watch people do that if something bad happened to them to see how they do it and how different there version would be to the same scenario

Answer 4

be an advocate. and therapy.