The Stockholm Syndrome and a friend - help needed!?

Question

I posted this same Q under Mental Health but thought the audiance would be a bit broader in the General catagory.

How can I, as a sane and fairly rational person, convince an old friend (who is deeply in denial) he needs to seek medical help regarding what I seriously feel is the Stockholm Syndrome? I can see the evidence clearly but can not produce a convincing argument.

Answer 1

Was he quite literally held hostage? Assuming he's aware of what Stockholm syndrome is, try to relate the correlations as you see them. Could you give more details?

Answer 2

I am not sure that Stockholm Syndrome is a mental health problem. A psychological happening, yes, but not an illness. Therefore, medical treatment would be inappropriate.
If it is damaging his life, then talking treatment would be the way to go.
Stockholm Syndrome, as i know it, is just an emotional attachment to someone who is mis-treating you....such as a bully, or a kidnapper or something. Or a wife-beater. Making excuses for them and even defending them.
That's by definition, not an illness, just a personality based psychological symptom.

Answer 3

i dont recall hearing the term Stockholm Syndrome before, but i do know that there is something called Traumatic Bonding which is may be the same thing you are talking about. i will use the example of a couple...one person is the abuser, the other the victim. even if the victim gets away from the abuser, they still feel "attached" to the person, and that can be from sharing the same traumatic experience(s) (but from different sides of it of course). it is a traumatic experience and that trauma still bonds them together. maybe if you put it to the person in terms of Traumatic Bonding, they will understand. the book "Why does he do that? Inside the minds of angry and controlling men." by lundy bancroft, is a real eye opener. bancroft is a councelor who councels men that the court orders abuse counceling to. this author has heard it all and has REAL help, understanding and answers for victims. there are ways the abuser makes the victim feel as if they should be on THEIR side and makes them feel responsible for their feelings and abusive behavior, also. this book shows you HOW they do it and in knowing, helps the victim get a grip on THEIR life!! i feel it would be a good book for the abusers to read too so that they can see their behavior in that way. good luck to your friend :)

Answer 4

The major problem YOU have here is that with this particular situation (that is giving that it is in fact a related matter to the disorder that you are bringing up)---nothing can really be done about it until the individual actually calls for the help or assistance and in this particular circumstance they very rarely if ever do

The only other option is to have others witnessing the abuse or what ever it is that is going on and then calling the authorities to intervene --- then -- it is highly likely the person that you're talking about is not going to come forward to say a thing against whoever this other person is that is abusing or mistreating harshly
A very definate situation for all involved !!!