I have noticed many similarities between the behaviors of those afflicted with Stockholm Syndrome and those who defend the State here on the forum. So, I decided to look up how to treat it, and maybe we can adapt it to break people of their unhealthy relationship with the state.
Treatment for Stockholm Syndrome:
Lessen the conditions that produce Stockholm Syndrome
Isolation - Help the client identify sources of supportive intervention; Self-help groups or group therapy (group needs to be homogeneous to needs), also hot lines, crisis centers, shelters and friends. Many times these are not available. Do the best you can and keep calling them anyway.
Violence - As victims in abusive relationships minimize the abuse, or are in so much denial it may be necessary to ask directly about the different types of violent behavior. Many woman (and children) are confused about what is acceptable male (parental / authority) behavior. Journal keeping, autobiographical writing, reading of first hand accounts or seeing films that deal with abuse may be helpful to clients. Attitude can sometimes get someone hurt if she don't know when to speak out and when to keep silent.
Perceived Kindness - Encourage the client to develop alternative sources of nurturance and caring (see #1).
Validating both Love and Terror - Helping the client integrate both disassociated 'sides' of the abuser, will assist her in giving up her dream that the relationship will become what she had hoped it would. It might get better it might not.
Combining Two Unhealthy Conditions
The combination of "Stockholm Syndrome" and "cognitive dissonance" produces a victim who firmly believes the relationship is not only acceptable, but also desperately needed for their survival. The victim feels they would mentally collapse if the relationship ended. In long-term relationships, the victims have invested everything and placed "all their eggs in one basket". The relationship now decides their level of self-esteem, self-worth, and emotional health.
For reasons described above, the victim feels family and friends are a threat to the relationship and eventually to their personal health and existence. The more family/friends protest the controlling and abusive nature of the relationship, the more the victim develops cognitive dissonance and becomes defensive.
That last sentence, especially, brings to mind the behavior of some of the members here.
