The Myth Of Stockholm Syndrome

Despite its fame in movies, Stockholm syndrome is not recognized as an actual mental illness. Most experts argue that hostage bonding is just a common survival strategy rather than a disorder.

The term was coined after a 1973 bank heist in Sweden where captives began defending their robbers. Psychologists now suggest this reaction is actually a rational attempt to stay alive in a life-threatening situation. By forming a bond, victims try to reduce the risk of violence from their captors. Because it is a normal human response to trauma, it was never included in the official diagnostic manual for mental disorders.