interactive pattern

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a prevalent psychological disorder in clinical and community settings. A significant portion of people with BPD seem to carry a victim mentality with them throughout their life years. Therefore, this qualitative study aimed to examine and describe the victim mentality in individuals with BPD using content analysis. The sample consisted of 134 psychological records of individuals diagnosed with BPD who attended a psychological clinic in Tehran between 2021 and 2023. Data saturation was reached after analyzing 33 records. The information obtained from the psychological records was organized, and then the collected data was classified. The findings revealed that the victim mentality in individuals with BPD manifests in five categories, characterized by 12 states and 30 indicators. These categories include: (1) Abandonment of Responsibility, (2) Belief in Being Defeated in Life, (3) Blaming Others and Inducing Guilt, (4) Chronic Feelings of Loneliness, and (5) Feeling Chronically Abused. The findings suggest that the victim mentality in BPD is not merely a role-playing strategy but a deeply ingrained schema about I am a victim.