The Drama Triangle - Why Do People Create Drama?

This light-hearted video of The Drama Triangle will give you an idea of how the roles of victim, persecutor and rescuer can play out.
The drama triangle is a social model of human interaction that was first described by Stephen Karpman in the 1968. It outlines three roles that people can take on in interpersonal situations or relationships: the victim, the persecutor, and the rescuer.
The Victim: The victim role is 'poor me', characterized by a sense of powerlessness, helplessness, and self-pity. Victims often believe that external circumstances or other people are responsible for their problems. They may seek sympathy, support, or rescue from others, and they tend to avoid taking responsibility for their own actions or finding solutions to their problems. Victims behave from a one-down and not-ok position
The Persecutor: The persecutor role involves putting people down or belittling them. Persecutors often blame and criticize others. They may use intimidation, verbal abuse, or other forms of coercion to maintain control and superiority. They view others as being one-down and not-OK.
The Rescuer: The rescuer role emerges when someone tries to save or fix the victim. Rescuers believe that they have the solutions to other people's problems and can take on the responsibility for solving them, often while neglecting their own lives. They may offer unsolicited advice, become overly involved in others' lives, or enable the victim's behaviour by preventing them from taking responsibility for their actions. They view others as being not-OK
These three roles are interconnected and can create a destructive cycle of behaviour.
For example, a 'victim' may attract the attention of a rescuer, who then confronts or blames the persecutor. The persecutor may in turn respond by further victimizing the original victim, becoming the victim themselves, or attacking the rescuer.
Over time, the roles can switch, with individuals moving from one role to another, perpetuating the drama and preventing resolution.
It's important to note that these roles are not fixed, and people can shift between them depending on the situation.
The drama triangle can occur in any relationships, personal, professional, or family settings.
However, for the majority of time, the Drama Triangle is actually played out within our own minds as we relive painful narratives and repeat this process over and over.
How can you break free from this dynamic?
Recognising the roles and patterns within the drama triangle can help individuals and groups break free from this cycle and move towards healthier and more constructive interactions. Often people who play the Drama Triangle, are making up for a lack of positive emotional stimulation in their lives. They can also model patterns of behaviour when growing up and favour one role which fit in their family dynamic.
As Transactional Analysis found Eric Berne commented, "The best way to stop playing a game is to stop playing."
We cover more on The Drama Triangle and Games and Scripts in Transactional Analysis on our Advanced Coaching Course.
View our courses here: www.nlpschool....
#nlp #nlppractitioner #transactionalanalysis #gamespeopleplay #dramatriangle #stephenkarpman
#coaching #nlpcoaching #leadership #neurolinguisticprograming #psychology