The widespread growth of the victim mentality has been overlooked, and many do not know that they have it, nor what the symptoms and origins are. It's a mindset that takes years to develop, like a weed that has never been found; digging it's roots into the very fabric of a person's identity. It originates with a unique problem of an individual.

This problem is not a phobia or a weakness. The issue is socially-derived: anxiety, depression, bullying, rejection, exclusion. These problems were never created by the individual, but by others. The victim mentality festers and grows in a person if these socially-derived ailments are not solved in time; morphing the problem into a mental weakness. It harbors the innate drives and passions in a person, and limits life's potential.

When a solution is never brought forth to solve a problem, what happens? Contrary to popular belief, the problem doesn't disappear. It's not forgotten. The problem takes hold of a person's perspective on life, and twists it so that the person's problems are now everyone's problems because nothing got resolved in their past. Blaming ensues. Excuses become common practice. Harboring internal feelings, hating oneself and others becomes a daily occurrence. Mental and physical health deteriorates.

I'm going to use a strawberry as an example. The strawberry is a representation of a person's personality and internal thoughts. A social issue hurts them deeply, causing a spot of mold to form on the outside of the strawberry. The mold can easily be taken out by a finger at this point. A week goes by and the issue doesn't get resolved. The mold travels deeper into the strawberry. Now it can only be taken out by using a sharp knife; it will hurt and leave a mark, but it will take out the problem. A month goes by and the strawberry is completely moldy. The strawberry is still there, personality and all, but it is controlled by a problem that was never taken care of. The strawberry can think like a strawberry, but it will act and portray itself as a moldy lump.

Imagine all of these problems wrapped into a single package. That is the victim mentality. It grows, gets worse over time, and can infect others. Those who have this toxic mentality believe that the whole world is out to get them and to tear them down. This is true, but to those who do not have this mentality, we acknowledge this statement as a fact of life and we get over it. Life isn't fair and it will beat us to the ground until we cannot stand. Are we then justified to cry, point our fingers and blame life for being so cruel?

I do not believe in macro-evolution, but there is a part of micro-evolution that I do believe: those who cannot take a beating and move on will get thrown to the curb. Life's problems will suddenly become insanely difficult to deal with for those with victim mentalities and those who blame others for their mistakes. Responsibility, integrity, forgiveness and a rigid mindset that doesn't take every word personally has a better chance at making it to the finish line. Be the victor of your own life. Not the product of life's misfortunes.