Lima’s Syndrome

The human mind remains a mystery in the 21st century. There are cases, such as Lima’s syndrome, that leave us stunned. It is such a complex phenomenon that it surprises both those close to us and strangers alike. Today, it is still considered, in part, a great mystery.

Kidnappers sympathizing with their victims? This is the Lima syndrome. People who supposedly have little respect and interest in human life, but end up developing positive feelings and sympathy for their victims. Do you want to know more? Keep reading this article…

Lima’s syndrome

When we believed that few things could surprise us more about the human mind, the phenomenon known as Lima syndrome appears. This syndrome deals with a complex psychological situation that occurs in the kidnapper’s mind. In this way, over time, he begins to develop an emotional bond with his victim.

Paradoxically, the kidnapper begins to empathize with the victim. Also, at one point, you begin to worry about your needs and your well-being. It can manifest itself in behaviors such as the following:

• The kidnapper avoids harming the victim.
• It gives the victim certain freedoms or even frees her.
• You care about your physical and emotional state.
• They establish conversations on varied topics.
• The kidnapper even shares personal data with the victim (history of his childhood, goals, wishes…).
• It can even make you promises (“I will protect you”, “nothing will happen to you” …).
• The kidnapper may be attracted to the victim.

Main causes

Right now you are probably reading and thinking about the causes of Lima syndrome. First of all, it might be good to clarify that suffering from a specific syndrome does not mean that the person is crazy or sick. In addition to a person’s internal state, there are certain environmental conditions that can cause us to react in one way or another.

Therefore, to understand Lima’s syndrome, we must pay attention to the internal conditions of the kidnapper and the conditions of the context of the abduction. Any separate explanation would be too reductionist. Thus, it is important to know the psychobiographical conditions of the kidnapper, as well as the circumstances that led to the kidnapping :

• Perhaps the kidnapper is part of a group that forced him to carry out the kidnapping.
• Perhaps the kidnapper does not agree with the way the kidnapping is taking place.

• At best, the kidnapper was forced to hold the victim out of extreme necessity (family drama, serious financial problem, mental disorder…).
• The kidnapper may not have a criminal career, be inexperienced, or empathize with people (he does not have antisocial personality disorder).
• Finally, maybe the kidnapper thinks he won’t be alive at the end of the kidnapping.

The Lima Syndrome Paradox

Perhaps most surprising (ie, the Lima syndrome paradox) is that the kidnapper behaves as if he is not restricting the victim’s freedom. Surprisingly, the kidnapper creates an illusion in which he is the one caring for and worrying about his victim.

In this way, the kidnapper does his best to improve the victim’s condition. In fact, it prevents any harm or discomfort. Is sick? It will cure her. Do you have a wound? Will sanitize it. Are you hungry? Will offer the best food possible. Suddenly, a situation is created in the kidnapper’s mind, in which he becomes something like a caregiver to the victim.

The culmination of all the above situations is that the kidnapper develops a feeling of love for the victim. Then, he will try to seduce and court the victim, trying to make her want him too. In short, this is the paradox that occurs in Lima syndrome.

Where does Lima syndrome come from?

At this point, you might ask: Where does Lima syndrome come from? What is the origin of this term? In fact, as seems logical, from a kidnapping that took place in Lima, Peru.

In 1996, a terrorist group occupied the Japanese embassy in the Peruvian capital. These kidnappers have taken many hostages. However, as the days passed, the kidnappers established strong bonds with them and released them (including those with whom they could have reached a very advantageous agreement).

Conclusions

To summarize, we can say that Lima ‘s syndrome is related to an intrinsic condition of the human being, such as the creation and establishment of bonds with others (even in conditions as specific as kidnapping). On the other hand, there is not much research on this phenomenon, as it is impossible to replicate the conditions of a kidnapping in the laboratory and control the variables.

What we do know is that the appearance or absence of the syndrome depends on different variables, both the kidnapper and the kidnapper and the victim. Finally, this syndrome only reminds us that we are pure contradiction and that, far from working with reality, we do it with our interpretation of it.