In
psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Its subject matter includes the behavior of humans and nonhumans, both consciousness, conscious and Unconscious mind, unconscious phenomena, and mental processes such as thoughts, feel ...
, a savior complex is an attitude and demeanor in which a person believes they are responsible for assisting other people. A person with a savior complex will often experience
empathic episodes and commit to
impulsive decisions such as
volunteering
Volunteering is an elective and freely chosen act of an individual or group giving their time and labor, often for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergenc ...
,
donating, or
advocating for a cause. A person with the
complex
Complex commonly refers to:
* Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe
** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...
will usually make an attempt to assist or continue to assist even if they are not helpful or are detrimental to the situation, others, or themselves.
It is often associated with other disorders, such as schizophrenia and
bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder (BD), previously known as manic depression, is a mental disorder characterized by periods of Depression (mood), depression and periods of abnormally elevated Mood (psychology), mood that each last from days to weeks, and in ...
, and is commonly used interchangeably with the similar term '
Messiah complex
The messiah complex is a mental state in which a person believes they are a messiah or prophet and will save or redeem people in a religious endeavour. The term can also refer to a state of mind in which an individual believes that they are respo ...
'. Like
Messiah complex
The messiah complex is a mental state in which a person believes they are a messiah or prophet and will save or redeem people in a religious endeavour. The term can also refer to a state of mind in which an individual believes that they are respo ...
, savior complex is not mentioned in the ''
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
The ''Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders'' (''DSM''; latest edition: ''DSM-5-TR'', published in March 2022) is a publication by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) for the classification of mental disorders using a com ...
'' (DSM) and is not recognized as a clinical term or diagnosable condition.
Examples
Savior complex is often seen in those who struggle with self-worth and exclusively feel good when helping other people. Some traits of this concept are:
* ''Attraction to vulnerability and codependency'': Seeking relationships with those who appear to need some form of assistance or "fixing".
* ''A desire to change people'': Wanting to change the actions and beliefs of others thinking that it would be beneficial for them, whether it truly is or not.
* ''Making excessive sacrifices'': Often putting others in front of one's own needs, and being left drained. This ultimately leads to the "savior" being far less motivated and helpful than they want to appear.
See also
*
Hero syndrome
Hero syndrome (also often referred to as saviour complex or hero complex) is a psychological phenomenon which causes a person to seek recognition for heroism. Although hero syndrome is not recognised by the American Academy of Psychiatry due to ...
*
Messiah complex
The messiah complex is a mental state in which a person believes they are a messiah or prophet and will save or redeem people in a religious endeavour. The term can also refer to a state of mind in which an individual believes that they are respo ...
*
Superman complex
In psychology, a Superman complex is an unhealthy sense of responsibility, or the belief that everyone else lacks the capacity to successfully perform one or more tasks. Such a person may feel a constant need to "save" others and, in the proces ...
*
White knight
A white knight is a mythological figure and literary stock character. They are portrayed alongside a black knight as diametric opposites. A white knight usually represents a heroic warrior fighting against evil, with the role in medieval literatu ...
*
White savior complex
References
Complex (psychology)
Popular psychology
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