Karpman's triangle is the social model where there are three roles -
A victim a person who is treated as, or accepts the role of, a victim - this would be your friend. These people whine, complain and extort pity from others.
A prosecutor The person who pressures, coerces or persecutes the victim. Sometimes circumstances occupy this role.
A rescuer, who intervenes out good will and wishes to help the victim. Sometimes no one asks the rescuer to intervene. Sometimes he is manipulated into this role. The intended goal for rescuer is to actually maintain the status quo.
The danger of Karpman's triangle is when one of the roles reverses. A victim not happy by how is he rescued can become a prosecutor for the former rescuer. And persecutor happily occupies the now vacant role of the rescuer. Or, the rescuer, not happy with victim's passivity gets angry and starts acting as prosecutor, with former prosecutor turning into rescuer against the new enemy. There are other combinations.
The main problem is that once people enter this system, it is very hard to break out short of ending the relationship. Whatever one person does, the two others adapt to a new role.
This is one of the greatest pitfalls for any social worker, therapist and lightworker for that matter. Since the system wants stability it leads to stagnation, frustration and huge energy drain.
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