Scam Victim Empathy – How It Is Lost And How It Comes Back In Time – Recovery Psychology 2023
Scam Victim Empathy
How It Is Lost And How It Comes Back In Time
Recovery Psychology
Authors:
• Vianey Gonzalez – Licensed Psychologist Specialty in Crime Victim Trauma Therapy, Neuropsychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
• Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
About This Article
Scam victims often lose their empathy immediately following the end of a scam due to trauma, but it does return over time. Empathy, the ability to understand and share others’ emotions, is crucial for social interactions and relationships. It involves cognitive empathy (understanding others’ mental states) and affective empathy (sharing others’ emotions).
After a scam, the hyperactivation of the amygdala, a brain region involved in processing emotions, impairs empathy by disrupting emotional processing, perspective-taking, and emotional regulation. This hyperactivity can lead to heightened emotional reactivity and difficulty in understanding others’ emotions.
Over time, and with support from therapy and recovery groups, scam victims can gradually regain their empathy as they recover from trauma. Addressing these issues is essential for helping victims rebuild their emotional connections and social interactions.
