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I find it almost "impossible" to maintain a victim mentality.

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I'm kind of the same way. I hate being thought of as a victim and I do not see myself that way. It took me ages in therapy before I could use the a-b-u-s-e word as I thought that by saying that word, it meant I was assuming a role as a victim, and I HATE that. I still struggle with the word abuse regarding what I experienced, although I know on some level it is true. When T says the word "abuse", I cringe. I am not a victim. He has explained that just because I admit to being abused, doesn't mean I am a victim. I have a hard time with that distinction. I applaud those who try to move forward from the victim self view. I think it is an important step.

I believe thinking of oneself as a victim probably has both conscious and unconscious aspects. Maybe it starts as conscious, and then becomes so much a part of one's ethos, that it gets internalized into the unconscious.