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- Feeling helpless all the time? Here's something about learned helplessness.
Feeling helpless all the time? Here's something about learned helplessness.
You might always feel at the mercy of your circumstances.
Joping Chai
June 09, 2024
Hi there!
Do you know someone who constantly complains about their life and seems unable to escape unhelpful situations?
No matter how much you try to help or what advice you give, they remain stuck. Worst still, you end up feeling helpless too.
This feeling that nothing you do makes a difference is known as Learned Helplessness.
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The research
The term "Learned Helplessness" was coined in 1967 by psychologists Martin Seligman and Steven Maier.
In their research with dogs, they found that when dogs learned they couldn't escape electric shocks, they stopped trying even when escape was possible.
This behavior mirrored human reactions to persistent negative situations.
Consequences
Big changes at work can be very stressful, and learned helplessness can affect job performance. Symptoms include:
Low self-esteem
Lack of motivation
Inability to ask for help
Passivity
Procrastination
These symptoms can reduce decision-making and problem-solving abilities, making it harder to complete tasks and decreasing participation in work-related activities. Over time, this leads to reduced job satisfaction.
Embrace the dark side and challenge it
“People who accept these emotions without judging or trying to change them can cope with their stress more successfully.”
Accepting negative emotions without judgment can help manage stress more effectively.
Seligman later introduced the concept of Learned Optimism, which involves explaining events constructively to oneself and developing a positive internal dialogue to break the cycle of helplessness.
People also find working with a coach can also help challenge unhelpful thought patterns. Coaches are skilled at asking questions that uncover the roots of these thoughts. With practice, you can recognize and interrupt negative thoughts, redirecting them into positive ones.
Are you ready to challenge your own thought patterns? Make a list of your ten most common excuses for not taking action and share them with me. Let's start the conversation!
Stay Courageous,
Joping
Joping is a Certified Self-Leadership Coach and a solopreneur in the making. She writes about everything in between intention and action, and believe courage makes the biggest difference.