Learned helplessness is a psychological syndrome that manifests itself as a blocking response when confronted with challenging circumstances. In this sense, those who suffer from it have the perception that they do not have the ability to cope with a situation no matter what they try to do. This mindset is often the result of a previous experience in which the individual was unable to protect himself, which is why it is often referred to as “learned helplessness.”
What Are Your Symptoms?
Those who are affected by this psychological condition may find that it has a detrimental effect on their overall health and wellbeing. As a result, it is of the utmost importance to be familiar with the symptoms of this condition in order to identify them in a timely manner. The following are some of the most obvious signs of this condition:
- Resignation: In general, persons who have learnt helplessness feel that they will never be successful in their endeavors. They always get the impression that there is nothing they can do to improve their circumstances.
- Passivity: It is usual for these types of individuals to not seek for a solution to an issue, even if they do have one. They may also reject it, block it, or show a blank screen.
- Anxiety: When these individuals believe that a terrible occurrence is about to occur, they will activate their alert system. This gives rise to feelings of dread and panic. As a consequence of this, people will feel tachycardia as well as other symptoms such as tingling, sweating, and dizziness.
- Depression: A consistently negative mentality brings to feelings of helplessness, pessimism, and a lack of drive over the long term. They often tend to acquire sadness as a result of their perception that they are unable to protect themselves.
How To Overcome Learned Helplessness?
To begin, one must keep in mind that learned helplessness is, in point of fact, something that is acquired. This cannot be stressed enough. As a result, it is possible to “unlearn” something. The following are some suggestions for overcoming acquired helplessness:
- Discover its origin: This phenomena always manifests itself as a result of one or more incidents in the past in which the individual was unable to defend himself. In order to begin reflecting on those circumstances, it is important to first identify what those circumstances were.
- Work on assertiveness: Get out of your passive state, and you’ll have taken one of the most critical steps in overcoming learned helplessness. In this regard, it is essential to have an understanding of what assertiveness is and to adopt this attitude while confronting challenges.
- Boosting self-esteem: Conquering learned helplessness often involves working on improving one’s sense of self-worth and confidence. Exploring one’s own identity with the intention of improving it may provide highly satisfying results.
In any event, the most helpful thing we can do is seek the advice of a reputable psychologist who can direct us toward the way to get rid of this illness. The only one who will be able to perform a personalized assessment of the situation and provide the appropriate solutions to problems is this trained specialist.
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