<Understanding Learned Helplessness and Ways to Overcome It>
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Do you know individuals who seem stuck in negative circumstances without taking steps to improve their situation? For instance, an individual struggling with alcoholism may repeatedly attempt to quit but fail.
Have you ever felt as though your future holds no promise?
Do you often find yourself feeling out of control, unable to manage life’s unpredictability?
If you responded affirmatively to any of these questions, you may be experiencing a phenomenon known as learned helplessness.
Learned helplessness occurs when an individual believes their efforts are futile, leading to a sense of powerlessness in changing unfavorable circumstances. This perceived lack of control becomes ingrained, resulting in a mindset that they are unable to experience happiness or hope.
Previously, I wrote about nine straightforward methods to achieve a balanced life, where I posited that the antithesis of joy is not merely unhappiness but a sense of helplessness in the face of our environment. I aim to delve deeper into the psychology of learned helplessness and present six actionable steps to break free from its grasp and reclaim your authentic self.
This article is inspired by episode 127 of the Passion Struck podcast.
Learning Helplessness
One day, a group of poachers targeting ivory invaded a wildlife reserve in Central Africa, home to majestic animals like elephants, rhinos, and buffaloes. Their focus that day was on elephants.
After locating a mother elephant and her calves, the poachers tragically killed the mother for her tusks. The calves, still too young to have tusks of their own, were taken to be raised until they could be exploited for their ivory.
Back at their camp, the poachers bound each calf’s hind leg with a robust, unbreakable rope to instill obedience and crush their spirits. Initially, the calves struggled to break free, but a