Learned helplessness happens when a person is unable to find resolutions to their struggles – even when there are solutions within reach. This can be frustrating for people who want to help, but it’s even more frustrating for the individual. It’s not that individuals with learned helplessness are trying to be lazy or disagreeable. Often, it has to do with a history of trauma or failed attempts at something.

Let’s learn more about learned helplessness and the signs that you may be dealing with this very issue. 

Understanding Learned Helplessness 

The term ‘learned helplessness’ was coined in 1967 by American psychologists Martin Seligman and Steven Maier. They found that when dogs were subjected to repeated shocks, and humans were subjected to loud, unpleasant noises, they eventually gave up trying to escape them. 

It’s not uncommon for people to develop all-or-nothing thinking when they’re subjected to the same negative events. They assume nothing they do matters, and they will always lose. This is why trauma and learned helplessness go together. People who experience repeated abuse eventually learn to become helpless if nothing changes their circumstances. 

Signs of Learned Helplessness 

Everyone deals with adversity, but learned helplessness goes much deeper than this. It’s also possible to develop learned helplessness in some areas of life, not others. For example, you may do well at work, but have a hard time setting boundaries at home. 

Here are some signs that you may have developed learned helplessness: 

• Low self-esteem. You may feel bad about yourself and underestimate your ability to handle life’s challenges.
• Eroded locus of control. Locus of control refers to the extent to which you feel in control of your life. Do you make things happen, or is it just fate? 
• Frustration. Since things may seem out of control, you’re likely to feel frustrated or overwhelmed when dealing with everyday stress.
• Passivity. When you have the attitude that ‘bad things always happen to me,’ it makes you more likely to be passive to life’s events. You may not put much effort into things because you don’t believe it will help.
• Lack of effort. Learned helplessness often causes procrastination and decision avoidance. Do you notice that you have a hard time completing tasks or making decisions? Or do you tend to give up easily when there’s a bump in the road? 
• Low self-efficacy. You may have a difficult time believing in your ability to complete certain tasks and achieve specific goals. 

How to Overcome Learned Helplessness 

Learned helplessness is not a mental health disorder. Instead, it’s more like a thought disorder that involves problematic patterns of thinking that lead to maladaptive behaviors. And, it can exacerbate the symptoms of mental illness. 

Additionally, learned helplessness is often related to addiction. When a person feels powerless, they may turn to substances to cope. As the substances take over, they become overwhelmed by their pull and are brought deeper into the cycle of addiction. 

Fortunately, there are ways to overcome learned helplessness. It takes time, but it can be done. 

• Cognitive behavioral therapy. CBT is an effective way to work through disordered thinking. With the help of a licensed therapist, you can identify negative thoughts and challenge them. You can also learn to be more optimistic and creative with your solutions. 
• Life coaching. Working with a life coach can also be a helpful solution. Coaches are skilled at asking the right questions and helping people get to the root of their issues. With practice, you can recognize negative thoughts and either redirect or replace them with healthier ones. 
• Self-efficacy. By practicing positive thinking, saying positive affirmations, and mastering your skills, you can build back self-efficacy. This will help you feel more in control of your life and the direction it’s going. 
• Learned optimism. Learned optimism is the opposite of learned helplessness. And yes, you can get there. When you’re feeling helpless, challenge your thought processes and believe that good things can happen to you. 

Take Charge of Your Life – and Your Recovery 

Learned helplessness is something that we often discover in individuals with addiction. At Awakenings Treatment Center, we encourage these individuals to challenge negative thoughts and build back self-esteem. This helps them feel more in control of their future – and their recovery. 

Keep in mind that everything takes time, and this type of change will not happen overnight. But, through therapy, counseling and hard work, many individuals can ‘unlearn’ learned helplessness, overcome their addiction, and build a life of sobriety and resilience. 

If you believe we can help you overcome learned helplessness and succeed in your journey to sobriety, contact our admissions team today.