Wellness Calendar: Thursday 22 February

Being okay with helplessness

If you’ve suffered pain, hurt or distress on multiple occasions and it seems as though there’s no chance of change or an end in sight: at what point do you abandon all hope and resign yourself to defeat?

Learned helplessness is about giving up, because that’s a better option than continuously trying in vain. For some people, giving up can lead to symptoms of long-term depression, while others see it as a positive that frees them to focus on other aspects of their life where there’s a realistic chance of change.

Can you think of examples in your life where you gave up or resigned yourself to defeat? What happened next?

Can you apply this notion to any aspects of your life at present?