You may not have heard much about learned helplessness, but it is a topic psychologists have researched for over fifty years, as it’s an important concept in understanding the impact of trauma and especially depression. In essence, it is where a person feels powerless to change their situation after repeated exposure to uncontrollable and negative events. Therapy and self-care can help heal from this state.
In this Insight, I explore what it means, causes, signs, its impact on mental health for young adults, and ways to overcome it.
Understanding the Concept of Learned Helplessness
According to the American Psychological Association, people with learned helplessness ”learn that they lack behavioral control over environmental events. In turn, this undermines the motivation to make changes or attempt to alter situations” [1].
This can lead to:
- Passivity
- Decreased motivation
- Struggles with decision-making
- Difficulty learning from success
- Low self-esteem
- A feeling of emotional numbness or hopelessness
- The belief that no matter what they do, they can’t affect the outcome
And this is so even when personal opportunities for change are available. Believing efforts are futile even if circumstances change for the better, they may stop trying to improve their situation.
What Causes Learned Helplessness?
Learned helplessness may be developed in children or young adults who have experienced emotional or physical neglect, abuse, or trauma. This can have a negative impact on their self-esteem or motivation. With inconsistent responses by caregivers to the young person’s needs, their sense of control can be affected, leading to feelings of helplessness.
As well, caregivers who overparent by excessively intervening also contribute by encouraging dependency and fear of failure without parental support.
As well, this type of behavior usually occurs in young adults and adults as a result of co-occurring depression and emotion regulation difficulties. Despite having opportunities to improve, young adults and adults can also demonstrate learned helplessness because of an inability to make positive changes [2]. Depression, fear of failure, and lack of confidence can be overwhelming feelings, preventing them from taking steps forward.
It’s important to note that systemic and environmental barriers, such as institutionalized racial or gender discrimination, socioeconomic barriers such as income inequality, or social stigma, may also be involved, creating obstacles to change as they reinforce feelings of helplessness.
Signs of Learned Helplessness in Young Adults
Signs of learned helplessness in young adults may include a mix of emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and occasionally physical symptoms. These may be evident in academic, social, or personal settings and often overlap with depression and anxiety.
Young adults may struggle with adjustment, show poor coping skills, be reluctant to take initiative, or be extremely negative about their prospects. Recognizing the following signs is the first step to building the resilience needed to overcome learned helplessness [3]:
Emotional Signs
- Feelings of hopelessness
- Low self-esteem and self-doubt
- Anxiety about the future ability to cope.
Cognitive Signs
- Negative thinking
- Difficulty problem-solving
- Feeling of failure
Behavioral Signs
- Passive
- Gives up quickly
- Procrastinates
- Socially isolates
- No or low motivation or effort
Physical Signs
- Fatigue
- Somatic complaints
How Learned Helplessness Impacts Mental Health and Daily Life
Learned helplessness is not a diagnosis per se and is not understood to be a mental health condition. Rather, it is viewed as a thought disorder impacting many aspects of daily life.
As it can become a self-perpetuating cycle, learned helplessness may involve repeated failure or uncontrollable stress leading to failure, low or no motivation, and internalized negative beliefs. These then increase the risk of mental health distress and further challenges in functioning day-to-day, including in establishing healthy relationships.
Breaking the Cycle: Therapy and Support for Learned Helplessness
Addressing learned helplessness as early as possible with appropriate mental health support and empowerment is key for recovery and long-term adjustment. The process involves changing thought patterns, building resilience, and taking small, actionable steps.
Overcoming learned helplessness rests on changing the way you look at the causes of life events. This is known as your “explanatory style”.
Those with a pessimistic style see negative events as resulting from personal flaws that are lasting and that they can’t change. This can cause a self-reinforcing cycle that only deepens the learned helplessness. Those with an optimistic explanatory style see negative events as temporary, limited to the situation, and often outside of their control.
It is with small incremental changes and continued practice that a sense of control can develop.
Gradually, positive experiences and achievements can help transform the helplessness and restore the belief that you can overcome your distress. Consider the following:
Nurture Self-Compassion: Be forgiving of setbacks and kind to yourself. Instead of focusing on self-criticism, try to take a learning attitude towards failures.
Resilience Building Activities: Exercise increases the production of serotonin, mindfulness practices can help manage anxiety, and creative hobbies provide an enjoyable outlet.
Therapy may be helpful, although there is limited research on learned helplessness:
Trauma-Informed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT-TR): This approach helps you observe your patterns and become aware of when and where you feel powerless. Then it helps you challenge negative beliefs to understand if they are based on facts or automatic thoughts. The therapist will help you set small achievable goals, which can help shift your beliefs about your ability to change. Then you will develop problem-solving skills to increase your feeling of capability.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR): This approach is promising by reprocessing traumatic memories that reinforce beliefs of helplessness, reducing negative thinking such as “I’m powerless”, and improving coping.
Support at Engage Young Adult Transitions: Empowering Growth and Resilience
Engage Young Adult Transitions is a transitional living program and therapeutic community that assists young adults on their path to independence. Using attachment theory, we provide a foundation for forming connections, getting involved with the community, managing mental health, and building life skills for long-term success.
Engage offers structured autonomy—high support without creating dependence. Our therapists and life coaches are here to honor the young adults’ need to gain independence and freely move to a more secure sense of self and their relationships.
Located just steps from Southern Utah University in Cedar City, we offer access to services seven days a week, including academic support, vocational training, career guidance, life skill coaching, mental health therapies, and recreational activities.
Our community offers high levels of therapeutic support that honors autonomy and independence while guiding young adults to a life of freedom, emotional wellness, and success.
Get involved with the Engage Transitions community today!
Sources
[1] APA Dictionary. 2018. Learned Helplessness.
[2] Cerebral/Resilience Labs. 2024. What is Learned Helplessness? Practical Strategies for Empowerment.
[3] Leonard, J. 2024. What is learned helplessness? MedicalNewsToday.