Learned helplessness is becoming more and more evident in modern society. Learned helplessness is a state in which an individual has repeatedly experienced a stressful situation. This exposure causes them to believe that they cannot control or change the situation, so they do not try — even when opportunities for change become available. This is a very worrying issue for society when seen in mass. So, this article delves deeper into the psychological phenomenon and what we can do to counteract it.
Who highlighted the idea?
Psychological researcher Martin Seligman initiated research into the field in 1967 at the University of Pennsylvania. It was initially seen as an extension of his interest in depression. Researchers Seligman & Overmier conducted a study in which three groups of dogs were placed in harnesses. The first group of dogs were put in harnesses for a period and were later released. Groups 2 and 3 consisted of "yoked pairs". Group 2 dogs were given electric shocks randomly, which each dog could stop the shock by pressing a lever. Each dog in Group 3 was paired with a dog from Group 2. Whenever a Group 2 dog got a shock, its paired dog from Group 3 got a simultaneous shock of the same intensity and duration. However, group 3 dogs' levers did not stop the shock. In the minds of the dogs in Group 3, the shock seemed to end at random because their paired dog in Group 2 was causing it to stop. Therefore, Group 3 dogs saw the shock was "inescapable".
The same three groups of dogs were later tested in a shuttle-box apparatus (a chamber which contains two compartments divided by a barrier a few inches high). The dogs could all escape the shocks by jumping over a low partition to the other side. The dogs from Groups 1 and 2 quickly learned this task and escaped the shock. However, most of the Group 3 dogs – those who had previously learned that nothing they did affected the shocks –laid down passively and whined when they were shocked.
Why is this a growing issue in society?
For many, life is seemingly getting harder. We are seeing rising costs of living, rapid rates of inflation and instability caused by the pandemic and other world events. Large groups of society are having to take second jobs or slash their expenditure just to keep a roof over their heads and stay warm. It is an extremely challenging time, and it is easy to see how learned helplessness can spread like wildfire. It is easy to justify this feeling by blaming government policies and greedy corporate decisions for why people find themselves in these tough situations. Nothing they can do will change the outcome of their life, and they are merely being dragged along for the ride. However, this mindset is extremely damaging to our health and growth and is a mindset we need to be snapped out of ASAP.
How can we break this feeling?
Once we find ourselves in a put of helplessness, it can be difficult to break free from it. However, there are two key things you can focus on to break the shackles free and return to pushing towards your goals.
1. Set micro-goals
When you feel helpless, the sense of success being unachievable is a powerful one. So it is important to give yourself the dopamine hit of achieving a goal, however small that goal may be. Summoning up the energy and focus to achieve a huge life goal would be beyond challenging when in this mindset, but a simple task can kick-start the engine of progression.
It may be as simple as waking up without using the snooze button, eating breakfast and getting in a walk before work. It does not directly impact your larger issues but can frame the day differently and help shape a healthier mindset.
2. Communicate your feelings
It is easy to feel like the world is against you. The world is a single-player game set to the most challenging difficulty, and you are helplessly trying to keep your head afloat. However, you are surrounded by others who can help you. Friends, family, colleagues and even strangers are often more than happy to help you progress. Others know how hard and frustrating it can be when you feel stuck and can offer fresh insight or approach to tackling an issue. An issue you may see no solution to may actually have a simple solution that another person can highlight in minutes. A dark life situation may just need some light shone on it to show you the way out. Human beings are social pack animals. We have thrived on this planet due to our communication and teamwork, yet often we forget to communicate with our teammates.
As the Seligman & Overmier study demonstrated, while the feeling is real, there is a way out of the box. The pain being felt should not be ignored, but we also need to look for the path away from the pain. Be it by taking small steps or getting assistance, the quicker we can find the way out of the box, the faster we can continue to progress.
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