Verywell / Laura Porter
Feeling helpless is something that many people experience from time to time.
It’s a feeling that can strike following a period of stress or as a response totrauma.
In other cases, it can be a symptom of a mental illness such asdepression.
Verywell / Laura Porter
“People often feel helpless because they are not taking action,” explains psychotherapistYolanda Renteria, LPC.
When you feel helpless, it can be hard to stay motivated to change your situation.
Understand Why You Might Resist Change
Helplessness is a tough emotion to experience.
Sometimes, it can be beneficial to look at some of the reasons you might be resisting feeling empowered.
That doesn’t mean that you are choosing helplessness.
It might mean, however, that you are resisting change because the alternative is frightening.
Not feeling helpless might mean that you are ready to make a significant change in your life.
Remember that changing yourmindsetcan be hard (and sometimes scary)!
It often comes with its own unique set of challenges.
But it also opens up a new world of opportunity and rewards that are worth pursuing.
Focusing on those unchangeable things only leaves you feeling more defeated.
However, paying attention to the things you could control can help you feel more capable.
“People often feel overwhelmed with anxiety from the brain scanning multiple scenarios to fix a problem.
A lot of these tend to be ideal scenarios that aren’t realistic,” Renteria says.
It isnt always easy to change these kinds of thought patterns.
Learning how to recognize them is the first step toward changing them!
This might involve looking for evidence that points to the opposite.
Look for evidence that disputes your helpless feelings.
Think about situations that demonstrate your personal agency.
Rather than ruminate on your weaknesses, focus your time on appreciating and honing your strengths.
“The role of the brain is to find solutions.
Essentially, feeling like you have to control everything can actually make you feel more helpless.
It can even make you feel hopeless when you find yourself overwhelmed by the reality of the situation.
Working on controlling things in the present may help people feel less distressed and more satisfied with life.
Fortunately, there are things that you’re able to do to feel more capable and empowered.
Such symptoms may be a sign of a condition such as depression or anothermood disorder.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
2023;10:1045777. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2022.1045777
Harvard Health Publishing.How to recognize and tame your cognitive distortions.
2021;62(3):393-400. doi:10.1111/sjop.12713
