Human beings learn that they cannot do anything in certain situations, so they do not act with the intention of changing them, that helplessness at what is happening may have several starting points or agents that help maintain it, such as fear, lack of commitment or low self-esteem.
The concept of impotence learned in psychology is mainly associated with a name, that of Martin Seligman, this popular psychologist and researcher conducted several experiments with animals, in which he gave unpleasant electric shocks.
- Sometimes this gave them the ability to dodge them using another lever.
- And other times they were independent of what they were doing.
- As the animals who learned that there was no connection between the lever and the landfills ceased to act.
Continuing Seligman’s experience, it can be said that changes in animal habits are linked to the lack of perception of contingency between their attitudes and the result, for these animals the damage had become uncontrollable, and that is why they were accustomed.
This same research was done with humans to see if something similar was going on. Loss of control over the environment or expectation of uncontrollability arises when the person has taken several steps out of a situation and failed. and there comes a time when the forces are running out and he says “if he has to, he will be. “
However, it doesn’t end there. This sense of abandonment usually occurs in other situations, as the perception of control is very altered. The thought is clear: if I can’t change anything, why act?
If we conclude that the problem is in us, self-esteem automatically decreases, but if the situation is the result of an external factor, we lose control and become depressed, now depression is an emotional factor that only develops when lack of control refers to something we crave or crave.
A theory complementary to that initially established by Seligman points out that the depressive state is due to the lack of hope to improve or change this specific situation, if we have negative expectations about this important event and, in addition, nothing can be done about it, We lose hope, so it becomes very difficult to change that feeling and cause a lot of pain.
In addition to talking about theories or concepts of psychology, it is good to know what the possibilities are to encounter this problem in order to solve it. The impotence learned is a mental and emotional process that leads us to act in a certain way according to the past. stimuli or experiences.
It is generally very present in those people who were raised under a very authoritarian regime, with frequent punishments and few rewards, when they constantly scold us and do what we do we stop responding, this also happens when these rewards exist, but they are independent of what we do, so the importance of prices and the time to offer them when we educate someone.
“Why am I going to try to improve my grades if my dad wants to beat me the same way?” This may be a clear example of this problem that begins in childhood and persists into adulthood.
What happens when circumstances change and we face someone who doesn’t hit, punish or growl?If helplessness is already too present in the mind, it will be very difficult to do anything other than what is learned. The good news is that changing this habit can take time, but it’s not impossible.
Having a boss who makes your life impossible, being disturbed every day at school, having a mother-in-law or a very authoritarian parent are some of the usual situations in which a person can develop or reinforce their acquired impotence. , beatings or words does not mean being weak or shy, but not being able or not knowing how to deal with them.
If the child has been abused at home or school, or has undergone physical or psychological abuse, the child is more likely not to defend himself, to be depressed and desperate, but this not only happens at home. or in academia and during childhood: it is also present in the professional and personal world, such as the couple.
It is very common for a helpless person to say “this is the opportunity I have had and do what I do, because nothing is going to change. “In this way, the person stops fighting for his rights, integrity and pride. Not having the opportunity to improve a situation and that we are hopelessly vulnerable makes us passive and conformist beings.
If you feel that you have a certain willingness to learn this impotence, it is best to consult a specialist, because gradually and working aspects such as self-esteem or resilience, you will again be able to educate your thinking to resist and find solutions to these more complex or patient situations.