Learned helplessness: what it is, and how CBT helps you take back control

You’ve tried and tried, and nothing seems to change. Eventually, you stop trying. Even when a new opportunity appears, a voice says: what’s the point?

Psychologists call this learned helplessness. Here’s what it is, what newer research says, and how to rebuild a sense of control.

What is learned helplessness?

Learned helplessness describes a state in which, after repeated experiences that felt out of your control, you stop trying to change things, even when change is possible. It can show up as:

• giving up easily, or not starting at all
• feeling that nothing you do matters
• low motivation and energy
• passivity in the face of problems
• blaming yourself for things beyond your control
• difficulty seeing options or solutions

Where the idea came from

The concept came from animal experiments in the 1960s by psychologists Martin Seligman and Steven Maier. They originally thought the animals learned from uncontrollable stress that nothing they did mattered, and so stopped trying.

Fifty years later, in a 2016 review, the same researchers said brain research showed the original theory “got it backward”. Passivity is the default, unlearned response to prolonged, uncontrollable stress. What is learned is control: when the brain detects that actions make a difference, it switches off that default passivity. They suggested this may have substantial implications for how depression is treated.

In other words, helplessness isn’t a personal failing. It’s a natural response to stress, and a sense of control can be rebuilt.

How it links to mental health

Learned helplessness is closely linked with:

• Depression, which involves low motivation and hopelessness. Our post on major depressive disorder explains more.
• Anxiety, especially when it leads to avoidance.
• Long-term stress, abuse or trauma, where people genuinely had little control.
• Burnout, when effort never seems to make a difference. See our post on signs of emotional exhaustion.

How to overcome it

Start with very small wins

Choose something tiny and achievable, like making your bed or replying to one email, and do it. Each small success teaches your brain that your actions matter.

Notice what you can influence

Divide a problem into three lists: what you can control, what you can influence, and what you can’t. Put your energy into the first two.

Track your actions and their effects

Write down what you did and what happened. Seeing evidence that your actions make a difference helps counter the “nothing works” belief.

Challenge helpless thoughts

When you think “there’s no point”, ask: Is that completely true? Has anything I’ve done ever made a difference? What would I tell a friend?

Use behavioural activation

Plan small activities that bring pleasure or a sense of achievement, and do them whether or not you feel motivated. It’s an effective, well-studied treatment for depression.

How CBT helps

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) helps people with learned helplessness by:

• identifying beliefs like “nothing I do matters”
• testing them through small experiments
• building problem-solving skills
• gradually increasing activity and engagement

When to get help

Talk to a doctor if feelings of helplessness or hopelessness are affecting your daily life, or come with low mood or loss of interest. If you’re in a situation where you feel trapped or unsafe, like an abusive relationship, support is available: the National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233. If you’re having thoughts of ending your life, call or text 988 (US) now.

Frequently asked questions

What is an example of learned helplessness?

A student who has failed several tests may stop studying, believing it won’t help, even when a new teacher or approach could make a difference.

Is learned helplessness a mental illness?

No. It’s a psychological concept describing a pattern of passivity after uncontrollable stress. It’s closely linked to depression and anxiety, which are treatable.

Can you unlearn learned helplessness?

Yes. Small successes, noticing what you can influence, behavioural activation and CBT all help rebuild a sense of control.

How does CBT treat learned helplessness?

CBT helps you spot beliefs like “nothing I do matters”, test them with small actions, and build skills and activities that show your actions do make a difference.

How Breatheasy can help

Breatheasy is built around small, achievable steps. Gentle daily steps, a kind streak with a free rest day each week, and ten-second check-ins help you see that small actions add up. The journal asks “What went well today, big or small?”, helping you notice evidence that your efforts matter. Breatheasy is coming soon to iPhone and Android.

Sources

• Learned helplessness at fifty: insights from neuroscience, Maier and Seligman, Psychological Review, 2016
• Behavioural activation for depression: an update of meta-analysis, Ekers and others, PLoS One, 2014
• Depression, National Institute of Mental Health
• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), NHS