Experiencing a Sense of Helplessness: Understanding its Causes and Strategies to Regain Control
Hopelessness, the absence of hope in one's life, can be a challenging experience for many. It is often associated with depression and is one of the formal symptoms of clinical depression.
If you've been feeling hopeless for more than two weeks, it's important to reach out to a mental health professional. They can provide guidance and support to help you navigate through this difficult time.
But there are also steps you can take on your own. Learning techniques used in psychotherapy such as reparenting, reframing, and behavioral activation can be beneficial. Identifying next steps can help overcome hopeless feelings and lead to positive outcomes. Asking yourself what you enjoy doing, what hobbies can be engaged in, and what actions can be taken can help in identifying these steps.
Reaching out to friends, family, or joining a local or online support group can help alleviate feelings of loneliness and foster hope. Spirituality can also be explored through concepts like a higher power, laws of nature, or an inner hero. Acknowledging feelings, identifying what's causing them, and listing solutions can help in coping with hopelessness.
Hopelessness can be linked to an expectation of more negative future events than positive ones, facing challenges and roadblocks to set goals, and an inability to imagine the future. Feeling hopeless could be a signal to engage in self-care practices more often. Higher levels of religiousness or spirituality are associated with higher levels of hope.
Looking back on past successes can increase hope for the future. Hope provides a feeling of empowerment and raises feelings of confidence while decreasing self-defeating thoughts and negative self-talk. It equals healing in therapy and can change a mindset, feelings, and behavior for the positive.
In the general population in Germany, the most common causes of hopelessness are psychological factors such as depression and other mental illnesses, social factors like isolation, unemployment, financial crises, discrimination, and traumatic experiences. Additionally, widespread concerns about social security (pensions, healthcare), economic uncertainty, and lack of trust in government solutions contribute to feelings of hopelessness.
If you're experiencing hopelessness, remember that it's okay to ask for help. Asking what a respected figure would do in a similar situation can serve as a source of inspiration. Family, friends, community, and church can provide resources that may not be thought of initially.
In conclusion, overcoming hopelessness is a journey, but it's one that can be navigated with the right tools and support. If you're feeling hopeless, don't hesitate to reach out for help. Hope is within your reach.
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