Learned helplessness is a sense of powerlessness that can emerge from repeated traumatic experiences. This has major implications for religious trauma recovery. Authoritarian systems like over-controlling families or religious groups often make us feel like we don’t deserve the right to choose things for ourselves or decide what happens to us. Rather than empowering us to make healthy choices, that control keeps us from figuring out what we need and how to get it.
If our past experiences have taught us that we're powerless to change our circumstances, it becomes very difficult to shift out of that mindset. Learned helplessness can convince us that we’re incapable of making choices that will actually lead to a sense of safety, autonomy, and satisfaction. When unaddressed, this leaves us stuck, waiting for others to validate our needs and feelings, give us permission to do things, and advocate for us.
This inventory includes examples of the learned helplessness mindset that can come from long-term disempowerment. As you take the inventory, try your hardest to suspend self-judgment. Remember, learned helplessness is a symptom of trauma, not a sign of weakness.
Instructions: Put a check by the statements below that seem to reflect your thoughts and habits.
