Helpless, Worthless and Hopeless

Helplessness Concept: A psychological state characterized by a perceived inability to control or influence one's situation, often leading to depression, anxiety, and reduced motivation.

Learned helplessness, first documented in the late 1960s and early 1970s, describes the phenomenon where exposure to uncontrollable, aversive events leads to a state of passivity, reduced motivation, and difficulty learning subsequent tasks. Initial research with animals showed that those subjected to inescapable trauma exhibited significant behavioral disruptions compared to those whose responses could control the trauma. This led to the hypothesis that a learned expectation of helplessness, a belief that one’s actions have no effect on outcomes, contributes to depression in humans. While early models were criticized for oversimplification, a reformulated theory in 1978 introduced the idea that attributions about the cause, permanence, and scope of uncontrollability are crucial. Although the reformulated model generated complex research, its influence has waned, with the core concept of learned helplessness now largely integrated into broader cognitive approaches to depression and sometimes used colloquially to describe a loss of motivation after experiencing a lack of control. - Baker Encyclopedia of Psychology and Counseling

The sick of the palsy illustrates the sinner’s inability to help himself. The sinner cannot change his nature, and the world offers no true help. Only Christ can forgive sins and provide strength. When all else fails, Jesus has the authority to heal and transform lives. - sermon

Worthlessness concept- An adjective describing someone or something that lacks the qualities or value necessary for a particular honor, respect, or position.

The Hebrew word šāwʾ, often translated as “worthless,” appears frequently in the Old Testament. It signifies deceit, falsehood, and futility. Notably, it’s used in the commandment against taking God’s name in vain, implying misuse or for empty purposes. The term also describes untrustworthy people, ineffective efforts, and even foreign idols. - Baker Ex. Dict.

HopelessConcept: Lacking hope or expectation of good.

HopelessnessLund, J. W. (1999)Hopelessness is a pervasive feeling of pessimism and helplessness, characterized by the belief that one’s actions have no impact on outcomes. Individuals experiencing hopelessness perceive a lack of control over their future, leading to reduced optimism and motivation. This state can be exacerbated by self-defeating thought patterns, where failures are attributed globally, stably, and internally, meaning they are seen as representative of one’s entire existence, permanent, and due to personal flaws. This contrasts with a more adaptive explanatory style where successes are attributed internally and failures externally. Interventions for hopelessness often focus on helping individuals reframe their attributions, encouraging a more specific, temporal, and external perspective on failures, and highlighting available resources and strengths to foster a sense of efficacy and optimism. - Baker Encyc. of Psy and Counseling