Helplessness and victimhood are closely related. The defining characteristics of helplessness include:

1. Learned behavior in which a person manipulates others into caring for and nurturing him/her, sometimes leading to being overly dependent on caregivers emotionally and/or financially
2. Provoking of sympathy via work issues, relationship problems, illnesses, academic issues or failures which draws attention and support from others
3. A false sense of incompetence someone uses to make others believe a person is incapable of or lacking in competence, skills, or abilities to handle his or her own issues

Helplessness is fueled by fear of success and acts as a mask a person hides behind. It is a lack of self-trust and a refusal to hold oneself responsible for life's outcome.¨Victimhood is defined as a state of individual and/or collective mindsets that occur when traditional structures that provide a sense of self-worth and security through membership in a relationship or group are destroyed. It can be characterized by either a persistent or extreme sense of mortal vulnerability. 

How Psychotherapy Can Help with Helplessness / Victimhood

Psychotherapy helps those who are affected with helplessness or victimhood by digging into the real causes of these issues. These may have arisen from childhood trauma, lack of functional relationships with authority and parenting figures during childhood or overwhelming fear of success. Through the psychotherapy model, persons who have issues with victimhood or helplessness learn how to find the driving force of their issues, turn fear into a productive emotion or motivation and overcome their fear.

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Last updated: 05-06-2013