{"id":28932,"date":"2015-08-04T12:36:00","date_gmt":"2015-08-04T19:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/?page_id=28932"},"modified":"2018-06-19T08:44:15","modified_gmt":"2018-06-19T15:44:15","slug":"hopelessness","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/hopelessness\/","title":{"rendered":"Hopelessness"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AnHopelessness<\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0is an emotion characterized by a lack of hope<\/a>, optimism<\/a>, and passion. An individual who feels hopeless may often\u00c2\u00a0have\u00c2\u00a0no expectation of future improvement or success.<\/p>\n

What Is Hopelessness?<\/h2>\n

Hopelessness is a powerful emotion that often contributes to a dark or low\u00c2\u00a0mood and may adversely affect the way one perceives the self, other individuals, personal circumstances, and even the world. Often hopelessness can have a significant\u00c2\u00a0influence on human behavior, as it may reflect\u00c2\u00a0an individual’s negative view of the future.<\/p>\n

\n\t

Find a Therapist<\/a><\/h2>\n\t
\n\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\tAdvanced Search<\/a>\n\t<\/form>\n<\/div>Feelings of hopelessness can often\u00c2\u00a0lead an individual to lose\u00c2\u00a0interest in important objects, activities, events, or people. Someone who has become hopeless may no longer value things that were once important. The emotion is often associated with a lack of inspiration as well as feelings of powerlessness, helplessness, abandonment, captivity, oppression<\/a>, and isolation<\/a>. Numerous studies indicate\u00c2\u00a0that hopelessness is closely linked to poor mental, emotional, and physical health.<\/p>\n

Causes of Hopelessness<\/h2>\n

Hopelessness may be a symptom of a variety of mental health conditions, or it may occur when an individual is discouraged by dissatisfying, distressing, or negative life events.<\/p>\n

One survey, conducted among 1000 people who\u00c2\u00a0had been diagnosed with a psychiatric condition,\u00c2\u00a0shows that some messages of hopelessness may actually originate from the mental health care system. Of\u00c2\u00a0those\u00c2\u00a0who completed the survey, 41%\u00c2\u00a0reported\u00c2\u00a0being\u00c2\u00a0told by a health care professional that recovery from their distress was unlikely or impossible, in spite of\u00c2\u00a0the fact that many individuals, including those experiencing extreme mental and emotional distress, are\u00c2\u00a0able to achieve stable wellness through therapy. Sixty-nine percent of these individuals later self-reported themselves to be “recovered” or “fully recovered.”<\/p>\n

How Hopelessness Can Affect Mental Health<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Hopelessness is listed as a symptom of many behavioral and mental health issues, including depression<\/a>, anxiety<\/a>, bipolar<\/a>, eating disorders<\/a>, posttraumatic stress, substance dependency<\/a>, and suicidal ideation<\/a>. Many people\u00c2\u00a0who experience hopelessness may also be affected by mental health issues such depression. Feelings of hopelessness that occur with a condition such as depression may lead an individual to have thoughts of suicide.<\/p>\n

Hopelessness may not always\u00c2\u00a0occur with a particular condition, but no matter the cause, feelings of hopelessness can be devastating. Not only does the emotion compromise an individual\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s sense of well-being and stability, it may also rob a person of the motivation required to utilize available resources or seek help.\u00c2\u00a0\"suicide-prevention-lifeline-graphic\"<\/p>\n

People experiencing hopelessness may make statements such as:<\/p>\n