Helplessness is a feeling that is hard to ignore because it feels so believable - one feels helplessness physically, emotionally and mentally. The basic idea underlying learned helplessness is that people may learn that they have no control over what happens to them in some situations.
This learned helplessness has motivational, cognitive and emotional consequences.
Learned helplessness can lead to an ability to learn that new response are available that do affect outcomes. Learned helplessness can lead to lower self-esteem and depression.
The individual who has developed learned helplessness is a position to experience more stress. Research indicates that it is this stress that determines or results in depression.
Therefore, learned helplessness does not directly cause depression, but instead, it is results in the stress that causes the depression.
Helplessness can cause depression
