On Learned Helplessness

[StressBuster]

One is only helpless (unable to defend oneself or act without help) when one lacks abilities, skills and a fair and equal environment.

Critical thinking skills and an ability to acknowledge a remarkable concurrence of events or circumstances without apparent causal connection will maintain a solid mental state. An ability to make clear, reasoned judgements.

On the flip side, a negative parenting environment, lack of education, limited opportunities, limited rewards… Combined with rationalizing (justification or false beliefs)—will ruin you utterly—leave you “helpless” to varying degrees.

The opposite of helplessness is:

Ability, aptitude, capability, capacity, cleverness, competency, dexterity, efficacy, efficiency, energy, expertness, faculty, force, might, power, qualification, readiness, skills, strength, susceptibility, talent

[darkshadow]

I agree up to a point but that's not the whole story. Our emotional makeup is what plays such a large part in our feelings of helplessness. We derive our tendencies in that regard from various sources but, I believe, mostly from our genes, from heredity. Experiences --positive or negative-- also affect how we react to what is going on in our lives. It is very far from being a simple matter of the qualities you mention in your post. A seemingly strong person with good education,opportunities, skills, aptitudes etc, etc can be reduced to a quivering wreck by one catastrophic event.