Learned Helplessness Syndrome

Learned helplessness is behavior exhibited by a subject after repeated aversive stimuli beyond his control. Initially, it was thought to be caused by the subject accepting his helplessness: ceasing attempts to escape or avoid the aversive stimulus even when such alternatives are unambiguously presented. In exhibiting such behavior, the subject would have acquired learned helplessness. In recent decades, neuroscience has provided insight into learned helplessness and shown that the original theory actually had it reversed: the default state of the brain is to assume that control is not present, and the presence of "helpfulness" is what is actually learned first . However, it is unlearned when a subject is confronted with prolonged aversive stimulation.

In humans, learned helplessness is related to the concept of self-efficacy; the individual's belief in their innate ability to achieve goals. The learned helplessness theory is the view that clinical depression and related mental disorders may result from such real or perceived absence of control over the outcome of a situation.

Treatment BeterKlinic

BeterKliniek is the clinic for Integrative Medicine that bridges regular and non-regular medicine.

An van Veen (physician) and Michael van Gils (therapist) look for the cause of a condition or disease. That is where the treatment starts otherwise, as people often say, it is 'carrying water to the sea'. We call this cause medicine. Sometimes it is also desirable to treat the symptoms (at the same time). We call this symptom medicine.

Chronic disorders often have their cause in epi- genetics. You can schedule a free informative telephone consultation (phone number 040-7117337 until 1 p.m.) at BeterKliniek to discuss your symptoms so that we can provide you with further advice.