Feeling Helpless is Hazardous to Your Health

by Kaleb Montgomery, Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Today we will look at the link between feeling helpless and illness. There is a direct correlation between your attitude and your beliefs and your health.

Feeling helpless upsets the balance of the hormones in our endocrine system. Chronic feelings of helplessness elevate our levels of the hormone cortisol. Our body naturally produces cortisol, a steroidal hormone, in response to stress. It is released as part of the fight or flight response of our bodies. Its function is to release more glucose into the blood stream for our heart and brain so we can run away from or kill a tiger. This is great if we encounter a mugger in the street. Unfortunately our body does not differentiate between a real threat and an imaginary one, both illicit the same physical hormonal response. That means that all the time we worry and think about being attacked by muggers, our brain and body release hormones as if it were actually happening. This is a problem because cortisol, released when we are, or think about being attacked, reduces our immune function. Therefore the more time we spend feeling as if the world is a bad place, and/or a mugger is waiting for us, the less energy is available for our immune system and the more likely it is we will get sick.

Another hormone that is affected by chronic feelings of helplessness is the neurotransmitter norepinephrine. Feeling helpless depletes the levels of norepinephrine in the brain. This is significant because norepinephrine is necessary for us to feel happy and content.

Therefore not only does feeling helpless make us sick (the cortisol effect) but it makes us less happy and content. (the norepinephrine effect). Consequently any time we put our selves into the role of victim, we are robbing ourselves of potential health and happiness.

It is possible not to feel helpless by choosing to look at life differently. Looking at life’s problems as challenges is one way. It is always possible to reframe a situation so you can learn from it. Even a death of a loved one can be see as a reminder of how short and precious life is and can be used as a catalyst to finish unresolved past issues, go for our dreams, or to spend more time doing the things we love. The point is that feeling helpless or feeling empowered is a choice we make. Choosing the role of victim is a decision that harms our health and happiness. Jump into life and use difficulties as opportunities for personal growth.

For a more in depth discussion of the link between feeling helpless and disease and the whole mindbody relationship please read Joan Borysenko’s, "Minding the Body, Mending the Mind."