http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2002-2006 by the authors Sat, 30 Jul 2005 03:13:29 EDT http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/archives/2003/08/22/202044.php#comment-193066 Dr: Am reading "Learned Optimism" and finding it exactly adressing issues concerning me. (writing this at 3 a.m.--validation of one aspect of my severly depressed state!) I have "learned helplessness" in one aspect of my life and was "relatively" functioning in other aresa, but now effecting them, too. Question: Just starting chapter 5--but at end of chapter 4, it states that learned helplessness causes depression bec. you perceive your actions as futile, (although exactly true)--isn't there another component? That of the DEGREE of need and desire to be successful in that area of your learned helplessness? It seems to me that my need and desire to achieve success in the area that I truly perceive as futile would not have the degree of helplessness if that need was less vital to my life and well-being. Will that be addressed further in bk.? I feel that no matter how I may apply the teachings in the bk.--my degree of need is so great in that area, if futule attempts continue, I am lost.(my goal in that area is realistic)--Isn't that intense need for that success what further drives the depreession and learned helplessness that caused it? ( I am severely depressed. Have tried counciling--not many gd. therapists out there)--you are doing much more in just 4 chapters at geting to the core of prob. I just know for me, that failing in this area is something that is effecting my life so significantly that other successes have no meaning. Please address that quwstion of the extreme need and desire in relation to learned helplessness. Thank you, Kate 7/29/05 ]]> 193066@blogcritics.org Sat, 30 Jul 2005 03:13:29 EDT