[axchizhov]

Learned helplessness was disproved, by the way. If I remember correctly, there is even a recent paper from the original authors confirming this.

Helplessness isn't learned, it's a result of not knowing how to deal with the situation. So, try new things, search for the solutions and don't give up — that's the recipe.

[haswell]

Thanks for pointing this out - I was not aware of the recent new findings. After reading through some of the recent updates my understanding is that the recommended reframing exercises (the “Learned Optimism” part) are still effective, even if the original understanding of why helplessness occurs biologically was backwards in the original research. So perhaps a better descriptor now is just “helplessness”.

From a practical standpoint, this is critical to note because if someone is trying to address their stuck-ness, this book is still an excellent resource that is not affected by this detail and is focused on learning new skills to move forward.

I think this also underscores the importance of taking active steps to retrain our brains when necessary.