"Learned helplessness is the giving-up reaction, the quitting response that follows from the belief that whatever you do doesn't matter."
It was developed in the 1960's by psychologist Martin Seligman and explains how someone's belief system is based on environment or experience, whether negative or positive. He also says a belief system of learned helplessness can be changed and has explained how in his book Learned Optimism.
A person whose belief system stems from a condition of learned helplessness is often guilty of self sabotage because he/she doesn't believe anything he/she does will make a difference and they are doomed to failure no matter what.
