ON THE FRONTLINE: Different ways in conditioning to cope during Covid-19 pandemic

The theory from the 60s was called ‘Learned Helplessness’. It was devised from studies in rats. They observed rats responses to shocks that they couldn’t avoid or get away from. These were distressing situations, out of their control.

Experimenters observed that after a certain period of time rats resigned themselves to their fate, they gave up, and even if offered an escape route they didn’t take it. I don’t know how long this time was, and I suspect it would be different between individuals, but there came a point where all rats ‘learned helplessness’.

This theory was extended to humans and similar observations made around situations where people where under prolonged stress, out of their control, and how it was a great breeding ground for depression and anxiety. Sound familiar? It’s not surprising that currently as GPs we are seeing a lot more mental health issues emerging.

But this story has an elegant twist. The main researcher to develop the learned helplessness theory was Martin Seligman. He became famous for it, his name imprinted in the memory of medical students the world over. However, he became so submerged in looking at the causes of depression that he became depressed himself.

He decided, as much out of self preservation as anything else, to turn his attention to not what causes depression, but what builds mental resilience and helps people to cope well with adversity.

His new, more cheery theory was based on PERMA. Each letter represents what his research led him to believe where the key features of what creates mental wellness. P= positive emotions, proactively focusing on what is working and going well (no matter how small). E= Engagement, doing things that you enjoy that absorb you so that you find your ‘flow’. R= Relationships, we are generally social beings and need love and friendship. M= Meaning, building on what I wrote last week our wellness is dependant on us finding our lives meaningful, and that it has a purpose. A= Achievement, it helps us to accomplish things that matter to us, again no matter how small, finding tiny successes is very helpful.

Dr Seligman has applied his approaches to proactively preparing soldiers for the stress of battle. They have learnt that Post Traumatic Stress can be significantly reduced by people practicing the skills and habits associated with PERMA. I would suggest there is much in this in how we cope with the stresses of our current world. There is much we can all practice in a purposeful way to condition ourselves to cope. Dr Seligman certainly reports he is much happier now he is focused on the positive.

For more reading see ‘Flourish’ by Martin Seligman

Footnote: I’m really interested in your views as a reader, and what the columns I write trigger in you. I would be really interested to hear your thoughts on my twitter feed @olliehart7 use #GPchat

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a digital subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.