Helplessness & Dependency
This observation is from a conversation with a friend whose husband acts like he would starve to death unless she drops what she is doing to feed him whenever he is hungry.
Sound familiar? It should.
We ALL use the emotionally manipulative strategy of playing pathetically helpless to get others to do something for us.
The problem is not just unhealthy relationships but the power we lose by not taking care of basic needs ourselves. The longer we play "helpless," the weaker, more dependent, and cartoonish we become.
So instead of laughing at men who can't figure out how to put a piece of bologna between two slices of bread, let's pause to take a personal inventory.
Ask: When do I play helpless? What do I really want?
Sometimes we simply want to be seen, feel a connection, and know we are important to another person.
Image courtesy of the Canva pro media library.