What if you feel trapped

Carl isn’t satisfied with his job – that’s true boringhe doesn’t particularly like his colleagues, especially his supervisors, who are micromanagers, but he has a pension and has a few kids he wants to get into college. He feels trapped.

It feels like Jody is trapped too. It’s not her job, it’s not her job marriage. She and her husband have little in common, live in parallel, and his occasional explosive seizures anger She walks on the eggshells. However, she only works part-time, literally can’t afford to leave and doesn’t know where she’s going.

Confined: You can see the sky, but you are stuck at the bottom of a well that you can’t exit. Emotions quickly connect depressionWhy both-it-does are not important – there is no attitude that doesn’t matter to you. You hate emotions, but you give up.

But that doesn’t have to be. Here are some suggestions for getting out.

Understand that you are making your choice

Unfortunately, there are situations and conditions in which you are truly trapped: you are in prison or live in a war zone. But for most of us, and for Karl and Jody, the feeling of being trapped is better than having a fundamental choice made: staying. For Carl, the choice may be by a fear Lose his pension or not have enough money to educate his children. For Jody, choices may be due to a sense of overwhelmedness. Know how to get started and what to do, imagine the worst case scenario where life on the streets and your husband somehow retaliates.

This doesn’t mean minimizing Carl or Jody’s feelings, or how difficult it is to break or change course. But to recognize that you are making choices and recognize that you play a role in shaping your situation is because you often feel that what is known is less overwhelming than the unknown.

Check in your future self

Do you imagine what you’re feeling after 10 or 20 years, no matter what changes? Carl may actually look back and be proud that he has the tenacity to stick to it, or that he lived his values, even if he had to sacrifice himself a bit for his family. Meanwhile, Jody may turn around and feel like she’s wasted her life. Or you may regret terrifying your life path and causing you to regret not having the courage to act. You can’t predict or control the future, but by looking ahead and imagining the emotional consequences of staying, you can clarify your priorities motivation.

Explore

The antidote to the feeling of trapped and the depression it produces is behavior. You need to try and get out of the well. This doesn’t mean that Carl will either quit his job tomorrow or Jody has left town the first bus. Instead, it’s about doing something and exploring is a good place to start. Carl can discuss changes in job duties, his supervisors, or look into the jobs available in his field. Jody can search for a full-time job to save money or consult with an attorney divorce process.

This is collecting valuable information, but more importantly, getting a reality check.

Please get support

In these situations, you tend to understand to maintain your own struggle. She is naturally private or embarrassed, so she wants friends and Jody. But it’s difficult to go by yourself. Find support in the community. For example, Jody speaks to local women’s shelters and legal aid staff to not only explore the services, but also realize that help is actually available. You can reach out to friends and family, or find a counselor with at least one confidant – lighten your burden and make yours anxiety.

Stepping into the unknown is always scary and always a challenge, but staying where you are and resigning yourself is often a greater burden and challenge. So, what is your ultimate action? Can you take your baby’s step towards another/better life?

If not now, when?

To find a therapist Visit Psychology Today Therapy Directory.