Medical experts say that learned helplessness is a type of thinking disorder, not a mental health condition. However, this syndrome can exacerbate the symptoms of mental illnesses, such as post-traumatic stress disorder or depression, which can develop in children due to war.

Angela Tittel shared simple but effective tips for parents of children who have experienced traumatic events: 

Talk about your feelings to make them easier to experience. Adults should share their feelings with the child so that they can open up as well. For example: "I feel sad and scared too".

If you have had a similar experience, tell your child about it by sharing how you felt. This will help him/her realize that it is normal to be afraid, and it is not a sign of weakness.

Be sympathetic, but not pitiful. For a child who has experienced the occupation, for example, you should express sympathy and understanding for what he or she is going through, but never pity.

Remember: excessive pity teaches helplessness, so you should not do everything for the child. The task of an adult is to give the child back a sense of control over his or her life because this is the only way to heal. The child must realize on their own, but with the support of adults: "I can do it" and "I can influence my life".

Tittel recommends systematically giving the child feasible tasks, particularly at home: feeding the cat, making the bed, washing the dishes, and so on.

Praise your child. Every time your son or daughter completes even the smallest task, don't forget to praise them.

"Cook meals together and talk, ask your child for help and tell them how well they help you. Tell your child 'let's do a quick clean-up, cook a meal together, and then play or watch a film' - even this will restore the feeling that the child can influence his or her life and that something depends on him or her," the expert explains.

Live on a schedule. A daily routine is one of the factors that can give a child a sense of control over their life. 

"When a child's life is ordered according to a certain rhythm or schedule, when they wake up and go to bed at the same time, when they know what to do when they wake up, the nervous system calms down because they understand what to expect in the future," the expert explains.

Discuss your child's negative phrases. If a child says, "I can't," adults should not do something for him or her. Instead, it is important to note: "If something doesn't work out right away, it doesn't mean you can't do it - you may just need more time to learn, and that's okay."

"If a child fails at something and you see them losing faith in themselves, it is important to shift the focus from the result to the process. For example, if they can't solve a maths problem, tell them why they might need this subject in the future. When interest arises, there will be a desire to learn. Not because you need to get high grades, but because it's interesting," emphasises Angela Tittel.