Skip to main content Skip to bottom nav

When will this feeling of being trapped ever leave me?

111 Answers
Last Updated: 05/19/2022 at 5:13pm
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
Moderated by

Lindsay Scheinerman, MA, LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor

My work with clients is to help them recognize and build on their strengths to find solutions for the conflicts presented in their lives.

Top Rated Answers
EDDIE4k5
February 13th, 2020 8:24am
You won't believe it would leave. Feeling trapped is not similar to feeling angry or casual sadness. Feeling trapped may seem "situational", so does any feeling in this world, but the starnge thing that trapped people often feel is a sense of helplessness. If you are feeling trapped, one failed effort can lead you to believe that making effort isn't worthwhile at the moment, and then making effort isn't worthwhile, and then making effort isn never worthwhile. Each step is virtually possible, but once you take it too far, it would become problematic. Therefore, you do want some companionship or some cheerful voice to help you go through this. Please reach out for the most suitable people.
koi0
March 13th, 2020 7:34am
There is no saying when . It could never go away , but then it also could its all about waiting and time . Feeling trapped is a horrible feeling and it's hard to shake off and the feeling will never go away forever because that's not how life works . So there is not a time or anything it will take a while but if your willing to wait and see if it' ll go away for awhile . you have to learn to have hope and faith and sometimes it hard to have but not imposible .
Ammon
March 18th, 2020 1:59am
You have to first admit, that you're trapped and that you need to find a way out and probably seek help in doing so. Communication is key to yourself, to those that are making you feel trapped, and to those that will be helping you. You need to understand why others do things that make you feel trapped and they need to understand why you feel trapped. You also need to find a way to express yourself freely without any hesitation (dancing, cooking, writing, exercising, etc.), which will help you feel free. After you've been able to find a path that you can escape through, you have to stick with it, and though it may be slow, remember that you'll eventually be free.
amazingLove26
March 21st, 2020 3:16pm
You can only change the feeling of being trapped when you put things in a different mindset. Until then, trapped. I am sorry if that is not what you want to hear? The truth is that feeling trapped is something many go through. We should always try to overcome it though. No one is fully trapped, there is always a choice of actions. Perhaps to help you know when you will not feel trapped you could write a list of positive things about you, and about your life. That way when the darker thoughts are taking over you can look at it. I would suggest that is like a bar of chocolate in the mind. Addiction traps, too much time on the internet traps, but if you are strong you can overcome anything you choose.
comfortingPudding4412
May 14th, 2020 8:45am
The feeling of being trapped will leave you when you will start loving yourself for the person you are and not be affected by what people think of you. You need somebody who understands you so that you can vent your feelings out to them. welling up so much inside you and carrying all this on your shoulders, all by yourself will only make it hard. Try talking to somebody so that you can feel a bit at ease. If you think you don't have anyone to talk to, 7cups has trained active listeners who can help you out and be there for you
Anonymous
June 21st, 2020 5:43pm
When you experience true freedom, try finding what makes you genuinely happy, free and careless, don’t live up to society’s expectations. Try a new hobby maybe, dancing, singing, acting, swimming ... you can pour your emotions in them, and try mediation, it’s helpful. Take deep breaths, remind yourself of the blessings you’ve been gifted, pray, praying helps so much in finding freedom and self worth. Stop trying to live up to everyone’s expectations if you are. Do you, you’re just as different, unique and special as everyone else. I hope that you will find your inner peace and you’re freedom one day, all the love.
Feebo
August 19th, 2020 7:16pm
There's no right answer to this. Everyone experiences feelings differently and feeling trapped is very normal. It may seem endless, but every single day is a small step forward; and any step forward is a step towards progress. Day by day, things will slowly get better, even if it doesn't feel like it. So while there is no set time for certain feelings to pass, remember that it will pass. Continue to put one foot in front of the other and sooner or later, you will get to your destination. Any progress, no matter how small or large, is progress.
Ribz
September 25th, 2020 4:24am
all work and no play makes jack a dull boy all work and no play makes jack a dull boy all work and no play makes jack a dull boy all work and no play makes jack a dull boy all work and no play makes jack a dull boy all work and no play makes jack a dull boy all work and no play makes jack a dull boy all work and no play makes jack a dull boy all work and no play makes jack a dull boy all work and no play makes jack a dull boy all work and no play makes jack a dull boy
Anonymous
November 18th, 2020 12:39pm
I'm not sure when, but I know it will. At least in my experience, I've been feeling down pretty much for years. I felt like there was no direction in my life and I didn't really care about anything and that feeling had become something normal for me. But something changed one day when I decided that I didn't want to feel this way anymore, and I wanted to feel better. I'm not exactly sure what happened, but maybe it has to do with taking care of myself. I decided to do what was best for me, even if it might be hard at times. It made me feel really different and I actually felt like I had a future after all. I felt like there were actually dreams and goals I wanted to achieve (they were small, but it was a start). It feels so good to actually have hope. So yes, I'm certain the feeling will leave. How long it will take, I cannot say, but I guess you could start by taking care of yourself. You deserve it :) I hope it was helpful and I wish you all the best!!
Anonymous
January 8th, 2021 1:59pm
The moment when you will start breaking your barriers and accepting things you can't change, you'll set yourself free. That's when you'll stop feeling trapped. Complete acceptance of yourself and your situation is the first step. The second step is to identify the things and situations that you can change about yourself and your surrounding. Third step is to figure out what changes you can make to become better. And last step is to implement those changes. You feel stuck when you stop flowing, you feel trapped, not because you're physically trapped but because your own mind, your own thoughts have trapped you. Understanding this plays a key role to setting yourself free.
Allearsdrew0517
February 6th, 2021 4:17pm
Absolutely yes, it is possible for the experience of being trapped to leave you. I feel that the feeling of being trapped very much correlates to two different situations. The first being situations that we feel hopeless about/feel powerless to change. The second being situations that are actually out of control that we need to accept (such as needing to distance ourselves from toxic parents that won't change for example). There's a different remedy depending on which situation this is for you. Side note: It is important to work on accepting all of our experiences at face value, even the ones that we intent to change/don't like. The ACT (Acceptance and commitment therapy) training is great for learning this exact mindset. In first situation, it's important to figure out exactly why you feel trapped. Is it a self-esteem issue? Do you have imposter syndrome? Do you genuinely need to build certain skills to be able to overcome the situation? Is it depression/anxiety lying to you telling you that you can never overcome the situation? It's very important to figure out exactly what it is in your situation that is holding you back and work on it so that you can develop some confidence in yourself and your abilities. In the second situation, it sounds like some acceptance is in order. acceptance doesn't mean the situation is okay, nor does it mean that you don't try and make changes with the way you engage with the situation, it just means that you accept that this situation is what it is, and to a certain degree, maybe even completely, that this situation is out of your control/not your fault. I find that acceptance and compassion for ourselves and everything in our lives is the bedrock for how we should handle our lives
Snow3712
March 25th, 2021 8:54pm
Feeling trapped feels like it will stay with you forever, trust me it's not forever. I felt trapped recently, and I really thought I couldn't get out of it no matter how hard I tried. People were telling me to just remove myself from that environment but I was very hesitant. What worked for me was first identifying why I felt trapped, and what was causing it. Once I found that out, I talked to my friends about it and got their opinions because they see what you may not realize yourself at first. Depending on the situation, it will be tough to get yourself out of this trap. But once you gather up the strength to do it, the feeling will leave. Don't try to rush it, because the feeling does take a while to leave. I still feel the feelings after months, but I'm glad that I removed that feeling at the same time.
Anonymous
April 7th, 2021 5:49pm
Feelings of being trapped have occured many times throughout my life and I know that it is hard for people to handle. But what I like to say is that life goes on, smile, look to the future not to the past. And with this life will start looking up. And the sun will start shining again. With every goal, you set you will start to feel lighter which will, in turn, help you feel less stressed. Stress is a major cause for feeling trapped or specifically claustrophobia. It is the main reason behind almost every issue. What I can say by this is that take deep breath look to the future and constantly create goals for yourself.
Anonymous
April 11th, 2021 6:23pm
It is important to always have some sort of control of our feelings. All feelings, even this one, come and go. Happiness and contentment is not an end goal. You need the low to appreciate the high, keep your head up. Occupy yourself with things you enjoy and don't be afraid to reach out for help. You deserve to get yourself the best care possible. As humans, we are exposed to all different types of feelings that could be caused by our own actions or the actions of others. What is most important is that we stay clear with ourselves, make ourselves happy and not harm anyone around us.
Anonymous
April 22nd, 2021 3:05pm
I believe when you start believing in yourself and your worth. Once you find within yourself that you are worthy, you will see a huge change in your life. Life is worth to live, and you are what you make it! Never doubt yourself. Always believe that you can do it. Believing in yourself is such a huge step to take, but I am sure it is a decision you will never regret! Be surrounded to those who love and support you. Having those supportive people in your life can really help shape you into the best version of yourself.
Anonymous
August 26th, 2021 5:24pm
I have felt trapped before, it's not an easy feeling to face but I learned to overcome it. I focused on self-care and made listening to myself a priority. I learned to accept the circumstances for what it is and to be happy and embrace myself. The feeling of being trapped placed me in a dark place but I was able to find the light at the end of the tunnel. I learned to be more patient with myself, to really become more attentive to my own feelings, and to let go of negativity. This has allowed me to feel refreshed and liberated and I no longer had any feeling so being trapped. -Lexi
Paradik99
October 29th, 2021 4:11pm
I can relate to this feeling in a couple of different ways. The first way is the literal fear of being trapped, that is my agoraphobia and claustrophobia. I have GAD that gets triggered because of this phobias. After 5-6 years in therapy, I have learnt that this feeling of anxiety won't really leave me. It will lessen, sure, but it won't completely vanish. I have to continue with my life with the thought that I will forever need to be dependent on someone, and that is just a part of my life. It can feel hopeless, because I've lived majority of my life carefree and independently, and to come to terms with something like this is jarring. Secondly, I feel trapped because I know that my home environment aggravates my mental health, but I also don't have any other support system atm that will be able to help me the way my family is. I feel trapped because to heal I have to leave home, but I can't leave home because I'm not healed. It's something I don't pay much attention to because it's one of those things that can't be solved now. Future me will have to deal with that, I guess. I can't give you a solid answer, but what I will say is that if you have even a few things you love, it makes things easier. If you don't have things you love, then this is the best time to start discovering what is it you love and are passionate about.
Genesis094
December 10th, 2021 6:35pm
We’ve all been there: you’ve been with a partner for some time, and you’re starting to feel unhappy. Maybe your partner isn’t treating you well, or maybe you just want something more for yourself. But as unhappy as relationships can sometimes be, we often don’t leave them right away. Are you feeling trapped in an unhappy relationship? Here are five steps you can take to start getting your confidence back and make an assertive decision about the future of your relationship. You have the power to get unstuck. Sometimes, we feel trapped in a relationship not because we’re unhappy with our partner, but because we’re feeling stuck in other parts of our lives.
nuuuris
March 3rd, 2022 12:41pm
I believe that it is really difficult to go through this. It is a feeling that we all have, it is natural for human beings I guess. Sometimes our reality gets so complicated that it is hard to understand it all and I guess that's when the "being trapped" feeling comes. But for sure there are good things in life that can make us feel relief, sometimes we just need to talk about what we are feeling and why do we think we feel like that because that way we can understand we are not alone at all, that everyone feels like that sometimes and that it is completely ok. Also sometimes changing little habits on your day by day can really help you see things differently, for example doing some exercise, breathing exercises, going for a walk. I hope this was helpful.
MindMaestro
April 1st, 2022 2:17pm
When you look beyond yourself, experience the life as it is, with selflessness. Without too many expectations and accepting reality sooner. By spreading love and compassion. Experiencing the freedom by exploring new areas than concerned with limited set of things that bother you. Working with purpose. Giving meaning to your existence. Being disciplined. Taking higher responsibilities than yesterday. Being in the right direction towards the goal you've set for yourself. Making small continuous improvements. Living courageously. Becoming useful. Being truthful or honest to yourself. Monitoring and identifying yourself to see when you feel trapped, and Seeking help from the experts.
Anonymous
May 19th, 2022 5:13pm
I know it's hard. But sometimes accepting the reality might help. And also if one can't change the situation it's good to change oneself. Adaptability work. Or finding solution to get out of the trap, as every situation differs solutions too differ. So once must need to identify the situation and see hpw it works. Yes sometimes few solutions fail, but still keep trying with other solutions. Somehow anyone solution might hit abd the trap can be removed. I know it's not easy but trying never fails. One should try more in order to come out of the trap.