I have not only felt helpless, I've also felt hopeless and totally bereft.

It's taken years of therapy for me to learn to speak up for myself.

I could always speak up for others who were being bullied, picked on and abused, but not for myself for some reason.

Once you find it in you and start exercising it, it will get easier and easier to do.

Sometimes I still feel helpless, hopeless and totally bereft though.

I don't think it ever totally goes away.