If this feeling is so miserable, why do so many endure it? The answer lies in a concept the existential psychiatrist Viktor Frankl called the "will to meaning" inverted into a "fear of freedom."
Sometimes the "slave feeling" starts at home. If you grew up with narcissistic parents or are currently in a codependent relationship, you may have been conditioned to believe that your only value lies in serving others. Your boundaries are routinely violated, and saying "no" triggers intense guilt or fear of abandonment. The Hidden Cost of Cognitive Captivity life with a slave feeling
It is the feeling of being owned by a mortgage, a job, a reputation, or a past trauma. It is the sensation of going through the motions of living while someone—or something—else holds the leash. This article explores the anatomy of this modern slavery, its psychological roots, its daily manifestations, and the difficult path toward emancipation. If this feeling is so miserable, why do so many endure it