Anyone can suddenly become a helper. What can render helpers helpless? As a helper, I want to use myself and my abilities to get another person out of an emergency and to be a source of support. This presupposes that I am at least mostly convinced that I can make a difference, that is, that I have influence. However, I quickly feel helpless as a helper if I realize in the situation that my actual abilities do not meet the demands of the situation. It does not necessarily have to be the case in reality. It is enough if a change in the environment or circumstances leads me to develop this belief. For example, bystanders who critically comment on the assistance being provided or ask unsettling questions can already be enough. But even the lack of reaction from onlookers or passersby can trigger helplessness if I see that, as I become increasingly exhausted or overwhelmed as a helper, I am not supported and even ignored.