Verse 18.35 : Moksha Sanyasa Yoga "Liberation and Renunciation"

Krishna defines Tamasic fortitude. This represents a perverted, stubborn willpower that is used not to build or grow, but to maintain negative habits and resist change, trapping the individual in ignorance.

Tamasic fortitude is that by which a foolish person (durmedhā) does not abandon sleep (svapnaṃ), fear (bhayaṃ), grief (śokaṃ), depression/self-pity (viṣādaṃ), and vanity (madam). It is determination used to cling to misery.

In psychology, this describes the stubborn defense mechanisms of "learned helplessness," victim identity, and resistance to therapy. Some individuals use their mental energy to defend their depression, anxiety, and toxic habits, rejecting help and insisting: "This is just who I am." Breaking this Tamasic grip requires the courage to let go of the familiar comfort of misery and accept growth.