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Why apathy? What is apathy: symptoms and diagnosis of an apathetic state

You have complete apathy towards life. What to do? An article with practical recommendations, describing in detail the symptoms of loss of meaning in life and the reasons for their occurrence. But any person is capable of fighting.

Most people are familiar with apathy firsthand. It is a state expressed in an indifferent, indifferent attitude towards life, towards everything that surrounds, towards other people. Apathy can be short-term, for example, if it occurs during a period of illness or when serious problems arise. Usually, when health improves or a difficult situation is resolved, then apathy goes away. This condition is not dangerous and does not require special efforts to combat it. But it also happens that apathy completely takes over a person and deprives him of interest in life. It can last for a long period, intensifying every day. In such cases, it is necessary to urgently take measures to overcome this condition and return the taste for life.

Signs of deep apathy

Lack of emotions, dry speech. Such a person’s phrases: “I don’t care,” “There’s no point,” or “It’s no use.”
Loss of interest in what used to bring joy. The person is not “burning” with any business. Life energy is completely absent.
Decreased muscle tone. Movements become sluggish and slow, which leads to a passive lifestyle.
There is often a cyclical pattern of actions. For example, a person can “hang out” in front of the TV, watch the same movie, or try to lie down whenever possible.
Deterioration of attention and memory.
Reduced contacts with others, unsociability, withdrawal into oneself.
A person stops taking care of his appearance.
Lack of initiative, tendency to be selfish, laziness.
Depressed mood, loss of meaning in life and self-confidence.
Suicide attempts.

The picture is quite sad, but not hopeless. Even complete apathy can be overcome.

Causes of apathy

Severe, chronic diseases (presence of malignant tumors, paralysis, stroke).
Mental disorders (obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia).
Hormonal disorders (malfunctions of the endocrine system, pregnancy, menopause).
Lack of vitamins and beneficial microelements in the body.
Taking certain medications: contraceptives, antibiotics, sleeping pills, antidepressants, heart medications.
Experiencing severe stress and crisis conditions.
Professional burnout. Most often it manifests itself in the sphere of working with people due to intense communication, conflicts, a high degree of responsibility, unfulfilled career expectations, dissatisfaction with oneself, etc.
Alcohol and drug addiction.

An important condition for overcoming this condition is the desire of the person himself. First you need to recognize its presence and understand the reasons for its occurrence. If a person is confused and does not know what to do, then relatives and friends should come to the rescue, who can support and guide him.

First of all, you need to rest and get enough sleep. You need to start changing your life with fresh thoughts. In addition, sleep always gives energy and strength.

You should mentally go back in time and answer the questions: “What would that person do now? How would you cope with this condition? (referring to myself a few years ago).

If apathy occurs while taking certain medications, it is necessary to limit or completely eliminate their use (provided that this will not be life-threatening).

It is important to force yourself to constantly do something: go outside, communicate with friends, keep order in the house, etc. In any way it is necessary to prevent and. You can keep a diary in which you note your action plan (for a day, for a week) in tabular form, sum up the results and write down the emotions that arise.

You need to remember your hobbies that brought you joy. You need to return to them or come up with new activities in order to feel interest and.

If a deficiency of vitamins in the body is detected, qualified medical assistance is required.

Sometimes looking at yourself in the mirror is a good method of therapy and an incentive to action. To be more effective, you should ask yourself the questions: “What can I change in my appearance? What will make me more attractive? It is worth smiling and remembering this facial expression. Through external behavior you can establish harmony in your soul.

Psychologists advise listening to your favorite music, as it gives a boost of energy and helps cope with apathy.

It is necessary to choose activities that stimulate a surge of emotions. This could be dancing, creative or sporting events, extreme sports. The main thing is to get out of the state of indifference.

Something might need to change dramatically. For example, work or place of residence. It could also be mastering previously unknown activities, breaking old habits, or creating new relationships.

Don't be afraid to see a psychotherapist. It is important to recognize that apathy is a disease that requires treatment. And a specialist always has an arsenal of methods necessary for this.

Every person has the resources to overcome any difficult situation and cope with various negative conditions. The sooner he realizes the need to change something in his life and shows more activity, the faster he will find them.

Goodbye and good mood to everyone.
Best regards, Vyacheslav.

Apathy is a state characterized by deep emotional indifference to everything that happens, detachment and indifference. This condition may be one of the symptoms of clinical depression, a consequence of certain neurological and somatic diseases, as well as one of the negative (“something taking away”) symptoms of schizophrenia.

It is worth considering apathy from two positions: from the point of view of the normality of the phenomenon, and from the position of a pathological symptom.

If we talk about apathy as a normal phenomenon, then it is a kind of protective mechanism that warns the body of imminent exhaustion, excessive overexertion and lack of resources for normal functioning.

A similar condition is found when, due to chronic overload (both mental and physical), as well as after acute (and prolonged) stress, the resources of the nervous system are simply not enough to ensure full functioning.

In fact, approaching the brink of exhaustion, the nervous system triggers the mechanisms of so-called protective inhibition - that is, it forcibly slows down the performance of certain mental functions. In particular, with apathy, the activity of the emotional sphere is primarily inhibited.

Formally, with apathy, the usual physical (albeit reduced) activity is preserved, but its emotional accompaniment suffers: hobbies are not enjoyable, unpleasant work does not cause disgust.

If this symptom persists for a long time and there is no proper correction, apathy from a situational and short-term phenomenon can become a chronic factor that will bring changes to a person’s personality. At some point, we can talk about apathy as a personality trait. For example, social apathy can be a consequence of long-term uncorrected depletion of the nervous system, especially if traumatic loads were suffered in adolescence. Apathy towards everything social leads a person to complete passivity in terms of professional activity, everyday communication, and, in general, inertia becomes a faithful companion of such a person.

In extreme cases, apathy for life is accompanied by so-called abulia. If with apathy a state of comprehensive indifference appears, then abulia is a phenomenon of inactivity, loss of activity and weakening of volitional regulation. Apato-abulic syndrome may develop, which is characterized not only by an absolute absence of emotional reactions, but also by almost complete inactivity, which manifests itself at the everyday level, for example, in increasing sloppiness and lack of concern for one’s physical condition and appearance.

Complete apathy is the absence of emotions, abulia is the absence of any activity. In the first case, a person lives “out of habit”; in the second, he does not even have the desire to do anything.

It is the apatho-abulic syndrome that is often the debuting form of schizophrenia and disorders of this spectrum. At the same time, a sharp depletion of emotional life can also manifest itself in some somatic, immune and neurological diseases, namely:

neurodegenerative phenomena in Pick's and Alzheimer's diseases;
Lyme disease (tick-borne Lyme borreliosis);
HIV infections.

Some antipsychotic drugs have a side effect of apathy.
Now about some clinical cases of pathology: apathy and depression almost always occur in conjunction. However, with a “pure” clinical picture, depression is accompanied by strong negative feelings, while with apathy, emotions lose their contrast: a person cannot say that he is sad or happy - depression is accompanied by a state of “no way.”

However, you should not think that with apathy a person does not experience emotions at all. In fact, it often turns out that all experiences are displaced into the unconscious and can manifest themselves in some external actions, without being consciously realized by the person. However, what emotions really lose is brightness and saturation.

Symptoms

The first thing worth noting is the external visibility of this condition. Apathy, the symptoms of which boil down to indifference, is easily noticed from the outside. A complete loss of interest in what is happening and increasing passivity always strikes the person’s relatives and acquaintances.

Gradually, a person stops doing things that usually brought satisfaction, hobbies disappear, and the number of social contacts may decrease. At the same time, not only the pleasant “little things” of life disappear, but also events that normally cause unpleasant emotions do not touch the person.

Alienation from society may gradually increase, both in the form of professional isolation and within the family. Behavior becomes indifferent, life is reduced mainly to the usual maintenance of physical well-being. A special feature is speech, or rather its vocal and intonation characteristics. It acquires a monosyllabic character, monotony and fearlessness. Value judgments often disappear.

Another significant sign of apathy is loss of empathy. The problems of relatives cease to worry a person. Help begins to take on a formal character.

At the same time, attempts to get closer to an apathetic relative, as a rule, cause even greater alienation, which can take the relationship into a hostile direction.

Reasons

So, we have already understood what apathy means and represents, but apathy and its causes deserve separate discussion. As we have already noted, this phenomenon can stem from a variety of reasons: both purely psychological and physiological. Of course, in the clinic, the majority of psychogenic forms of apathy are encountered. Before psychotherapeutic treatment, it is necessary to exclude from the list of possible causes:

pathologies and injuries of the central nervous system;
AIDS;
various forms of chemical dependencies;
endocrine and hormonal disorders;
dementia;
schizophrenia;
severe depression.

The first non-psychological reason is side effects from medications. Some tranquilizers, hypnotics, and antidepressants can cause conditions similar to apathy. According to some data, COCs and antibiotics can also affect the extinction of emotional activity.

Therefore, taking any medications requires expert consultation with your doctor or a specialist in a specific field.

If we discuss apathy within the framework of the psychoanalytic school, then apathy and its treatment are based on the idea that this symptom is a kind of mental protection that saves a person from strong negative experiences. At the same time, apathy is considered as a “transitional” period, which allows a person to rebuild the value system and change the worldview, which helps to remove the original conflict that caused this state.

Some experts are of the opinion that the causes of apathy lie in a life that is overly saturated with strong emotions, and the task of this symptom is to switch the emotional sphere into an “energy-saving” mode in order to avoid depletion of the minimum resources necessary for full functioning.

Apathy during pregnancy - especially in the early stages - can be a consequence of hormonal changes in the body, as well as a consequence of a change in the usual rhythm of life. Young women who are hungry for career victories are especially susceptible to such apathy.

Of particular interest is apathy towards everything, the reasons for which lie in a person’s workaholism. Workaholism is a pathological status of a person, which has been actively studied over the past 30 years in the context of engineering and labor psychology. As a rule, the latter leads to burnout syndrome (unfortunately, there is no single exact term). Apathy occurs as a natural consequence of the depletion of all possible human resources; as a rule, this form of symptom occurs most often in large cities among men 35-45 years old. Unfortunately, apathy and depression, in which it is too late to do anything at the behavioral level, developed due to workaholism, are the cause of a large number of suicides among men.

Correction and treatment

Apathy: what to do if you don’t want anything? Symptoms of apathy require not so much immediate elimination as analysis and elimination of their causes.

It is worth considering that often a temporary and short decrease in general activity is a normal phenomenon that “recharges” our psyche. During prolonged (more than 10 days) periods of this condition, you should sound the alarm.

If apathy is a consequence of prolonged stress or a traumatic situation, then sometimes it is enough to take a “break” of several days: to recover or relive what happened. For example, you should not try to push sadness deeper after a breakup or the loss of a relative; sadness is a natural state that helps to rebuild our picture of the world to new conditions. By hiding this feeling now, we risk facing emotional decline in the future.

The basis of treating apathy is planning and gradualism. There are no medications that can restore your usual tone in a few days. In some cases, ordinary rest will be sufficient; in prolonged and post-traumatic apathies, psychotherapeutic intervention may be required, and apathies in the picture of depression, or apatho-abulsic phenomena require treatment with specialized medications.

Relaxation training and some breathing practices can be a good tool in the fight against apathy. After stress, you should not neglect the possibility of psychological counseling: sometimes prolonged stress makes us “blind” to obvious solutions that an experienced consultant can lead us to.

Psychoanalytic treatment makes sense in cases where apathy occurred following a violent outburst of emotions - most likely, after such a manifestation, all “residual” experiences were sent by the psyche to the unconscious so as not to traumatize us. An experienced psychoanalyst is able to help a client experience the emotions he himself has hidden and thereby return him to a full-blooded life.

And in the case of apathy following the death of a significant person, a good but difficult method of work is existential analysis. Within the framework of this direction, a person is literally helped to go through and survive his suffering in order to later successfully build his new world.

Correction and prevention of apathy is based on three key principles:

Apathy will never be cured successfully unless the root causes of this condition are removed. It is impossible to engage in psychological correction of consequences if a person’s vital needs are not satisfied: for normal food, rest, health and hygiene.

And concluding our article on apathy, let's touch on some “pill” methods for preventing and treating this condition. However, let us immediately make a reservation that the list of drug groups and trade names below are not a direct guide to action.

Before taking any medications, be sure to consult a specialist and get tested for drug tolerance!

The main groups for the prevention and correction of apathy:

B-group of vitamins, namely: Neurobion, Vitaxon, Neuromax;
class of nootropics, namely: stamine, noocetam, pyratropil;
some agents that improve tissue metabolism: stimol, enerion, tanakan;
psychostimulants: caffeine, Dia-Activanad-N (only after consultation!);
some adaptogens, namely: bilobil, ginos.

Finally, in severe (clinical) cases, psychiatrists may prescribe antipsychotics, such as metophenosate.

It is better to get rid of apathy as soon as possible. Don’t think that this condition will go away on its own. If a person is strong, then he will cope with apathy. Or rather, a strong spirit will not allow himself to be brought to such a state. But a weak person can feel apathy. People who easily succumb to negative impressions or whose nervous system is in a weakened state are especially susceptible to it. When a person of this type is in a bad mood for a long time, the most insignificant event can cause a nervous breakdown.

Apathy. What kind of illness?

How to deal with apathy and what is meant by this concept? There is an opinion among doctors that apathy is the body’s way of protecting itself from overload. It may be associated with unstable functioning of the human nervous system, a negative emotional background, which is accompanied by general fatigue.

A person closes off from external stimuli. Thus, it gives the body the opportunity to improve the functioning of the body’s systems.

In a state of apathy, a person does not experience any emotions about one thing or another. He is absolutely indifferent to everything that happens. Nothing makes him happy, but nothing makes him sad either. A person doesn’t want to think about anything. He cannot pull himself together and tune in to a positive mood. How to deal with apathy? He doesn't know the answer to this question for sure.

When a person is in a cheerful mood, he plans for tomorrow, waits for good news, thinks about what to wear. And in a state of apathy, he does not want to make plans for the future. For example, he does not think about the upcoming vacation or about any other pleasant events and pastimes. What made a person happy a certain time ago does not bring pleasant emotions in a state of apathy. They are also not interested in activities that brought them pleasure in the past. Films that evoked emotion cease to be of interest.

I don’t want to listen to my favorite songs, attend educational institutions and engage in work. In the case when close relatives begin to tell a person in a state of apathy that he needs to get out of this state, the reaction can be aggressive and inadequate.

What can you do? How to start taking action?

How to deal with apathy? If a person is in this state, then the problem is that he cannot concentrate on doing anything. It seems that any action requires a lot of effort from him, there is no energy to carry out his plans. How to deal with apathy? Now we will give useful tips that should point you in the right direction. So, you have apathy, what should you do?

First of all, under no circumstances should you let the situation get worse. No need to relax. The first thing to do is to pull yourself together and begin to control the situation. Under no circumstances should you let her go.
A person must begin to get himself out of an apathetic mood on his own. You should know that you should not rely on external help. Even if someone close to you wants to do this, it can provoke aggression on the part of the patient.
It is necessary to remember that if you allow yourself to remain in a state of upset and sad mood, this will take you out of your usual way of life for a long time.

An interesting technique will make you cry and smile

How to overcome apathy? There is a technique, following which, a person in this condition needs to aggravate the situation. You should think about yourself, that you are the most unfortunate person on earth, you feel very bad, and so on. It is necessary to create an absurd and comic form of apathy, namely, self-pity. If you want, you can cry.

But you should know that this method can not help all people, but only those whose apathetic state has been prolonged, but it is not too deep and neglected. Also, those who have a sense of humor can laugh at themselves. That category of people who fail to reconfigure themselves through humor in a positive way should try other methods.

How to overcome apathy? If a person manages to cry and feel sorry for himself, then this is considered a good indicator and a kind of warm-up for getting out of a negative perception of reality. If you just managed to feel sorry for yourself, then there is a possibility that the person will want to try to make an effort on himself and get out of a prolonged depression.

Pamper yourself, because you deserve it!

After feeling sorry for yourself, you can move on to the next stage of getting out of apathy. It includes a technique that involves pampering yourself. For example, you can buy yourself something that you have been thinking about for a long time, but did not dare to buy. You can also go to a restaurant, spend time in the company you want, order something tasty, perhaps some kind of delicacy or delicacy. You need to stop counting money, allow yourself to relax and enjoy some action or taste. Every day of life passes and cannot be repeated, so you need to appreciate every moment and, when the opportunity arises, make the most of it.

Expand your horizons

It is not recommended to focus on the same thing. It is necessary to switch, go to exhibitions, museums, cinemas, walks, play sports, communicate with different people. If a person participates in different areas of life, this will give him the opportunity not to get hung up on something specific, but to look at the same things from different angles.

What actions should be taken?

First of all, you just need to start doing the previously planned things and not think that everything is bad. At the initial stage, you can do them mechanically. It’s okay, over time the right mood will come and it won’t seem like everything is bad. You can write down on a piece of paper all the things that need to be solved or implemented, and do them one after another.

It’s better not to think too much about how you will do it, or about possible difficulties, etc. It will be good if a large number of tasks can be accommodated in a small time period. This way, you will not have the opportunity to be depressed about anything. Active activity will bring a person out of such a depressive state, he will forget what apathy towards life is, learn to appreciate every moment and enjoy it. The main thing is to force yourself to start.

Preventive measures that will help a person not to go deeper into a depressive state

The most important rule to remember is the ability to diversify your life. There is no need to do the same thing like a robot. It is recommended to come up with new types of activities. If you don’t have enough imagination, you can come up with some new activity for yourself by looking at what other people are interested in. Perhaps someone will like the type of activity. You can also visit new places. Traveling is a great way to switch gears and experience new emotions.

A new novel will help not only get out of a bad mood, but also improve your condition several times over.

It is very useful to start your morning with exercise. At first it will be a little difficult to do a set of exercises, but over time, exercise will become a habit, and everything will turn out easy and simple.

In addition, it is recommended to carry out other physical activities. For example, swimming, running, or doing yoga. Everyone can choose an activity to their liking. Some people like bodybuilding, while others like Pilates. It doesn’t matter what a person’s hobbies are in terms of sports, the main thing is that he exercises. During sports, blood circulation improves. Thus, the brain begins to function better, which has a positive effect on a person’s main work activity.

Water treatments deserve special attention. They give a person a good mood and stimulate appetite.

If any failure occurs, there is no need to blame yourself and be depressed about it. If a person feels that a bad mood is creeping up on him, then he needs to immediately force himself to think about something pleasant.

The problem of men. How does negligence manifest itself in representatives of the stronger sex? What to do?

It is believed that apathy occurs less frequently in men than in women. In fact, this is not entirely true. Women are more emotional than men. As for experiences, here men are also susceptible to depression and apathy. They have plenty of reasons to be in a bad mood. Firstly, if a man is married, then he is responsible for supporting his family. Secondly, failures at work or in business can seriously affect men's health. Relationships with the opposite sex cause very serious emotional experiences. Men are very vulnerable, not all of them are self-confident, etc. In addition, they almost always keep their emotions under control. That is why they cannot afford to relax and cry. In this regard, emotional experiences accumulate, and this may not end very well for the guy. It is worth saying that the life expectancy of men is shorter than that of women. It often happens that guys do not share their experiences with others, but keep everything to themselves. This situation is harmful to their health.

You can recognize male depression in his aggressive behavior, consumption of drinks that contain alcohol, and drugs. In addition, a guy in this state has no mood at all, complete apathy sets in. When a man is intoxicated, he can allow himself to disconnect from problems for a while. In this situation, the main thing is to remember that alcohol or other drugs will not solve anything, and perhaps will only worsen the problems.

Men should know that depression can be cured like any other disease. You shouldn’t be ashamed of this, because you need to use available means to get out of this state.

Blues and apathy. How to prevent yourself from getting depressed?

There is such a term as spring apathy. You should know that almost all people are susceptible to this disease. As a rule, apathy towards life in the spring is due to the fact that the body did not receive enough vitamins in the winter. Apathy can also arise from waiting for something for a long time. For example, if a person is waiting for some event. It could be something important, like a wedding. Usually the fair sex is expected to get married. This is why apathy in women can be associated with anticipation of something. This condition can also occur after a long-awaited event. The spring state of apathy, as a rule, goes away with time. In order not to aggravate the situation during such a period of time, it is recommended to take a break from work, rest and switch to something new.

The problem of women. Why does it arise, how does it manifest? What to do in this situation?

If we talk about girls, apathy is often found after childbirth. This is due to the fact that they have been waiting for this event for a long time. In addition, they are prone to emotional outbursts.

Plus, hormonal surges are added to everything. Also, a woman’s body gets tired during pregnancy and childbirth, and it wants to rest. But in fact, it turns out that a small child requires increased attention, and the girl does not manage to get enough sleep and gain strength. She experiences fatigue, drowsiness, and apathy. During this period of time, the support of relatives is very important. They can help a woman, give her time to sleep, sit or walk with the baby, prepare lunch or dinner. At first glance, these things seem ordinary and do not require any special attention, but for a woman in the postpartum period they will be very useful.

The support of your husband is also important. If possible, he can take a vacation. In this way he will support his wife morally and help her with household chores.

Apathetic depression. What kind of illness is this?

These concepts complement each other. At first, a person becomes depressed. Over time, it can turn into apathy. Then you don’t want anything, you have no strength at all. Therefore, when signs of depression appear, you should not treat them superficially; it is recommended to take all necessary measures to get out of this state.

A healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition will provide a person with a good mood. You need to learn to live life to the fullest and not give in to despondency. In addition, it should be remembered that the latter is considered a sin, therefore, even from the point of view of religion, one should not allow such a state in oneself.

Who suffers more often from apathy and depression - an egoist or an altruist?

It is believed that a person who has selfish character traits is more susceptible to depression and despondency than one who is focused on giving to people. The fact is that an egoist is more vulnerable to any failures directed in his direction, especially if they directly concern him. A person who is not self-obsessed will simply not think about what anyone said about him. He will draw conclusions and make the appropriate decision. Egoists are prone to overthinking and overthinking themselves at the slightest provocation. As a result, a meaningless comment can develop into a big ball of negativity. People who are prone to such thoughts about themselves need to learn to treat themselves with humor, because one of the wonderful properties of human nature is the ability to laugh at oneself. You shouldn’t take everything too seriously, you need to be able to relax and look at the world around you with a dose of condescension, patience and humor.

Proper nutrition and exercise are excellent cures for apathy

It is also recommended to keep yourself in good physical shape. Blood circulation in the brain affects mental activity. In addition to the sports activities that need to be carried out to keep the body in shape, special attention should be paid to nutrition.

It is necessary that a person’s menu includes products that are filled with useful microelements and vitamins. You shouldn't give up eating to work. The ideal option would be a full lunch and a walk in the fresh air. It is necessary to monitor your health. You should not bring yourself to a state from which you can only get out of it with the use of special medications. It is better to prevent painful conditions through the preventative methods discussed above.

Conclusion

It should be remembered that apathy can occur in both women and men. That is why you should be more attentive to your loved ones and relatives, surprise them more often and simply make them happy. It is important to remember that we are all ordinary people who want warmth, comfort and a little understanding. It is necessary to give this to those who are close to us, who are dear to us. An apathetic state is very dangerous, since outside help is very limited. A person can get out of this state only if he wants to.

In the life of any person, regardless of gender, age and other factors, sometimes there come moments when something “burns out” inside. For some, the feeling of lethargy and indifference passes quickly, while others fall into this state for a long time. To combat an apathetic attitude, you need to understand what it is and what provokes it.

Apathy - what is it?

Initially, the term “apathy” appeared within the framework of philosophy. From the point of view of this science, apathy was understood as the liberation of consciousness (mind) from feelings, fears, experiences, and the achievement of a state of renunciation of worldly passions. And having become part of psychological and psychiatric terminology, the word “apathy” acquired a slightly different color, beginning to be perceived in a negative light.

What does apathy mean in psychology or psychiatry? Literally, this word is translated from Greek as “insensibility” or “impassion.” A state in which a person does not experience bright positive feelings and emotions, does not feel motivation, aspirations and desires, does not want to find incentives, goals and opportunities, is considered to be an apathetic state. In addition to renunciation of the world and one’s personality, there is added a feeling of physical powerlessness, laziness, and drowsiness.

If a feeling of apathy can accompany individual diseases, both physical and mental, then in psychiatry and psychology, within the framework of “borderline syndromes”, such a concept as apato-abulic syndrome. It is characterized not only by all manifestations of apathy, but also by a decrease in willpower against the background of general weakness of the body, lethargy, perception of the world as if through thick glass and uncontrolled laziness.

When talking about complete apathy towards life, it is important not to substitute concepts and not confuse apathy with depression. Although the manifestations of these conditions are similar, depression and apathy are not identical. In some cases, a severe or prolonged form of an apathetic state can lead to the development of a clinical form of depression in exactly the same way that apathy can appear in combination with a depressive syndrome.

Depression characterized by a persistent and prolonged depressed state, in which the entire spectrum of negative emotions appears, and such functions as speech, thinking, and motor activity are also affected. For apathy it is characterized by severe hopeless indifference against the background of a condition similar to chronic fatigue syndrome.
If it is customary to talk about depression as such only when a person is in a similar state for more than two weeks, then apathy can last for a couple of days or be sluggish for quite a long time. In the latter version, apathetic syndrome requires consultation with a specialist and correction of the condition using non-improvised means.

When does apathy occur and who is at risk?

Like any other illness, apathy does not happen according to a strict schedule. However, it is generally accepted that the main peaks occur at spring And autumn. The rest of the time, apathy can manifest itself under the influence of negative reasons, provoking a state of indifference.

Apathy towards life and fatigue that appears in the spring are most often not very severe. And the result, under the influence of the degeneration of nature and the lengthening of daylight hours, is the way out of the apathetic state on the rise. Autumn apathy is considered a more negative state and can be protracted and pronounced.

Apathetic syndrome covers a person at the moment of complete physical and mental (emotional) exhaustion. The condition can be either a reaction to any irritants or the result of the work of the protective mechanisms of the psyche in order to preserve the last resources of the body. However, in any case, apathy must be taken under control and dealt with in order to return to a normal life that brings pleasure and joy.

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Although not a single person, even a very small child, is immune from the state of laziness and apathy, we can single out a separate group of people who are most prone to such mental manifestations.

Risk group

Women of all ages, since the amount of “joy hormone” in the body of representatives of the fair half of humanity is several times less than that of men. During pregnancy, it is also possible to develop apathetic syndrome.
People working in the social and public sphere are forced to have constant contact with different individuals, take responsibility for other people, solve other people's problems, and so on.
Teenagers during the teenage crisis.
Elderly people, especially in the first years after retirement and in situations of limited contact with the outside world.
People who have a tendency to develop mental and somatic diseases, as well as individuals with a weak but easily excitable nervous system.
Workaholics and those who absolutely cannot rest.
People in difficult life situations are losers or, conversely, wealthy people in whose lives there are no problems, and this creates boredom.
Those who have been diagnosed with various forms of serious illness, such as cancer or AIDS.
People prone to alcohol or drug addiction.

Certain personality traits can also provoke the development of apathy and depression.

Perfectionism and maximalism.
Pathological responsibility, tendency to constant control.
The predominance of character accentuations, expressed in frequent mood swings, as well as depending on the people around them and their opinions.
Suspiciousness, hypochondria, melancholy as a character trait.
Excessive nervous, emotional excitability, impressionability.
Perceiving mistakes and failures not as part of life experience, but as a personal tragedy.
Tendency to anticipate emotions and situations.
Low self-esteem and painful reaction to any changes in life.
Tendency to an autistic lifestyle.

Leading causes of apathy

Having an idea of what apathy is, one can easily assume the reasons that can provoke the development of this illness. The causes of apathy can be divided into physical and mental.

Physical reasons for apathy

Prolonged or severe illness.
Alcoholism, drug addiction, other forms of addiction.
Nervous and/or physical exhaustion.
Pathologies in the functioning of the brain, organic disorders.
Disturbances in the endocrine system of the body.
Lack of vitamins, microelements and nutrients in the body.
Prolonged or short-term, but strong, causing health problems.
General and long-term overwork of the body, lack of sleep, work “for wear and tear”.

Mental causes of apathy

Schizophrenia and some other types of mental illness.
Long-term or short-term severe stress that affects the emotional sphere.
"Professional burnout."
Emotional exhaustion after a strong reaction to an event.
Prolonged nervous tension.
The inability to release emotions, both positive and negative, an internal ban on emotionality and openness.

In a number of cases, a person who is in an apathetic state assumes that there are no reasons or grounds for the development of this illness, as if it were happening by chance, spontaneously. However, this is an incorrect assumption. Often the reasons that provoke apathy are forced out of consciousness, but “accumulate” inside a person. And at a certain moment, even a weak stimulus may be enough to give the negative state the opportunity to be realized.

How to define apathy? Symptoms of the condition

People who are distinguished by fortitude and self-control may not outwardly demonstrate manifestations of an apathetic state, trying to ignore it. This often leads to unpleasant consequences. But in most cases, identifying apathy in yourself or another person is not difficult.

This disease can begin very abruptly, with gradually progressive symptoms of apathy.

Signs of apathy

Complete absence of emotions and feelings. A person does not react to events, surrounding people, or his condition. Indifferent to work and household chores.
A feeling of weakness and endless fatigue when it is impossible to tear yourself away from the pillow in the morning.
Slowness of all mental processes.
Ignoring your personal needs for hygiene, food, and so on.
Constant sleepiness.
In some cases, attacks of fear or panic may occur.
Perception of the world in black, without prospects, impossibility and unwillingness to make plans for the future.
Withdrawal into oneself, sharp limitation of contacts with people, reluctance to make new acquaintances or go out somewhere.
Loss of interest in hobbies, music, films, books, and so on.
Tired of life, of oneself.
Lack of internal motivation for any action. Perception of all previously set goals as useless and unnecessary.
Absent-mindedness. In rare cases, outbreaks of aggression and irritability are possible (see also -).
A painful feeling of loneliness with which you don’t want to do anything.
Decreased motor activity, memory impairment.
Phrases like “I don’t care,” “I don’t know,” “I can’t think,” “I don’t want to decide,” and so on often appear in speech.

Treatment of apathy: how to get rid of it forever

In most cases, apathy is not perceived by doctors as a serious condition that requires drug treatment. But in a number of situations when a person is unable to cope with the condition with the help of “improvised means,” medications and psychotherapy can be used.

Medications for apathy may include:

antidepressants (they have a number of significant contraindications and side effects, in particular they can provoke thoughts of suicide);
various kinds of excitatory stimulants;
sedatives and tranquilizers, but only in cases where, against the background of an apathetic state, fears and feelings of panic and anxiety predominate;
Nootropics, adaptogens, and antipsychotics are also used.

Psychotherapy can be carried out either in a group format in medical centers or dispensaries, or individually. The choice is made based on the person’s wishes and an assessment of the condition. Within the framework of psychotherapy, the leading role is given to art therapy, which includes drawing, modeling, elements of fairy tale therapy and music psychotherapy.

In situations where internal dissatisfaction provokes apathy, it is possible to turn to Gestalt therapy. This approach will help to “close” desires and needs that were not realized in the past.

The method of psychoanalysis helps to cope with apathy with the participation of professionals. However, it represents a fairly long course of therapy and can often be accompanied by drug treatment.

If you don’t want anything, and the condition is caused by some physiological disorder or disease, treatment of apathy is carried out against the background of correction of the painful condition.

How to deal with apathy yourself

When the disease is not severe, the person, as well as those around him who provide assistance, are able to independently correct their condition. Initially, it is important to determine the root cause that provoked apathy. In order to get rid of autumn apathy or apathetic syndrome at any other time of the year, it is worth taking a course of introspection, talking frankly with yourself and finding answers about the causes of the condition within yourself.

The next step may be pathologically inflated self-pity, taken to the point of absurdity. Fake optimism as self-deception will give a negative result. And pity and self-compassion will gradually trigger the mechanism of rejection of the situation and awaken internal motivation to fight apathy.

It is important to have a sincere desire to get rid of apathy, otherwise the effectiveness of any method will fail. And then make an effort to find the strength within yourself for further action. It is not always possible to get out of apathy in one day; it takes time and perseverance.

What you must do to overcome apathy

Important: You should act gradually, without overloading the exhausted body with physical or emotional activity.

Give yourself the opportunity to rest for 3-7 days, while getting good sleep. If you want to spend a day in bed, you shouldn’t resist this desire.
Adjust your routine without neglecting rest, and, if possible, avoid excessive workload and working seven days a week.
Play sports or dance, but not to the point of exhaustion.
Add more light and color to life, especially in a situation of spring or autumn depression.
Your daily diet should include healthy dishes, vegetables, fruits, berries and herbs. It’s also worth adding good brewed coffee, chocolate, green tea and your favorite sweets.
Give yourself the opportunity to release internal blocked emotions, do what you have long wanted, but did not have time for.
Going to theatres, cinemas, clubs, exhibitions and other entertainment places will help you cheer up and “awaken” your senses.
, negative situations.
Change your social circle. People are often able to influence their mood, perception of themselves and the world around them. In moments of struggle with apathy, there should be open, positive people nearby who you can trust.
Spend more time outdoors.
Learn to relax with the help of aromatherapy, relaxation, meditation, warm baths, music. This will help not only straighten your emotional mood, but also relieve fatigue and stress.
Avoid alcohol, which can worsen the condition.
Get rid of the burden of old things that cause negative associations. Surround yourself with coziness and comfort as much as possible.
Find a new hobby or get creative. It is creativity that helps remove internal emotional blocks and fill life with new meaning.

Apathy is a mental disorder in which a person does not show interest in work, any activities, does not want to do anything and, in general, is indifferent to life. This condition very often comes into a person’s life unnoticed, since it does not manifest itself with pain symptoms - a person may simply not notice deviations in mood, since the causes of apathy can be absolutely any life process, and most often a combination of them.

At one point or another in life, every person experiences such a dulling of emotions. In rare cases, such a state can even be useful - a person analyzes life and his place in it, gaining energy for future actions. But if you do not start treating apathy in time, it can lead to sad consequences, since a person cannot or does not want to fight it. In medicine, a temporary state of apathy is even considered normal; the main thing is to ensure that indifference and depression do not develop into a chronic state.

The main symptoms of apathy are considered not only depression and detachment from life, but also constant drowsiness, laziness, and weakness. Apathy is often mistaken for another disease - but the difference is that in this case the main cause is physical overexertion, and not the influence of external factors.

Apathy can occur not only independently, but also become a consequence of serious mental illnesses.

Etiology

The causes of apathy are very diverse, but it is believed that only the long-term influence of several factors on the psyche at the same time can lead to such a state. Apathy towards life is caused by:

emotional and psychological exhaustion;
prolonged stress;
irrational rest;
changes in life, such as the death of relatives, dismissal from work, unwanted pregnancy, parental divorce, etc.;
the period before the onset of menstruation;
sexual problems (for men);
constant pressure from society;
long separation from family and friends;
the desire to always be correct in everything;
the feeling that a person is not worthy or has not achieved the desired results in life;
excitement before some event that is important;
addiction – alcohol, drugs, gaming, etc.;
chronic or incurable diseases that cannot be cured;
financial dependence on a person;
taking medications that depress emotions, for example, hormonal, steroid and sleeping pills;
, in this case, is not only the cause of a mental disorder, but also a consequence after it;
brain damage due to infections or injuries;
pregnancy - due to hormonal imbalances, apathy is often diagnosed in women in this position.

In general, any negative emotional outburst can cause apathy towards life and others.

Symptoms

The symptoms of such an emotional disorder are directly related to the causes of its occurrence. Signs of apathy need to be recognized and treated in the initial stages, because without timely elimination, the disease can transform into prolonged depression, which will be very difficult to cope with. Signs of apathy may include:

drowsiness as a reaction to stress or anxiety;
weakness of the body;
unwillingness to do anything;
attacks or constant laziness;
depression;
lack of interest in things that previously brought pleasure;
reluctance to communicate with anyone and do something;
disturbance of sleep patterns, insomnia at night, and want to sleep during the day;
decreased mental and labor activity;
memory lapses;
decreased or complete lack of appetite.

But in fact, the above processes do not affect the personality as much as the lack of desire to do anything in order to cope with them.

Symptoms of apathy can manifest themselves in several ways. The first is in which depression and weakness are noticeable by the people around him, but they cannot in any way influence the person to begin to fight it, but, on the contrary, only worsen the situation - the patient resists even more and is lazy to fight it. The second is when the disease does not affect daily life and the performance of any activities. The second option is very dangerous, since if it occurs, a person often takes his own life.

Complications

A complication of apathy towards life is a person’s depressive state, which can still be suppressed if it is mild. But if a person does not communicate with anyone, or, on the contrary, pretends that everything is fine, he can completely unexpectedly commit suicide. Therefore, if loved ones notice the first symptoms of apathy, such as weakness, drowsiness and laziness, you need to immediately take action to combat it.

Diagnostics

Diagnosing apathy towards everything is quite difficult, since the disorder has many symptoms. The difficulty of diagnosis lies in the fact that such manifestations of the disease as weakness, drowsiness and lack of interest are not reasons for stopping a person’s activities. Patients can cope with apathy on their own, but do not do this because of their laziness and the fact that they are satisfied with everything - they see no reason for concern.

During diagnosis, doctors should try to find out the causes of apathy and pay attention to:

weakness of the body;
drowsiness and fatigue;
oppression and deprivation of interests or hobbies;
laziness and lack of desire to do anything to cope with the problem.

In the case when a person has prolonged apathy, bordering on depression, he loses his appetite, and he is visited by thoughts of suicide, but still he realizes the value of his life and understands what dire consequences this threatens.

Treatment

If a condition such as apathy lasts for one month, then this becomes a reason to start treatment. Despite the wide range of causes and symptoms of the disease, there are many ways to get rid of apathy. But treatment methods are completely individual for each person. For some, a good remedy is to cry, scream and tell someone about your problems, be it a relative, friend or therapist. For others, it will be useful to limit communication, cut ties and go on vacation, during which you can put your thoughts in order, get some sleep and gain strength. As a treatment option, you can consider meeting with relatives or friends, changing your place of work or residence.

New acquaintances are a good way to get out of a state of laziness and weakness; then, for the sake of a new person, the patient will want to change, play sports together, attend clubs, especially since such events will help get rid of constant drowsiness. You need to force yourself to do at least something, to communicate with people through force.

Everyone chooses for themselves how to deal with apathy, the main thing is to understand and realize the problem, because it is much better than doing nothing at all to combat it and committing suicide.

Prevention

Prevention of apathy towards life is best done in the initial stages, for this you need:

normalize the daily routine, leave enough time for rest and proper sleep;
get rid of communication with unpleasant people;
when the first signs of a disorder appear, you need to find out in advance what apathy is and what to do to get out of this state;
change place of work or residence, in general, try to eliminate, if not all, then most of the reasons that could serve as an impetus for the appearance of an emotional disorder;
do not be shy about your emotions - both good and bad;
fight drowsiness and bouts of laziness through strength;
provide timely treatment for mental illness;
do not doubt yourself and fight the embarrassment of expressing your desires and needs.

Is everything in the article correct from a medical point of view?

Answer only if you have proven medical knowledge

Diseases with similar symptoms:

Overwork is a condition that not only adults, but also children often face today. It is characterized by decreased activity, drowsiness, impaired attention and irritability. Moreover, many people believe that overwork is not a serious problem, and that it is enough to get a good night’s sleep for it to go away. In fact, it is impossible to get rid of such a disorder by sleeping for a long time. It's the other way around - a constant desire to sleep and the inability to regain strength after sleep are the main symptoms of overwork.