Lack of desire to do anything. Why are we lazy and what to do about it. Two big good birds and a little bird

“Yes, everything is great, but it could be better!”

This phrase is very significant and suggests that a person can never be satisfied. He always finds something negative that minimizes the positive outcome.

Or another phrase: “Yes, good, but it’s impossible.” And there are a bunch of reasons why it’s impossible: I already tried, but nothing worked; it doesn't depend on me; It doesn’t depend on me at all, etc. The road to something new is tightly closed.

There may be several reasons for this choice:

Reluctance to change anything in your life
General dissatisfaction with life

The choice of “not to live” or “to live later”

You can also call it lack of energy, lack of motivation, etc. We we will not today to analyze this deeply, because the reasons most often individual and require detailed consideration.

We will only talk about the fact that a person, for his own personal reasons, chooses “not to live” or puts off life “for later, when...”. You can list different options: “for what?”, “I don’t see the point,” “what depends on me?”, “when I have time, money,” “when I retire,” “when the children grow up,” and etc.

People who choose not to live shift responsibility for their lives onto others. “I don’t want anything”, “I’m not interested in anything”, “what’s the point?”, “everything is fine as it is”, “if only something doesn’t work out...”, “what can I do? Nothing depends on me” - sample phrases for a proposal to change something in your life. By and large, these are passive manipulators, feigning helplessness in front of the world. By allowing others to think and act for them, they always win - the responsibility is not on them, but they enjoy the fruits of the result. Consciously or unconsciously, they are confident that their salvation lies in other people. And there are always “saviors”. A wife takes care of and does not leave her drunkard husband, a friend always saves her loser friend, etc.

People who choose to “live later” think that tomorrow they will have more time and opportunities to decide something or start doing something. Life for such people is perceived as limitless. And now, at this moment, they renounce it.

You can tell them for a long time that life can end at any moment, that a savior will never come, etc. They know and understand all this very well. They know and understand with their minds. But here and now they are not able to fill their lives with meaning and everyone waits and hopes for the infinity of life and a savior. And this expectation, the attraction to a lifeless existence interrupts their rationalistic actions.

Talking about them finding the strength to make life changes is also useless. If they are not “eternal sufferers” and not “eternal victims of circumstances,” then of course you can act as a “savior” and show a “different” life, where such people can turn on stimulants for life and gain meaning. But it is important to remember the main thing that you should help only those who themselves asked for help and who are ready to accept this help, and not impose it, so as not to further strengthen the state of “without life” or create dependence on you as “ eternal savior" Because sooner or later you will get tired of this role and, by refusing this role, you will cause even greater suffering than what the person is experiencing now. About it -

The Tale of the Butterfly and the Man

One day a small gap appeared in the cocoon. The man who happened to pass bypassed by, stopped and watched for a long time as a butterfly tried to emerge from this gap.

Time passed, and it seemed to the person that the butterfly had given up its efforts, that it had done everything it could, but the gap remained small.

And then the man decided to help the butterfly, he took a knife and cut the cocoon. The butterfly came out, but its body was weak and feeble, it barely moved.

The man continued to watch, hoping that the butterfly’s wings would straighten, get stronger and it would fly away. But none of this happened. And for the rest of its life, the butterfly was never able to fly; it dragged its weak body and its unstretched wings along the ground.

The man, wanting to help her, did not understand that the butterfly needed effort to exit through the narrow gap of the cocoon. Nature forced the butterfly to struggle to leave its shell so that it could grow and develop. Sometimes it is effort that we need in life. If we could live without facing difficulties, we would never become strong. We would never be able to fly.

Maybe in some critical situation, when there is a deep awareness of the finitude of life and faith in the savior collapses, and awareness will come that Only the person himself can fill life with meaning. Only then will he have the strength to live and change. But this is not a fact either. Many people never find the strength to get out of a lifeless existence.

Two more parables for understanding:

Cause of suffering

The master argued that the most common cause of suffering is that a person deliberately wants to be unhappy. That is why in absolutely identical situations one will be happy and the other will not.

The master spoke about his little daughter, who really did not want to go to summer camp. To dispel her bad mood, he gave the child several postcards, after addressing them to himself.

- Every day, just write “I’m doing well” on a card and drop it in the mailbox.

The girl thought a little and asked:

- How do you spell the word “bad”?

Two big good birds and a little bird

The big, kind birds have gathered to the south. A small bird flies up to them and plaintively says: “You big, kind birds have gathered to the south, it’s nice and warm there.”

The big birds answer her: “Do you want us to take you south, will it be good for you too?”

“A-AH!!?” - the little bird answered sarcastically and pitifully, “You feel good, you are big kind birds, you have big wings, you are strong, and I am small, I have small wings, I will quickly get tired and fall into the sea! "

“You don’t have to fly, we’ll put you on someone’s back and you’ll fly with us calmly,” the big, kind birds answered her.

“A-AH!!?” - the little bird answered them plaintively, “You will fly high, you are big, kind birds, you are not cold, but I am small, will I quickly freeze?”

“And you will hide in the feathers and fly warm,” answered the big, kind birds.

"AHHH!!?" - the little bird answered them plaintively - “When you fly to the south, you have big beaks, it will be easy for you to get food for yourself, but I’m small, I have a small beak, I won’t be able to get food for myself and I’ll die.”

“We will feed you,” answered the big, kind Pits, “and you will not die of hunger.”

"AH-AH!!?..... (little bird)

"FUCK YOU...!!!" - said the big kind birds.

Reluctance to change anything in your life

I think that each of us has at least once encountered a situation when someone you know complained to you about their life (work, husband, wife, excess weight, bad relationship with some acquaintance, etc.) You became imbued with this problem and began to offer options for solving this problem, but instead of accepting possible solutions, you heard in response: “Yes, but...” It seemed that that the person denies and defends himself against everything that can help him solve this problem.

Pay attention to yourself. Is this quality inherent in you? Maybe you are also not looking for a way to get rid of the problem? Maybe you just need to talk about it and get confirmation of its existence? Maybe you too choose between “suffer” and “solve the problem”? The first, “suffer”?

Why is this happening?

One of the main reasons is habit. Habit think like that, act like that, react like that.

An event occurred and a person gained a certain experience. Events tend to repeat themselves, which means that this experience will be consolidated. The experience has been consolidated and is being developed further. certain style behavior. And a certain style of behavior establishes patterns.

GAINING EXPERIENCE –

SECURING IT –

BEHAVIOR STYLE –

EVERYTHING IS LEGAL, EVERYTHING IS THE SAME.

This is where “yes, but...” appears, because everything is familiar, everything is clear, everything is known. The new is not understood and not accepted. But if the new is nevertheless perceived, it is only as a variant of the old. This creates a certain comfort zone where everything is clear, predictable and therefore safe.

New is risky. And the risk is worrying. And then the usual action is to retreat. Or say: “Yes, but...” and find a bunch of explanations why this should not be done, assuring that the result will be the same.

If we talk about a job (place, position, salary, etc.) that does not suit us, which is not at all what we dreamed of, then we don’t know what will happen in another place. Everything here is familiar and familiar, well, we will express our dissatisfaction, grumble, and suffer. But another place is a risk! YES, of course I want to get more, and so that the boss is not a “fool”, and to get pleasure from work, BUT Where is the guarantee that somewhere else it will be better and the salary will be higher?

Touching personal life Whether we like it or not, we repeat the mistakes of our parents. The rules that existed in our families are close and convenient to us, even though they do not work for the benefit of our relationships. Over the years, we become more and more like our parents. YES, of course I want it differently, and for the husband (wife) to love, and for the children to be obedient, BUT I already do everything for the family, but my husband (wife) and children don’t understand this. Or other answers.

And our habits have been “grown” over the years. They bring us problems, but these problems are known, they yours, relatives!

“Suffering” is more common than trying to change something, because fear arises that this new thing will bring even greater suffering.

And so we sit in this comfort zone, we find a bunch of reasons why we don’t want to leave it, why we don’t need to do something or doesn’t make sense. Our walls only get stronger from repeating the same thing. And there is only one reason for fear - instability.

When we say “I can’t”, “this doesn’t make sense”, “it’s not time yet” or something similar, we are actually saying: “ I am afraid to experience new sensations, I am afraid of other experiences that are unfamiliar to me».

Ponder the questions:

Are you satisfied with your job? If not, what do you imagine her to be like?
Are you satisfied with personal relationships? What would you like to change about them?
Are you satisfied with your relationships with your friends? What would you like to complement them with?
Are you satisfied with your lifestyle? What's missing from it?
Do you feel satisfied with your day? How should a day go for you to feel satisfied?
What needs to happen in your life for you to take action instead of wondering why it’s impossible?

If we begin to act in our lives differently than always, then our habits begin to change. And as our habits change, our lives also change. Moreover, the higher the discomfort from changing habits, the more changes will follow.

The hardest thing about changing habitual actions is First stage. And most often it is here that all desires for something new, something different “break down”. And immediately - running away into our old “comfort zone”, the zone of habitual action, the zone of habitual reaction.

Let's look at how this happens using two examples.

The first example is morning exercises.

How many times have you vowed to start your day with exercise? And how many times did it break down with “yes, but...”? YES, it would be nice to do exercises in the morning, BUT You have to get up earlier, and it’s so nice to spend an extra five minutes in bed. YES, this would certainly make me cheerful for the whole day, BUT I’ve already tried so many times and given up because I don’t have the energy to exercise in the morning, I wouldn’t be late for work. And everything is again the same as always. We again wake up with difficulty, sluggishly drag ourselves to the bathroom, wash ourselves, have breakfast, and try not to think about what awaits us during the day. Or another option - we wake up when it is no longer possible to do anything slowly, and rush around the apartment with only one thought - to be on time and not to be late.

But let’s imagine that we still made a firm decision to start the day with exercise. And at the very first moment we got a feeling of discomfort: waking up early, overcoming laziness, it was unclear what exercises should be done to stay alert. And after active exercise, my muscles also became sore. What cheerfulness! The discomfort only intensified. Moreover, the discomfort will increase day by day and at some point it will reach its maximum. But if we overcome this, we will suddenly feel lightness, flexibility in the body, and a surge of strength. Oh, we're already starting to enjoy charging! No, there is still a little discomfort, well, at least enough to overcome the desire to soak in the bed some more, but we have already learned to overcome this. And after some time, charging will become a habitual thing that you don’t want to give up. What has happened is that charging has entered our comfort zone. And the zone expanded.

Starting something new is always difficult, no matter what it concerns. If we are accustomed to reacting in a certain way to a certain stimulus, then a change in reaction will certainly entail discomfort. Firstly, you need notice the message in time, which causes a reaction, such as irritation. Secondly, stop this habitual reaction in time. Third, remember that you should have responded differently.

This is a familiar picture for many. Mom comes home tired from work and sees that toys are scattered in the large room as always, and the child is already doing something else in his room.

Mom is annoyed: “You scattered the toys again. Well, as much as I can tell you - I’ve played, clean up after yourself!”

Child: “Yes, I’ll clean it up, I’ll clean it up!” - also with a hint of irritation in his voice, continuing to do his job.

Mom, getting even more excited: “I won’t clean it up, but go and clean it up now!” You’ll expect me to throw them away someday!”

The continuation can be anything. The child gets up and reluctantly goes to put away the toys, then goes into his room and closes the door, indicating that he does not want to talk anymore. The atmosphere of irritation persists until the end of the evening.

The second option: the child ignores the mother’s cries and continues to do his own thing. The mother, out of helplessness, after some time collects the toys herself.

And this situation can be repeated day after day. It causes nothing but rejection between mother and child. But she's used to it! The mother is upset because the child is disobedient, the child is upset because the mother always just screams. It seems like I want to change this, but as my mother says, she hasn’t done it before, everything remains in its place. But she always did the same thing! She got irritated and yelled at the child.

Scattered toys – irritation – screaming – quarrel

Here is the usual pattern of interaction between two close people.

Unusual actions. Mom noticed the scattered toys (message) and, remembering that screaming would not achieve the desired result, stopped my irritation.

And then how the fantasy works. You can calmly say: “Listen, we have some ownerless toys, they don’t even have their own home, it’s so lonely for them to be scattered on the floor. Maybe we can make a house for them? Or, if you don’t mind, let’s give them to someone who will take care of them?”

Next time, if the pattern repeats itself, again stop your irritation and again complain that they are ownerless and homeless. An extreme case is to collect the toys in a box and take them out to the stairwell, explaining that they will wait there for their owner, who wants to take care of them. Do not feel sorry for having to “throw away” toys; internally agree that they may disappear if your child does not go after them.

But! And this is very important - a change in the emotional message. Everything is done in a friendly, maybe tired, but calm voice. And the pattern does not change immediately, of course, and even through an increase in discomfort. But, you remember what result you want to achieve! REMEMBER, we are not changing the child, but ourselves, or rather, our emotional reaction.

Scattered toys - calm state– child’s responsiveness – order in the room

This is just an example; you can come up with many options. And remember that the toys will not be put back into place the first time. Your task - overcoming discomfort, adhere to a new behavior option, even when your hands give up. After some time, the result will be achieved. Don't believe me? Check it out. And remember your emotional state.

Why do I speak with confidence? This is my experience and the experience of many who have been trained in “Conscious Attention” groups.

We looked at two examples of overcoming discomfort and getting required result. Based on this we can conclude:

To overcome any discomfort, you need to understand that discomfort is natural reaction at any stage of the journey;
If you remember the result you want to achieve, then discomfort is even a very surmountable obstacle, because it temporary;
even small changes in your usual actions can lead to to big changes in your life.

Choose a few small actions that you would like to take, but the inertia of habit does not allow you to do it. Believe me, you are able to overcome the discomfort that will arise when you change your reaction, because it is temporary, and behind it is the result you need.

Learning to deal with small things will give you the experience and confidence to deal with bigger things. complex tasks In my life.

General dissatisfaction with life

This is exactly the case when the phrase “Yes, everything is great, but it could be better!”

And everything is fine here, and everything is fine there, everything you need is there, and your arms and legs are intact, and your head is in place, and you seem to be happy with your work, and in your personal life without big problems, but for some reason I am not completely satisfied.

Something is still wrong, something doesn’t suit you... And here is a suitable training (article): “How to make your dreams come true” or “Ten ways to become happy” or “How to attract luck into your life without effort”, etc.

What is a person actually thinking about at such a moment? I’ll go to the training, listen to how to make dreams come true and become happy (or something like that). He comes to the training, maybe even actively participates in it, receives a boost of energy for a week or two. And then again everything is as always. Everything seems to be fine, but something is missing... And then again - either a new training that promises to make us happy, or a book that will explain how to live correctly, or an article that gives step by step recipe happiness that will only be read... But for some reason it, this long-awaited happiness, does not come.

What's going on? A person develops his brain, gains new knowledge, and The more new knowledge there is, the more dissatisfied one becomes. We know, we know very well how it should be, what the world should be like, what place we should occupy in it, how everything should be fair, everything should be correct. But without receiving an accurate reproduction of your knowledge, dissatisfaction only increases. In our world of knowledge (read - in our head) - everything is wonderful, but only we enter reality - everything is terrible, everything is wrong.

So what does a person actually do? He flees from an unsatisfied consciousness into the world of the mind, concepts, ideas, knowledge, and develops his brains even more. And it seems that everything is so simple - satisfy a person’s consciousness, and he will be happy. But what if the concepts have already been built? What if we only want it the way we know and not a millimeter to the side? The more dissatisfied a person is, the stronger his brains, the more rigid his ideas and demands.

We rush into politics, into business, into religion, into theories about human society in the hope that this is where satisfaction will come. But all this “fuss” is only from an unsatisfied consciousness.

Now remember when you were truly happy. Remember how emotions overwhelmed you, and at that moment you could not think about anything, you were not able to reflect. Emotion stops thinking.

And as soon as you start thinking, emotions immediately go away, the mind pushes them out of consciousness. Direct perception is replaced by mental assessments: good - bad, profitable - not profitable, what I look like, what they will think of me, what I will get from this. And the more we think, the fewer emotions, experiences, states remain, the less joy, happiness, satisfaction. If thoughts, words and knowledge brought happiness, everyone would have been happy long ago.

But here another question arises - then why do we need intelligence, reflection, knowledge if they do not give us the opportunity to be happy? How great, you need to stop thinking altogether, and happiness will descend from heaven itself. But this is another extreme.

Direct perception is all our emotions. It is always without judgment, it is life without goals. Sight reacts to beauty without reflection, hearing reacts to harmony without reflection. If we talk about music, we no longer enjoy the piece of music itself; the mind replaces direct perception. A person in love is not able to think until strong emotions pass.

Don't talk about music, but enjoy it. Don't discuss the beauty of nature, but feel it. Happy people are not masters of words, but experts in states. An delighted person does not think, but enjoys his condition. Happy man will not shout about his happiness, because as soon as the mind turns on, the emotion dulls and goes away.

In immediate perception, every man becomes a gentleman, every woman a lady. Responsiveness, compliance, humor are companions of direct perception.

Here we come to the most important thing - alternation knowledge (life with goals) with an immediate existence outside of knowledge (life without goals) leads us to a satisfied consciousness, to satisfaction with life. Life without goals includes stimulants, gives us strength, inspiration so that we can achieve our goals.

Apathy is a term used to describe a state of indifference to what is happening around a person. Over time, without proper treatment, it can progress. In most cases, the state of apathy accompanies certain mental and nervous diseases. Outwardly, the signs of the disease are very similar to banal laziness, which is why it is so important to take into account all the symptoms, diagnose the problem in time and begin to fight it.

Causes of apathy

The causes of apathy can be a variety of factors. Most often this is:

Prolonged emotional or physical stress
Lack or lack of rest
Some chronic diseases, especially with severe symptoms
Unsatisfaction of desires and needs, as well as shame for them
Sudden changes in situation or condition, including pregnancy, retirement, death of relatives and friends, family problems, etc.
The desire to obtain only the maximum result in all situations
Genetic predisposition
Lack of vitamins and sunlight
Constant reproaches and instructions from others, strong pressure from them
A long wait for something scary or exciting
Frequent stress and anxiety
Reception of some medicines, for example, steroids, contraceptives, sleeping pills, antibiotics and many others
Elderly age
Various types of addiction, such as alcohol or tobacco
Incorrect hormone therapy and problems with the endocrine system.

These are not all the reasons for this condition. And not always the presence of one or two of the listed factors can cause this condition. It depends on them how to deal with apathy in each specific case, what to do to eliminate the symptoms and return the person to normal life.

Autumn apathy occupies a special place. It occurs in many healthy people in mid-autumn, when it rains constantly and a person experiences discomfort, there is a lack of sunlight. Doctors suggest how to cope with apathy in this case. No special treatment is required. Enough to saturate life bright colors, do what you love or discover something new or even change your image. And then the autumn apathy will go away without any consequences.

Signs of apathy

Apathy is not easy to recognize. Outwardly she looks like laziness and is frequent companion neuroses and depression. Here are the most characteristic symptoms this condition, if you notice it, you should immediately consult a doctor, regardless of the reasons for its occurrence:

Increased fatigue
Indifference to everything, including activities, food, things that previously caused pleasure
Decreased mental activity
Emotional decline
Speech and movement inhibition
Decreased mobility and talkativeness
Lack of initiative
Lethargy, weakness, drowsiness
Increased fatigue, impotence
Reluctance to do anything
Tired of life
Sadness and depression
Problems with memory and thinking.

Moreover, these symptoms can either be very noticeable to others or be invisible. In the second case, a person can visible reasons commit suicide or isolate yourself from society.

Most often, the state of apathy is also accompanied by such symptoms as indifference to the outside world, lack of external manifestations emotions and feelings, drives and desires. In some cases, apathy appears defense mechanism, for example, with unrequited love or due to the lack of opportunity to realize oneself as an individual. Sometimes it is one of the symptoms of a disease, for example, schizophrenia, depression and others.

Complete apathy

Complete apathy is characterized by absolute paralysis of all feelings and emotions. A person is like a robot, performing all actions automatically. He is not interested in anything; ordinary duties and actions cause mental discomfort. It is very difficult to get out of this state.

Differences between apathy and laziness

If laziness is not characteristic of a person, and in addition to it there are several other signs listed above, then you need to look for the answer to the question of how to get rid of apathy. After all, it is precisely this state that is signaled by the reluctance to do anything and take initiative. It is worth noting a few differences between laziness and apathy:

With apathy, a person does not want to do absolutely anything. It is impossible to captivate or interest him. Laziness extends only to some aspects of life
If you suffer from laziness, then you are not indifferent to the results of your doing nothing. While with apathy a person is not interested in anything
Apathy is a long-term condition that can overshadow several weeks or months. Feelings of laziness occur periodically
With laziness, there is no emotional-volitional disorder, which is precisely what characterizes apathy.
Apathy – serious illness in need of treatment. There is only one way to get out of a state of laziness - through willpower. Only you yourself can defeat it
Laziness tends to have a specific focus on a specific action, situation, or object. Apathy paralyzes a person’s feelings and emotions and makes him indifferent to everything. In the first case, a person wants something instead of work or other routine duties. For example, watch a movie, relax instead of doing exercises in the gym.

If a person can cope with laziness on his own, then the second condition requires timely diagnosis and treatment. It will not be possible to cope with it without the help of a specialist, even if relatives and friends, as well as he himself, try to take any action to eliminate the causes and symptoms of the problem, and try to get out of this state

How to get rid of apathy

Before you fight apathy, be sure to visit a specialist to identify the causes of its occurrence and rule out the presence of other mental or nervous diseases. If available serious problems, for example, drug or alcohol addiction, schizophrenia, depression is usually used drug treatment. Moreover, the main attention is paid to eliminating the factor that caused this condition.

If a person is quite for a long time(several months) suffers from indifference, then the question of how to get rid of apathy is solved in a hospital setting. It is under the supervision of specialists that the doctor will determine which measures will be most effective. It will help to distinguish apathy from laziness, depression and other conditions, and will help eliminate the cause of its occurrence.

Also considered good measures to prevent and treat apathy are:

Balanced diet
Normal sleep (at least 7-8 hours without interruption)
Sufficient amount of physical activity
Fulfillment of desires, the opportunity to at least sometimes do what you want and like, saturating life with bright emotions
Visit to a psychoanalyst
Reducing stress and fatigue in life
Health monitoring, including the state of the cardiovascular, nervous and endocrine systems

Don't hold back your tears, if you want to cry, don't keep your emotions inside. Nothing bad will happen if others see that you need rest and help. This is absolutely normal.

Also, experts, if the question arises of how to deal with apathy, recommend taking a vitamin-mineral complex, changing your job, environment, social circle and place of residence, doing something that brings pleasure, something you want to do for hours. If laziness or indifference occurs, you should definitely analyze your condition, find out the reasons for its occurrence, and only then decide how to deal with apathy.

The favorable attitude of others and relatives, the absence of pressure from them, accusations of laziness and idleness, will help in the treatment of apathy,

If you notice that you or your loved ones have been feeling unreasonably sad, constant laziness, a desire to be alone and indifference to everything for several days or weeks, then you should definitely consult a doctor. It is he who will be able to tell you how to get rid of apathy in your case, what to do to prevent the occurrence of this condition.

Do not self-medicate and do not think that everything will go away on its own. Apathy and depression need proper therapy. Without it, the patient's condition will only worsen over time.

The Roman philosopher Seneca argued that it is possible to cultivate a feeling of hatred for life only with the help of two things: laziness and apathy. There is no person who does not experience fatigue, a painful feeling of inner emptiness, detachment and reluctance to take any action. These are symptoms of apathy, severe mental state, which for some time “knocks you out” of the usual schedule of life, makes you feel lost, lonely, causes not only physical passivity, but also indifference to any aspects of daily life, to other people.

It is important not to confuse the state of apathy with a depressive state, because depression is a complex mental disorder, during which apathy can be only one of the symptoms. In most cases, apathy is an excellent indicator of intrapersonal problems and conflicts. If you do not want to one day be overtaken by constant complete apathy towards life, then the time has come for you to get to know the reasons for its occurrence, learn its symptoms, and also arm yourself with knowledge on how to overcome this negative condition.

Why is she coming?

The term “apathy” was first used in ancient times, but with a completely different meaning. Apathy was considered the highest human virtue and was a sign of a certain detachment and asceticism characteristic of a true sage.

In our time, apathy in different directions of psychology means a negative state that brings psychological discomfort to a person’s life. Apathy towards life appears suddenly, and often a person does not understand its causes and does not know what to do.

Apathy has reasons of various nature, their knowledge provides the basis for finding tools to get rid of this dangerous condition. Analyze the main causes of apathy to know what to do next:

Normally, a state of apathy is a warning signal of deeper problems. She talks about the need to stop and think about qualitative changes in your lifestyle and emotional state.

How to determine that this is apathy?

Keep an eye out if you find some indicated symptoms in your behavior and feelings, then perhaps you have apathy.

Closedness. You do not want to communicate or even see other people; any forced contacts cause a range of negative emotions, the desire to run away and hide from the whole world.
Passivity. You are plagued by constant fatigue and reluctance to do anything. Habitual professional and activities and household chores fade into the background, you don’t want to do anything. The daily routine changes, constant insomnia torments, which is replaced by daytime sleepiness.
You not only do not want to do anything, but you feel physical weakness, which causes drowsiness and does not allow you to lead your usual lifestyle. It is difficult for you to even speak expressively.
Emotional coldness. Manifestations of emotions and feelings become monotonous and inexpressive. General emotional background– negative, gloomy facial expression, sad and downcast look. There is a weak reaction to the emotions of other people, they simply cease to be of interest. Moreover, you feel that there are no specific reasons for this condition.
Indifference. There is an indifferent attitude towards your appearance, you can spend the whole day in bed, feeling drowsy, ignoring food and hygiene procedures. Observed passive reaction to any requests and wishes from other people.

Take action

Constant fatigue, drowsiness, which are common reasons apathy, can disappear without a trace on their own, without application special methods and seeking help from specialists. Perhaps your body just wanted to rest and apathy expressed its fatigue and oversaturation. But if these symptoms do not disappear for several weeks, and other symptoms are added to them, then you should seek help from professional psychologist. But first, try to get out of this state yourself using the following actions:

Find reasons. Think about why you might be feeling apathetic. Since it is the surface of the problem, try to find the root that could lead to this condition. If the reason is hard work, consider changing your field of activity or taking a temporary vacation. If you are surrounded by “difficult” people, try changing your social circle. New decisions will give you inner strength, and you will have more energy for further actions.
Try to lead a healthy, active lifestyle. Change your diet, take up any sport: fitness, swimming, cycling, running or visiting gym. Take a course of therapeutic or relaxing massage. Such procedures will fill your body with new energy, balancing the physical and mental stress on the body.
Plan your day. Make a schedule of your daily activities for a month. If you manage to take a vacation, then fill those days with meetings with nice people, new activities and creativity. You can also start unusual repairs.
Try to compare your life with the lives of other people. Look beyond the boundaries of your own life and notice how many people live in more difficult life circumstances. Find out what kind of help your local orphanage needs and help based on your ability.
Go on a trip. If you have such an opportunity, then a radical change of circumstances would be an excellent option. Go on a trip abroad or just to your dacha, where you will be surrounded by other people and things. But don’t forget, this is not an escape from problems, but giving new colors to life.

How to deal with apathy and depression, video:

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You can often hear that someone has apathy towards life. In everyday meaning, this word is used as a synonym for fatigue, sometimes bad mood or simply unwillingness to do something. What is the true meaning of this word?

Apathy is a state of a person when he is completely indifferent to everything that happens in life, he has no interests, aspirations, and his emotions are extremely poor. One could say that true apathy is a major shift in psychological state person, and it extends to all areas of life.

What does a person experience in a state of apathy?

A person in a state of apathy cannot and does not want to do anything. He can’t concentrate on any business or concern. At the same time, understanding his responsibility, he experiences indifference. There are no incentives to do anything. I don’t want to go anywhere, I don’t want to delve into problems, I don’t want to go on a visit or communicate with family or friends either. There are practically no emotions. It may even be that a person does not get out of bed or wash his face. He feels that he can only lie down because he is tired and exhausted.

Where does apathy come from?

Apathy does not arise out of nowhere. There are always reasons for any condition.

Apathy can become:

Consequence past diseases who have exhausted nervous system, for example, severe infections, endocrine disorders.
Consequence emotional burnout, which is often observed among people in the so-called helping professions (doctors, teachers).
A consequence of excessive physical or emotional stress.

A state of apathy can be a signal from the body that it is necessary to slow down the pace of life, reduce the load, and think about organizing your work. If such a condition does not become protracted and after several days of rest, as they say, “let go,” then the person finds a way to cope or turns to psychologists and doctors for help. In this case, apathy may be peculiar defensive reaction the body to excessive stress or stress.

It is much more difficult when apathy is the result of a head injury or alcohol abuse. Then the person may lose the ability to adequately assess what is happening, and the painful condition may worsen.

Things are even more serious if apathy is a symptom mental illness, most often schizophrenia.

So, the following types of apathy are usually distinguished:

Passive (the person is lethargic and shows no interest in life).
Active, when all processes go only in inner world person, but outwardly they are not noticeable. This type of apathy is rare, but its consequences can be irreparable: even suicide is possible.
Traumatic. It occurs against the background of mental changes occurring as a result of head injuries.

Symptoms of apathy

It’s good for everyone to know the symptoms of apathy, because if you encounter similar manifestations in someone close to you, you can try to help him or at least support him during a difficult period.

Apathy most often manifests itself as follows:

Depressed mood
General weakness
Poor concentration,
Distracted attention
Dizziness,
Slow reactions
Feelings of loneliness, fear,
Memory losses,
Refusal from work and other usual activities,
Reluctance to be around people
Giving up favorite activities and hobbies.

If such a condition continues for more than two weeks, especially if it is accompanied by memory loss, then you should not delay contacting specialists. It is possible that behind the apathy lies endocrine disease, which is quite treatable, and it’s easy to help a person. But it is possible that apathy is the first manifestation mental disorders. Then you need to try to convince the person to seek help before personality destruction occurs.

You have complete apathy towards life. What to do? Article from practical recommendations, which describes 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 the period of any 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 states, schizophrenia).
Hormonal disorders (malfunctions endocrine system, pregnancy period, menopause).
Lack of vitamins and beneficial microelements in the body.
Taking certain medications: contraceptives, antibiotics, sleeping pills, antidepressants, medicines for heart.
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 doesn’t know what to do, then family 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. For greater effectiveness, you should ask yourself 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.