The concept of apathy is often confused and mistakenly called depression. In fact, apathy occurs as a harbinger or as a consequence of depression. The state of apathy is the unwillingness to do something, with the full knowledge that it is simply necessary to do it.

When a person has apathy for life, it is very difficult not to notice others. There is a complete inhibition of mental and physical activity - the patient does not want to think, does not experience, does not get up once again from bed. Interests, aspirations, goals disappear. This state can be characterized famous quote"No one is going anywhere anymore."

Complete fatigue and apathy can occur after illnesses (including banal colds), beriberi, after operations, and also with mental illness. Prolonged apathy is a signal that it is time to turn to a psychologist and explore.

In addition, apathy is a normal (but undesirable) phenomenon when a person lives out of rhythm. Lack of sleep, work that exhausts all human resources, prolonged psychological stress (for example, if the work is responsible for the lives of many), as well as physical exhaustion. Complete apathy is just a signal from the body, which blatantly asks you to let it catch your breath.

By the way, until 1920 (the time when the Russian-Ukrainian Medical Dictionary was published) there was no term apathy in the Ukrainian language. The Ukrainian Wikipedia says that instead of the term "apathy" the Ukrainian word "baiduzhist" was used, which means "indifference".

It is clear that for a long time in this state can not stretch. Therefore, in the event of apathy towards everything, the question of what to do arises from any strong-willed person who wants to pull himself together as soon as possible.

A big mistake is to pile more work on yourself, more loads and knock out a “wedge with a wedge”. In fact, this behavior will only lead to further depression.

Tiredness and unwillingness to do anything is a condition well known to each of us, and it is completely normal if it occurs periodically, after hard work or emotional stress. But sometimes the feeling of apathy appears too often and interferes with the normal life of a person, and it is very difficult to cope with chronic indifference to everything. What is apathetic syndrome and how to get rid of it?

Why does it occur

"Apathy" - the meaning of this term from other Greek - insensibility, denotes a psychopathological condition in which there are violations of will, behavior and emotions. The patient not only does not want to do anything, he loses the impulse to perform any action, including self-care and satisfaction of natural needs.

Psychologists and psychotherapists around the world have noted an increase in the number of patients who have clouded consciousness and complete apathy for life. This is associated with a sharp change in the "acceleration" of the pace of life. modern man which the psyche cannot cope with.

Apathy and fatigue can develop as a protective reaction of the body to an excessive load; it develops in those situations when all resource possibilities nervous system and the bodies are exhausted, and continued existence at this pace will lead to destruction. In order to save the psyche and the body as a whole, the patient develops indifference to life, which helps him cope with exhaustion. But, if a patient suffering from apathy syndrome is not provided with timely assistance, there is very little chance of self-recovery, since lack of interest and constant fatigue prevent him from doing his own treatment and making enough efforts to recover.

The reasons for apathy can be different:

• Diseases - any somatic, endocrine, infectious diseases, especially chronic or long-term ones, cause depletion of the body and can cause a breakdown and development of apathy, as a protective reaction.
• Physical and nervous exhaustion - with constant overload, lack of sleep, improper and unbalanced nutrition, apathy can also occur due to the exhaustion of the body and nervous system. So, spring apathy can occur against the background of beriberi, frequent colds and vitamin D deficiency in winter.
• Psychological causes - stress, severe emotional experiences, moral trauma and so on often cause severe apathy. Women and children are especially susceptible to this.
• Unfavorable environment - difficulties at work, problems with studies or personal life may seem like something insignificant to others. But, if such a situation persists for a long time, it can have an extremely harmful effect on the psyche and cause the development of various neurological disorders, including apathy.

No one can say exactly why apathy occurs and how to overcome apathy, in each case, various factors influence the occurrence of pathology, and treatment for each patient should also be selected individually. Only in this way will the fight against apathy be effective and the person will be able to return to normal life without the danger of repeating an unpleasant episode.

Symptoms of apathy

The state of apathy is quite difficult to distinguish from the usual breakdown and chronic fatigue. With apathy syndrome, in addition to physical manifestations great importance are behavioral and emotional. If a person has all 3 types of symptoms, the likelihood that he has an apathetic syndrome is much higher.

Signs of apathy:

• Weakness- with apathy, a person does not leave a constant feeling of fatigue, any work and any action requires a lot of effort and often seems impossible, even if the amount of work and workload have not increased.
• Decreased performance- this symptom echoes the previous one, the performance of work in full with a disease becomes impossible or requires too much effort from a person.
• Lack of interest in the environment- bouts of apathy are characterized by a partial or complete lack of interest in something. The patient is not interested in anything happening around him, regardless of the importance of what is happening.
• Decreased motor activity- apathetic syndrome is characterized by a person's unwillingness to make unnecessary movements. Sleep and rest become a favorite pastime, and it becomes very difficult to persuade the patient to go in for sports, take walks or just go somewhere.
• Constant sleepiness- the desire to sleep can occur immediately after waking up and not disappear throughout the day. Even prolonged sleep and rest do not help the patient gain strength.
• Concentration disorder, memory loss- the state of apathy prevents a person from concentrating, making any effort, it is difficult for him to remember something or do any mental work.
• Refusal of any entertainment, hobbies- apathy for everything manifests itself in all spheres of life, even very beloved past activities become uninteresting and unnecessary.
• Refusal to communicate- the patient avoids communication, prefers to spend time alone and does not make contact even with close friends and relatives.
• Reluctance to leave home- prolonged apathy makes a person spend more and more time at home, in severe cases he may completely refuse to leave his house or room.
• Depression, decreased mood- a change in mood or even clouding of consciousness is also characteristic of apathy. A person can periodically “fall out” of reality, constantly feel sadness, irritation or aggression. This symptom signals that it is time for the patient to think about how to deal with apathy.
• Anxiety, fears- constant anxiety, fear of the future, trouble or various phobias are also often present in this pathology.

Sometimes the patient develops an apathetic stupor - a condition in which a person completely stops responding to the environment, while he is conscious, aware of everything that happens and can react. His muscles are relaxed, his reflexes are preserved, he can answer questions, eat and perform natural necessities, but at the same time refuse to move or leave the bed. In this situation, only a doctor should decide how to treat apathy.

Another variant of the disease is prelaunch apathy. This condition occurs in people before any important event, for example, in athletes before the start. Prelaunch apathy occurs due to excessive nervous and physical stress - "burnout" or a negative attitude towards the future. It is characterized by lethargy, lack of interest in the future, deterioration of all physical and mental indicators. How to overcome apathy in this case, everyone decides for himself - someone copes with this state, and someone refuses the upcoming test. It is important to understand that even with a favorable outcome, the appearance of such symptoms should not be ignored, since it is very difficult to defeat apathy on your own and, as a rule, the patient needs the help of a doctor or psychologist.

Treatment

How to get rid of apathy, especially if the patient has all the signs of pathology, including clouding of consciousness, can only be said by a specialist who deals with treatment.

There are different ways to get out of a state of apathy. In mild cases, it is enough to change the lifestyle, rest more and eat right, while in others, drug therapy and the help of a psychotherapist are needed.

Treatment for apathy includes:

• Finding out the cause of the pathology
• Lifestyle change
• Psycho-emotional unloading
• Taking medication
• Help of a psychotherapist.

The answer to the question of how to cope with apathy can only be given by the patient himself - when he accurately determines its cause. This will help not only to understand how to cure apathy, but also to prevent its development in the future. Sometimes a patient needs treatment for somatic diseases, normalization of hormonal levels, or simply taking vitamins.

Lifestyle changes play a critical role in combating apathy. Chronic fatigue, excessive stress and constant lack of sleep always lead to various health problems, and only a complete change in lifestyle helps to eliminate these consequences.

The ability to relax and relieve emotional stress is The best way normalize the state of the nervous system. It can be both physical methods of relaxation, and various hobbies, hobbies or special techniques: yoga, breathing exercises and so on.

Medications are also needed when looking for an answer to the question: how to get out of apathy. They help relieve stress, fears, improve sleep and appetite. In mild cases, treatment includes taking vitamins, adaptagens, herbal sedatives, in more severe cases, taking antidepressants and antipsychotics.

The psychotherapist helps the patient understand the reasons for the development of such behavior and learn how to avoid such situations in the future that can lead to apathy.

Karine Rusetskaya

She has been studying time management techniques and applying them in practice for 12 years. Likes to plan and organize his time.

Laziness or procrastination?

First, let's talk about laziness and procrastination in general, since sometimes these concepts are equated.

Laziness- lack of desire to act, work, tendency to idleness ( Dictionary Ozhegov).

procrastination- a tendency to constantly put off even important and urgent matters, leading to life problems and painful psychological effects ("Wikipedia").

If we translate the concepts into a more understandable language, then the difference is immediately visible. Laziness is an unwillingness to do something, and procrastination is putting things off, and often this also includes switching attention to time-eaters like surfing the Internet or social networks. We will talk about laziness and how to overcome it.

In most cases, laziness is a consequence of the problem, not its cause or essence. Let's figure out what reasons can lead to a state a la Oblomov.

Why are we lazy

No interest in business

Often refers to household chores, everyday routine, interaction with government agencies and banks, boring work assignments. Remember: at school, you started the lessons more easily in those subjects that you liked, and put off or didn’t do the boring ones for you at all. You have grown older, but the approach has remained the same. I myself feel sleepy at the thought of another trip to the traffic police, although the replacement of rights now takes no more than half an hour.

No energy

It's not just about physical energy, it's also about emotional energy. If you get tired at work or from the road, then where will the forces come from, not only for feats, but for ordinary life with its cycle of events?

I traveled to study and work on electric trains for 12 years and I can say for sure: the road is exhausting just like training. It doesn't matter that you are just sitting. This time magically takes strength. Arriving home, you are unlikely to think: "I'll watch a movie in English." The thought of such a load starts to hurt my head.

There is no purpose and understanding of why something needs to be done

This problem is the most common. For example, you are offered to participate in a new project at work. The development prospects are not defined, the increase is not expected, and in daily affairs you do not want to waste time on such a project.

Is it possible not to be lazy when there is at least one of the listed reasons? Yes, this is a direct guide to laziness!

What to do with it

Important: we will solve problems with the third, and not with the first.

If there is no goal and understanding why something needs to be done

Define goals

Even if you do not want to do planning, summing up, and so on, do it precisely to combat laziness. One-time. Write what makes your eyes burn. What causes joy and anticipation to start as soon as possible (now no one will force you to do this). Write about what gives you energy. Give yourself a day to write, take your time, leave time for laziness.

Weed out unnecessary

After compiling a list of goals, take a pen and highlight those goals that you have come up with and do not want to achieve. For example, your mother taught you to meet your husband from work with a hot dinner, but in fact he doesn’t need it, and you don’t want to have such a life attitude. Or fitness girls from the Internet insist that you need to do three strength and two cardio workouts a week. And you try, but you can't keep up with this goal. She is not yours. It's not for you personally to maintain health and shape you need so much training. This figure has no direct relation to you, as well as the imposed goal.

Check all similar targets in the list. Take your time, think about where the goals came from, whose ideas they are.

clear your head

If you have at least once done a wardrobe analysis, then you know this feeling of relief when all unnecessary, inappropriate, damaged things no longer lie as a burden, but disappear from life. And all that remains - fits perfectly, fits you in cut and colors. We will do the same with goals.

All unnecessary and unimportant goals should be removed or redrawn for yourself.

Using the example of the same household fuss: determine what result you need. Change the bar to a level of comfort where the goal is no longer intimidating. For example, “Fresh dinner ready every day at 7:00 pm and wet cleaning” can be replaced with “Clean as needed and cook dinner three times a week, leaving a portion for the next day or ordering food delivery.” Those goals and tasks that remain, and must be fulfilled.

If there is no energy

Determine what time of day you are most productive, how much you need, when you need to do certain routine tasks. Based on this, make your schedule so that there is always time for rest.

Every day you should have a personal time to reset. If it seems that it does not exist, review the plans again - it only seems so to you. Without quality rest, you cannot do anything.

If there is no interest in business

This item is most often irrelevant if all of the above is done. After all, you left the things that you really like and cannot be without, for example, cleaning. And here comes the moment for one more small rule.

On the way to achieving the most important, most desired goal, some tasks will be routine and a little boring.

Before getting paid to sell the iPhone, Steve Jobs spent many not-so-pleasant hours debating, arguing, and agonizing over how to make the product even better. Every time he released a new model, he had to experience pressure from Apple fans. Are these moments from the biography of Jobs the most pleasant? Are hours of product discussion always joyful? But, when there is a goal, it is worth understanding what you are ready to give in order to achieve it. Let the routine into your life, let yourself get bored. This will allow the brain to rest better and generate more ideas.

Conflicts can arise everywhere, regardless of the people around you and the circumstances. An evil boss or unscrupulous subordinates, demanding parents or dishonest teachers, grandmothers at bus stops or angry people in public places. Even a conscientious neighbor and a dandelion grandmother can cause a big conflict. About how to get out of the conflict without suffering damage - moral and physical - and will be discussed in this article.

It is impossible to imagine a modern person who is not subject to stress. Accordingly, each of us is in such situations every day at work, at home, on the road, some sufferers even experience stress several times a day. And there are people who constantly live in a stressful state and do not even suspect it.

Life is a strange and complicated thing that can throw up dozens of troubles in one day. However, it is worth remembering: any trouble is a lesson that will definitely come in handy sometime in the future. If a person is an honest student, then he will remember the lecture the first time. In the event that the lesson was incomprehensible, life will confront him again and again. And many people take this literally, complicating their lives! But sometimes you should not endure some things, looking for life lessons in them! What specific situations should be stopped?

Everything seems dull and gray, close people annoy, work infuriates and there are thoughts that all life is heading downhill somewhere. To change own life, it is not necessary to do something supernatural and complex. Sometimes the simplest and most accessible actions for everyone can significantly increase the level of energy and make you feel much better. Try to introduce 7 effective practices into your life that will dramatically change your life for the better.

Everyone who is engaged in self-development knows that he cannot do without a feeling of discomfort. Quite often, people confuse discomfort with a black streak in life and begin to complain, or even worse, try to avoid change. But as experience shows, only by going beyond the comfort, you can find and acquire all the benefits that we need.

Many people cannot imagine their day without one or more cups. And it turns out that drinking coffee is not only tasty, but also healthy! If you do not complain about serious health problems, then you can drink a few cups of this delicious drink without remorse and enjoy its benefits.

Who hasn't had a day when they didn't want anything? Neither getting up in the morning for work, nor meeting friends, nor watching your favorite movie or even your favorite dish evokes emotions ... what to do if apathy for everything? Fight overcoming laziness before it turns into depression!

Apathy: what to do if you do not want anything?

Getting out of the situation requires effort, but what comes easily? When it is impossible to force yourself to act, you should obey your body and really stop. To pause in the frantic pace of life and think sometimes is also very useful.

Step one

step two

Define your life goals. Think about what you really need, not about what others are waiting for. Are you doing what you love? Do you have an interesting hobby? If not, you don't need to worry even more. On the contrary, it is a reason to find something you like and realize yourself! It happens that a person gets so used to being the way others want to see him that he loses himself. For example, you work as an accountant, while all your life you dreamed of a career as a dentist. As a result, a feeling of apathy will inevitably arise. The same can be said about personal life.

Step Three

Start taking action. If you cannot sort out your problems on your own, you should seek the help of specialists. good psychologist help find a way out of their current situation. Under no circumstances should you delay! After all, the moral state of a person is closely related to the physical. Therefore, a person who has been overcome by apathy, and he does not know what to do if he does not want anything, may begin to worry about headaches or chronic sores “crawl out”. Do you need it?

Step Four

Change of scenery. If there are no global reasons for an apathetic state, and laziness overcomes more and more, there is a sure way to deal with it. This is a trip. To relatives or friends, to another city or even country. New experiences associated with the journey will not leave room for gloomy thoughts. Can't leave for any reason? Change something around you! Move the furniture in the room, hang new curtains in the kitchen, change your hairstyle or update your wardrobe. And the apathy will pass by itself!

Step five

Start a new life. Introduce something unusual into your routine, something that you have never done before. For example, attending a yoga class or driving course, jogging in the morning, or doing selfless acts of kindness. Meet new people, go to an exhibition or a movie.

• Nothing. Allow yourself a day of laziness and relaxation of the soul and body - no phones, mail, social networks and other things. Only good films, delicious tea, favorite dishes and a warm blanket. But, only one day of such a relaxing regimen. Then - back to business, but without sad thoughts.
• Get a pet. A cat or a hamster, or maybe an exotic chameleon? Small (or not so), but funny pets have an amazing ability to give positive and get rid of bad thoughts.
• Do something crazy. Dreamed of skydiving? Today is the best day to make a wish come true! The release of adrenaline is a reboot for the whole body.
• Relax in nature. Gathering all your strength, force yourself to go out of town to the forest or just go to the park. It doesn't matter the time of year - feel the healing beauty of the surrounding world - flowers, birds, butterflies, trees, snowflakes. It really works!

Be happy!