What is Apathy, Its Symptoms, and How Can It Be Rid?

What is Apathy?

Apathy is a lack of emotion and indifference. The word “apathy” itself comes from the Greek word “pathos” – “emotion, feeling, suffering”, to which the prefix “a” is added, introducing the meaning of negation. Apathy was initially defined as freedom from suffering. Still, somewhere in the 18th century, the word began to mean a lack of emotion or feeling, especially about important or interesting matters. 

Apathy, to varying degrees, is often observed in healthy people but also serves as a symptom of various mental and physical health disorders. It is important to understand that apathy is not a separate condition but a syndrome that can be part of the structure of entirely different diseases, from depression and Alzheimer’s disease to the initial stages of infectious diseases.

Apathy can be of varying severity. Milder forms can manifest in difficulty choosing actions or some of the most ordinary everyday steps and unwillingness to do anything. Apathy often goes hand in hand with anhedonia – the absence of joy and pleasure from activities that used to bring happiness. In severe cases, apathy reaches such a stage that people find it difficult to get out of bed, shower, or even go to the toilet if necessary; they cannot choose clothes, make a shopping list, or take care of themselves. Those experiencing this state are indifferent to current events and sit or lie motionless for a long time without talking. This state is characterized by absent-mindedness and inattention.

In advanced and severe cases, apathy can lead to a person failing to care for themselves, monitoring timely food intake and personal hygiene. As a result, exhaustion, exacerbation of chronic diseases, and infections are possible.

Symptoms of Apathy

Apathy can be suspected by the following symptoms:

• Difficulty performing everyday tasks;
• A feeling of indifference;
• Lack of emotion;
• Lack of interest in activities;
• Lack of motivation to achieve goals;
• Low energy level;
• A sharp decrease in activity in social life (unwillingness to meet with friends, celebrate a birthday, or even go to the store);
• An emotional reaction to both positive and negative events;
• Frequently shifting the planning of one’s life, affairs and decisions to others;
• Lack of desire to learn something new, meet new people, gain new experiences;
• Indifference to one’s own problems.

Apathy Test

Answer the following questions:

• Do you experience a constant feeling of boredom?
• Do you have a plan of action for the week?
• Has your productivity and performance decreased lately?
• Have you ever felt indifference in response to a pleasant event?
• Have you ever felt indifference in response to an adverse event?
• Do you find yourself reluctant to participate in any activities you used to enjoy?
• Do your usual activities require too much effort?
• Does nothing interest you?
• Need to know what you want or how to achieve it?
• Do you experience no emotional response when meeting other people?
• Do you expect others to make decisions for you?
• Do you feel empty or void?
• Do you feel like everything is meaningless or useless?
• Do you constantly feel like sleeping, but prolonged sleep does not give you a feeling of rest?

If you answered yes to many of these questions, you are most likely apathetic and should consult a doctor.

Causes of Apathy

Psychological reasons

• Having high expectations of yourself—if you set unachievable goals or make excessive demands on yourself that are impossible to meet, you often feel like your efforts are “useless” and don’t want to move on.
• The inability to understand one’s goals and values ​​can create a feeling of not knowing what to do and how to proceed.
• Infantilism or immaturity is the expectation that other people will take responsibility.
• Learned helplessness is the fear of doing anything alone because you expect to be punished for your actions.
• Acute stress reaction – “stupor” and numbness as an immediate response to a strong traumatic event or stress.

Mental illnesses

Apathy is a relatively common part of mental disorders. It is:

• Depression (it can be either isolated or as part of or as a result of other illnesses, for example, bipolar affective disorder).
• Schizophrenia and psychotic disorders. Apathy in these diseases most often appears in the late stages and is extremely difficult to treat.

How to get rid of apathy

• Consult a psychiatrist or neurologist. Since the causes of apathy, as mentioned above, can be different, you can start with any of the specialists. You need to act by the method of exclusion.
• You may need blood tests or brain imaging (as directed by your doctor).
• Adjust your lifestyle—spend much time sleeping (preferably on a schedule, observing sleep hygiene), eat right, and avoid overwork.
• See a psychologist for psychotherapy to learn how to better understand your values ​​and goals, take responsibility, experience less stress, and cope better with it.
• Take medications prescribed by your doctor for mental disorders or infectious diseases (most likely, these will be antidepressants or antiviral drugs and antibiotics).

When you feel very apathetic, it is essential not to give in to it but to make a list of activities that you, maybe not now, but once liked, and do something from this list every day for at least 5-10 minutes. This is called behavioural activation. It is helpful to mark your successes (for example, today you have worked for 1 hour).