Causes of apathy, advice on what to do if you feel weak, drowsy and tired

Main symptoms

Low mood, general weakness and apathy are symptoms that speak not only of general fatigue. Sometimes this is a sign of a depressive disorder or a general disease that depresses the body and nervous system.

Weakness and constant fatigue

Often, out of ignorance, apathy is called laziness. Relatives do not notice the emotional changes happening to the person, but only scold him for negligence and inaction.

A state where you don’t want anything, constant fatigue and weakness can occur due to increased stress at home and at work, as well as previous colds, surgeries and chronic pathologies.

Drowsiness

The inability to get enough sleep, no matter how long the sleep lasts, is a sign that can be observed in the following conditions:

• severe mental or physical fatigue (exams, emergency work at work, long travel, stress in the gym);
• prolonged exposure to a stress factor or acute painful situation;
• metabolic disease;
• action of infectious agents;
• medicines;
• hypovitaminosis;
• failure of sleep and wakefulness;
• lack of oxygen and elevated temperature.

Apathy is a state of indifference

Fatigue

Fatigue from the slightest physical or mental work may indicate improper functioning of the nervous system, that is, neurosis or depression. But before starting treatment, you need to undergo an examination to find out the condition of the internal organs, hormone levels and immune status.

No energy

If there is no energy for life and it is difficult to carry out responsibilities that were previously within your capabilities, then it is worth looking for the reason. People living in big cities are more often susceptible to this condition, but this should not be attributed solely to the environment. You should analyze your daily routine, stress level and undergo examination by doctors.

No desires

A state of indifference, when the mood is low and you don’t want anything, is observed in depression. You should not put off going to a specialist, since apathy can be a companion to other mental and neurological disorders:

• schizophrenia;
• Alzheimer's disease;
• dementia;
• organic brain lesions;
• cerebral ischemia.

However, a situation where there is no desire to do something can also occur in healthy, mentally adequate people. This is due to behavioral aspects, worries about loved ones, age-related changes, and a decrease in social interactions.

Manifestation of apathy

Praise yourself

In Abraham Maslow's A Theory of Human Motivation pyramid of needs, one of the top tiers is the need for respect and recognition. For a person to feel good, it is very important to know that he is valued and that his deeds are important and meaningful. From school, if not from kindergarten, we get used to expecting praise from other people, and not from ourselves.

And we consider achievements only what can be measured, evaluated and presented to others - a promotion at work, buying a car, receiving a diploma. But many, at first glance, small steps that make up our path to great success remain unnoticed.

John Croft, an ecologist who spent many years studying the life and philosophy of the Australian Aborigines, together with his colleagues came up with Dragon dreaming - a method of planning personal and corporate projects. He believes that there should be four processes in life - dreaming, planning, doing and celebrating. And without the last thing - celebration - the cycle remains incomplete, we do not feel pleasure and recognition.

Any steps - even those that seem tiny to us - are worth celebrating, not devaluing.

Preparing a delicious and balanced lunch may seem like a piece of cake at first glance. But if you take a closer look, this is one of the elements that makes up the health of the whole family. Half a page of text might seem like very little, but at this rate you can write a whole book in a year.

For those who are tired, confused and unsure of themselves, it is especially important to celebrate achievements - both big and small, everyday. As an option, keep a success diary and write down at least five things every day for which you can praise yourself. Even what we are used to not noticing is counted - routine household chores and work tasks.

This practice will help you feel important and find a source of recognition and praise within yourself, rather than expecting it from other people. And of course, no one is stopping you from pampering yourself with entertainment and pleasant purchases, or making it a rule to regularly celebrate successes with your family or friends.

Causes of laziness in women

Constant apathy and fatigue in a woman is unlikely to occur just like that. The body is a complex system in which any failure will entail changes in the emotional sphere.

Causes of apathy, weakness, drowsiness, fatigue in women:

• stress and anxiety;
• stress at work and at home without proper rest;
• neurosis;
• depression;
• alcoholism;
• taking certain medications (neuroleptics, antidepressants, hormones);
• diseases of the nervous system (stroke, tumors, injuries);
• hormonal imbalance;
• pregnancy;
• PMS;
• past infectious processes;
• anemia;
• oncopathology;
• diseases of the heart and blood vessels.

The listed reasons lead to the appearance of symptoms of apathy, which, if no action is taken and if the current level of stress does not change, progresses.

Apathy manifests itself due to emotional, mental and physical exhaustion

Why doesn't a man want anything?

A man may also experience apathy. He can often react incorrectly to weakness and decreased mood and does not consult a doctor. Trying to fight it on his own, a man, as a representative of the stronger sex, ignores the symptoms, which leads to aggravation of the process. In this case, loved ones should be especially attentive and persistent.

The main causes of apathy, weakness, drowsiness, and fatigue in men include:

• negative experiences;
• overwork;
• difficulties in self-realization;
• distress;
• neurotic and depressive disorders;
• alcoholism and substance abuse;
• mental illness;
• sexual dysfunction;
• heart diseases;
• infections;
• endocrine pathologies;
• tumors.

Apathy may be a consequence of somatic problems. Instead of thinking why a man doesn’t want anything, he should go to the clinic for a full examination.

What to do if you feel empty inside yourself

Everyone who has experienced this paralyzing hopelessness has wondered what to do when there is emptiness inside. Naturally, the first impulse is to fill the hole inside. The easiest way that many, and especially men, resort to is drinking alcohol. This is a wrong path that leads to a dead end. After a short-term oblivion, you have to return to the awareness of reality and the deafening silence inside falls with even greater force.

To understand how to fill the emptiness in your soul, you need to learn to communicate with yourself. Establishing this dialogue is not easy. Many people are able to understand other people, but not everyone can understand themselves. To develop a strategy, you need to become a friend to yourself, finally begin to love, respect and appreciate your individuality. The feeling of uselessness, lack of demand and lack of strength give rise to the same feeling when there is emptiness in the soul.

Treatment

The reasons for indifference to everything are the key to solving the problem. In most cases, it is enough to normalize your lifestyle, and you don’t always need to immediately grab pills. If treatment is required, then in any case it should be comprehensive, including psychological relief, sports and medications.

If you can’t cope on your own, consult a doctor.

How to fight on your own

Both women and men can fight apathy on their own only after identifying its cause and consulting with specialists (cardiologist, gastroenterologist, psychotherapist and others).

The main thing is to normalize your lifestyle. Everyone knows about this, but not everyone follows this rule. Adequate sleep, a balanced set of foods, fresh air, vitamins, rest, light sports - all this will help overcome a negative state in a healthy person.

Advice from psychologists to improve your mood

If you don’t want anything and the doctor has diagnosed “depression” or talks about neurosis, then it’s worth doing psychocorrection. The help of a specialist will be useful here.

Psychologists give traditional advice on how to cope with apathy and what to do if you don’t feel like doing anything. First of all, you need to learn to think positively, which includes:

• transforming negative phrases about yourself and your health into positive ones;
• fixation on pleasant experiences from the past, joyful emotions that make you smile;
• thoughts about a good future.

An important piece of advice that psychologists give to their visitors is the practice of breathing exercises, which may include the following techniques:

• breathing in a square;
• counting breathing (exhalation is twice as long as inhalation);
• belly breathing;
• deep diaphragmatic breathing.

Diaphragmatic breathing technique
A person who does not know what to do in a state of apathy will also find the following tips useful:

• compliance with the usual pleasant rituals (morning coffee, evening walk, family celebrations);
• discussing your concerns with a loved one or professional;
• aromatherapy practice;
• muscle relaxation;
• meditative practices;
• carrying out water procedures (baths, swimming pool, circular shower, sauna);
• hobbies;
• rejection of bad habits.

To normalize the condition, it is important to maintain a balance between work and rest.

Drugs

Treatment of apathy with drugs should be under medical supervision. Medicines are used from different groups (antidepressants, anxiolytics, mood stabilizers, hormones, stimulants, nootropics, herbal, restorative, vascular and other drugs).
It all depends on the cause of the apathetic state.

Forget about magic kickoffs

From childhood we are taught that inaction is always bad. Laziness is a vice, idleness is a sin, procrastination is the lot of losers. And no matter how bad it is, you need to get your butt off the couch, get out of your comfort zone, work, engage in self-development, be active and productive. It is not surprising that, having fallen out of a resourceful state, the first thing a person does is begin to blame himself for it.

Next comes attempts to force oneself to work, punish for inaction and stimulate oneself with threats. All of these are types of negative motivation. HR expert Daniel Pink argues that neither punishment, nor intimidation and pressure, nor the carrot and stick approach works in the long term. On the contrary, this approach leads to the fact that a person no longer sees the meaning in what he is doing.

The very existence of laziness as a vice or negative character trait in the modern world is being questioned.

Some experts say Laziness Does Not Existthat laziness does not exist at all. Others believe that it is a defense mechanism that saves us from overwork. Behind inaction there can be a whole tangle of reasons and feelings: fear of failure, lack of motivation, fatigue or illness, and, ultimately, a banal reluctance to do what is needed.

If you fall out of a resourceful state, you should think about taking a break and resting, as far as circumstances allow. Or switch to a kind of energy saving mode and do only the most necessary things, and postpone all other tasks until better times or delegate them to loved ones, friends and colleagues.

Nervous exhaustion

The nervous system can become exhausted if the strength of negative factors outweighs positive ones over a long period of time. In this case, the person feels that he has no strength, no mood and no desire to do anything. Nervous exhaustion cannot be ignored, since the functioning of other systems and organs is subsequently disrupted. The blood pressure jumps, the heart worries, the menstrual cycle gets disrupted, problems with stool and other unpleasant symptoms begin. To prevent this from happening, you need to be regularly examined and learn to enjoy life.

The mechanism of nervous system exhaustion

Depressive disorders

If a person is bothered by an unreasonable bad mood for a long time, then doctors diagnose depression. Apathy is one of the manifestations of this pathology. With depression, a person loses interest in life, experiences constant melancholy and anxiety. His appetite decreases and sleep deteriorates. In severe cases, suicidal thoughts appear.

There is also an asthenic form of depression. Apathy and loss of strength are the leading symptoms of this pathology. It becomes difficult for a person to take any action. He feels very tired even after simple work. Such patients are usually deeply worried about their condition. They reproach themselves for “laziness” and passivity, and often feel guilty. As a result, depression only gets worse.

If you experience these symptoms, consult your doctor as soon as possible. Otherwise, depression will become chronic, and it will be much more difficult to treat. In the initial stage, psychotherapy sessions help. In more severe cases, the use of antidepressants with anti-anxiety and activating effects is indicated.

How to get rid of stress

If you don’t want anything, and fatigue knocks you down under any load, you need to change your life. The body itself gives signals that are difficult not to hear. Stress is an integral part of the modern world. For a successful and healthy life you need to be able to adapt to it. This will help:

• physical activity that is pleasant to the body and spirit;
• sufficient sleep;
• tasty healthy food;
• sex life;
• support from loved ones;
• pleasures (music, cinema, books, handicrafts, creativity);
• regular rest.

Help in overcoming stress

Schizophrenia

This mental illness is accompanied by apato-abulic syndrome. The term "abulia" means a pathological lack of will. The patient experiences the following painful symptoms:

• untidiness and failure to comply with basic hygiene standards;
• loss of interest in any activity;
• complete passivity;
• lack of emotions;
• pathological isolation;
• indifference to loved ones and to oneself.

If a patient with depression does not want to do anything, then he is usually very worried about this. A patient with schizophrenia is usually emotionally cold. He has no criticism of his condition.

In this case, there is no point in shaming a sick person. His untidiness and laziness are a consequence of severe pathology. Apato-abulic syndrome is a symptom of an advanced form of schizophrenia. Only a qualified psychiatrist can help the patient. The use of antipsychotics with an activating effect can slightly improve the patient's condition.