Sooner or later apathy will also knock on our door. It sets up as a feeling of reluctance that extends to the physical and mental plane. We don't feel like doing anything and we feel empty. Sometimes this feeling comes over us suddenly and disappears as it came. At other times it can be a symptom that something more serious is happening that requires our attention.
Apathy, a definition that goes beyond the lack of passion
To understand the definition of apathy we must go back to its etymological origin. This word comes from the Greek ἀπάθεια (apatheia), which derives from “phatos”, and means emotion, feelings or passion. Therefore, the concept of apathy basically refers to the absence of passion and feelings. In fact, when we feel apathetic we experience a state of affective lack. We are not depressed, we simply lack the passion and drive of emotions and feelings.
But apathy isn't just a lack of emotion and enthusiasm, it's a generalized state of indifference in which we don't respond to aspects of our emotional, social, or physical life. We enter a sort of emotional desert where strength and desire leave us.
Apathy not only takes away our feelings, but also generates a lack of motivation and an attitude of indifference and lightheartedness. Goals that normally stimulate our behavior lose their meaning and we remain lethargic and energyless, almost paralyzed and unable or unwilling to act.
The main symptoms of apathy
• On a physical level we feel heavier, it is as if we are pedaling with the opposite wind, so that each pedal stroke costs us enormous energy. We feel completely exhausted and rest is not enough to regain strength.
• On a cognitive level, we find nothing inspiring or interesting. For us everything is the same. No intellectual stimulus excites us. No idea convinces us. We don't feel the need to explore or learn new things.
• On an emotional level we feel completely empty. Nothing has the power to make us happy enough to activate, but nothing even makes us too angry or uncomfortable. We live in a state of lethargy and affective flattening.
• On a strong-willed level we do not find the energy and motivation needed to move forward. It is as if we have run out of battery. Whenever we try to do something, it seems to us that it requires superhuman effort.
When does apathy become a problem?
Apathy isn't necessarily a symptom of a problem. Indeed, for Stoic philosophers apatheia was a state of mind in which we free ourselves from emotional disturbances. It involves the elimination of emotional reactions to external events beyond our control. From that perspective, apathy takes on a more positive meaning, moving closer to a state more akin to equanimity.
But apathy is the symptom of a problem when it becomes an obstacle to our daily life and prevents us from feeling pleasure. In fact, being listless for a long period of time can be a sign of depression or dissociative identity disorder.
The causes of widespread apathy
Apathy can have physical or psychological causes. The first step is to rule out that it is not a symptom of a disease. In fact, thyroid problems and hormonal imbalances, an improper diet, anemia or even some medications can lead to an extreme state of dejection and exhaustion similar to apathy.
After ruling out the physiological cause, the problem is likely to be psychological. Apathy is often a kind of handbrake indicating that we have to slow down in an overactive life that demands too much of us. In this case, it is normal for apathy to last a couple of days as its mission is to force us to rest and disconnect from the world.
In other cases the causes of apathy are deeper and tell us something about how we are living. When we are immersed in a life that we do not like, either because we have chosen the wrong job, we are surrounded by toxic people or we are immersed in an undeveloped environment. The lack of meaning, day after day, ends up making itself felt, depletes our psychological resources and takes away our vitality.
Apathy can also be caused by living too long on autopilot. When all days are the same and there is nothing that can give a little sparkle to our existence, our life energy can slowly die out. Mario Benedetti explained it better: “I have the terrible feeling that time passes and I do nothing, nothing happens and nothing moves me at the root”.
On the other hand, apathy could be the result of a deep disappointment. Eventually, when we are apathetic, we lose hope of being able to achieve happiness or personal fulfillment. It can happen because we have stopped believing in the value of the goals we set ourselves or because we have lost faith in our ability to achieve them. In these cases, apathy presents itself as a kind of internal surrender.
In any case, and whatever the cause of apathy, it sends us a message: we have a problem that we need to address. It is no coincidence that apathy lowers our energy level. It does this so that we cannot go so fast that our pace confuses us. By forcing us to take a breath, it encourages us to reflect and resolve what is happening to us.
How to overcome generalized apathy?
To overcome generalized apathy we just have to move. We don't have to do big things, just get started. Take the first step. Although small, but worth it. Maybe we need to do - or undo - something that makes a difference in that sequence of days that are always the same. Perhaps we need to decompress the compressed or express the repressed for something to activate within us and we can get going again.
Only we know which apathy treatment really works for us. We have to look in the mirror and ask ourselves, "If I had the desire or the energy, what would I do?" We may not find out immediately, but when we know the answer, we just have to do it.
When we go ahead and do something that makes sense or makes us feel good, the sum of those little efforts shifts the arrow from apathy to interest. Indifference is giving way to curiosity and the will to live. Once the "engine" is started, everything is easier.
