A condition when you don’t want anything: what is it called, causes and treatment

June 14, 2019
Depressive states
Ekaterina Kirillova

Many people are interested in the name of the state when you don’t want anything. Let's say right away: it is called apathy. More specifically, apathy is a mental state characterized by a decreased ability to feel emotions and physical stimuli. A person experiencing this is reluctant to engage in any activity, leaves existing social relationships and avoids building new ones. Read about the causes of this disease and its symptoms, and find out how to treat it.

Apathy: what to do if you don’t want anything

A person in this state loses the will to live, cannot engage in any activities, and limits his daily duties to the necessary minimum. Often activities that were usually enjoyable, entertaining, or a source of relaxation fall completely out of his range of interests. Usually apathy is accompanied by so-called automatism. When consuming food, talking with loved ones, or doing everyday activities, a person in this state behaves like a robot, creating the impression of “action on autopilot.” Feeling depressed, reducing your needs to a minimum or worsening your mood and slowing down your desires are other factors associated with apathy. This, in essence, is the answer to the question of what the state is called when you don’t want anything. Now let's move on to specifics.

Multipotential Career Strategies

Career coach and author of the book “Multipotentials. A guide for those who have already grown up, but have not decided what they want to become.” Emily Vapnik, who raised interest in multipotentialities in 2015 with her talk on the topic at TEDxBend, wrote a column for Quartz in 2022 in which she highlighted several career paths Strategies that can help multipotential people to realize themselves:

Find or create a job for yourself that will allow the multipotentialite to use all his skills from different areas. This could be your own small business, a multidisciplinary project, or a role that allows you to apply skills from one area of interest to another.
Develop two or more careers in parallel. For example, combining two part-time jobs. Or, for example, work in an office during the day, and write detective novels in the evenings or on weekends.
Work in one field until you feel that this career has exhausted itself, and switch to a completely new one.

It is important to remember that not every multi-potential person has to fully realize their career in all areas of their interests. There is nothing wrong with choosing a specialization and leaving the rest as a hobby, the main thing is not to deprive yourself of this hobby, otherwise there will be no feeling of a fulfilling life.

Symptoms

Symptoms of apathy occur in many forms and with varying intensities. The effect that this disease has on a person depends on individual characteristics. However, it is worth knowing the main symptoms that are the common denominator when this disorder occurs. Apathy, as a state of mind when you don’t want anything, usually affects functioning in several areas:

Mood and emotions. Decreased mood, tendency to feel sad and depressed. Difficulty expressing emotions associated with joy. A feeling of absence of any emotions, giving the impression of emotional numbness.
Reaction to physical stimuli. When we experience apathy, we react differently to the information our body tells us. Responses related to basic needs such as hunger, thirst or sexual desire are very limited. Apathy is often accompanied by less sensitivity to physical pain.
Social relations. Restriction or withdrawal from existing social relationships. Reluctance to build new ones. People experiencing apathy often avoid gatherings, even among friends and family. Still don’t understand what the state is called when you don’t want anything? It is not surprising, since apathy does not only imply a lack of desires. Based on this list alone, it is already clear that it affects the entire life activity of a person.
When people with apathy decide to take part in a social event, it is often accompanied by a feeling of great effort or automatic behavior. That is, they seem to overcome themselves, act like robots.
Intellectual and cognitive activity. The state of apathy usually negatively affects concentration, learning and memory. Difficulties in these areas further impede intellectual activity, which, in turn, reduces opportunities in this area, creating a kind of vicious circle.
Physical activity. Apathy implies abandonment of existing activities. Performing daily duties is usually limited to a minimum or takes the form of automatic behavior. Activities related to sports or recreation are suspended, and new challenges and problems are left to chance. Sometimes this is associated with a loss of physical strength, and sometimes with a lack of feeling the positive emotions that were associated with such physical activity. Apathy often affects the need to take care of one’s appearance. A person in this state can push himself very hard.
Dream. Apathy can also affect the quantity and quality of sleep. The body's reactions in this area can be very different, causing excessive drowsiness, a feeling of constant fatigue and other difficulties. This also makes a person feel like he is not in the mood, doesn’t want to do anything, and so on.

Gender differences

A workaholic man suffers more from weakened mental health and is characterized by increased anxiety. He puts his physical condition at risk and there is a lack of psychological well-being. First of all, he worries about his family, especially if he is the only breadwinner. If the opposite situation occurs, and the woman brings the main income to the family, she does not experience any psychological problems, but on the contrary receives emotional satisfaction. The fact is that the norm for men is that he should be a breadwinner and provide for his relatives. No one will praise him for this, this is his responsibility. In a situation where he loses income, he immediately feels the indignation of his loved ones and friends. As for women, initially no one expects this from them. When they achieve great success in their career, everyone around them admires it. Such praise gives incentive, and the woman works with even greater desire, zeal and pleasure. Moreover, if she starts earning less, she will not receive reproach in her direction.

A workaholic woman is more susceptible to stress and the development of depression. Her risk of strokes and heart attacks increases. For men, this issue is not so acute.

Causes of apathy

Everyone sometimes experiences a decrease in psychophysical activity. A few days of low mood or temporary need to withdraw from overly active activities (or relationships) are a natural part of human life. However, if this condition is prolonged, you should pay attention to it. Often, apathy is a warning signal for us, which suggests that it’s time to think about a little respite and listen to our desires.

When thinking about your psychophysical state, it is always useful to first rule out medical causes of apathy. This condition can be accompanied by a number of diseases - cardiovascular and endocrine diseases, diabetes, etc. That is why it is so important to contact your family doctor to rule out possible medical causes of apathy if this condition persists. Disorders and mental illnesses can also cause apathy. It is worth consulting with a psychologist or psychiatrist. Apathy is often a symptom of mental disorders and illnesses such as depression, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, so consultation with a specialist can help rule out this type of disorder or begin immediate treatment and prevention. And apparently, psychologists and psychiatrists now have quite a lot of work, if we remember the popularity of questions to them in the spirit of “I don’t want anything in life, what to do.”

Becoming good employees without consequences

If you work overtime, then only for additional pay.

If a person wants to achieve good results at work, get career growth, earn more money, and at the same time not harm his rest or personal life, he can adhere to certain rules.

Work overtime. You can ask your boss for additional responsibilities, take work home, or become a proactive employee. However, work beyond the norm must be paid separately.
Strengthen your social connections. There is no need to ignore lunch breaks and continue to throw yourself into work. During this time, you definitely need to eat well and communicate with colleagues. It would be a good idea to gather in a cafe after work from time to time. If children ask to spend a holiday together, do not refuse them.
If you are given a serious task that requires a quick solution, try to complete everything as quickly as possible, ahead of the expected deadline.

Prolonged stress

Chronic stress associated with the profession, family difficulties, long-term financial problems, an excess of tasks that need to be solved, etc. Often it is very busy, busy and nervous people who wonder what the condition is called when you don’t want anything. The need for constant activity and the lack of rest or even a little respite are factors contributing to the emergence of some apathy. Intense activity, a fast pace of life and an inability to reduce emotional stress are often the cause of apathy.

Characteristics of workaholics

A distinctive feature of people obsessed with work is the habit of putting their profession first, sacrificing relationships, health, and leisure . Such people work excessively and often to their detriment; 24 hours a day they think about work, considering it the only purpose of their existence. They draw emotions and inspiration from work, cover up unsatisfied needs with work, and get “release” there. True, every year they have to increase the degree - work longer, perform more tasks and assignments in order to feel needed and indispensable, to see the results of their work in the form of money, certificates, and praise from their boss. As a result, work turns into torture, emotional burnout sets in, but the person continues to work more and more.

Age

When thinking about the apathy and mental states of your relatives, it is worth paying attention to the age factor. Teenagers often experience low mood, which, on the one hand, is due to developmental norms, and on the other hand, should not frighten parents too much. Chronic blues are also a common companion for older people. This fact makes them a social group particularly susceptible to feelings of apathy.

Conquest of Gaul

Gaul (consisting of modern France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Sweden and parts of Northern Italy, the Netherlands and Germany) had long been the most implacable enemy of the Roman Empire.

In 390 BC. The Gauls sacked Rome, slaughtered the main statesmen, plundered their houses and set fire to the city.

Rome was not sacked for another 800 years, until Alaric led his group of Visigoths through Italy.

Even Hannibal with his elephants and military talent did not break through its walls.

Julius Caesar eventually brought Gaul under his rule, conquering a divided Gaul in the Gallic Wars.

During Caesar's 8-year wars, one million Gauls died (about 20% of the population), another million Gauls were enslaved by the Romans, and 800 cities turned into smoldering ruins.

The Gauls resisted, but the Romans were too strong and too organized, so they won.

Nevertheless, from this conquest arose Roman Gaul - a developed, stable, comfortable society.

By the time the Suevi, Vandals, Alans and Burgundians invaded Gaul in 406 AD.

Gaul became a real nation.

Although Gaul was filled with healthy young men, unlike Caesar's army, it offered no resistance to the barbarian invaders.

This time, a small group of invaders killed a huge number of young people who did not resist, raped their women, burned and sacked the cities.

In three years, the invaders became masters of rebellious Gaul.

What happened from the period when the Gauls were the most powerful conquerors with the most advanced civilization on Earth, and the one when they surrendered and died at the hands of a pathetic band of Rapscalion?

The most obvious answer is that they felt comfortable and relaxed.

How to deal with apathy?

If apathy is only a temporary condition, you can try to cope with it yourself. This is the best time to make some changes in your daily schedule. Find time to relax, recuperate, and pay more attention to work-life balance. Regular relaxation practice, autogenic training or participation in stress reduction workshops can bring the expected results. Taking care of a healthy, balanced diet and regular exercise should go some way to alleviating the negative feelings associated with apathy.

Examples of successful multipotentialites

Sometimes a person needs role models to gain self-confidence. History knows many multipotentialities other than Leonardo da Vinci. For example, actress Hedy Lamarr, a movie star of the 1930s and 1940s, was also a scientist and inventor. Together with fellow multi-potential composer and inventor George Antheil, she patented a system for remote control of torpedoes in 1942. Director David Lynch started out as an artist, then began making films and writing music. Fashion designer Tom Ford recently started making films and received a lot of praise from film critics. Venture investor Dmitry Falkovich presented his directorial debut this spring - a drama about a businessman “Ivanov”, for which he also wrote the script and played the main role in it. As with Tom Faudre, critics responded favorably to Falkovich's film experience. The founder of the Belong Agency communications agency, Ksenia Dukalis, combines business with work as a DJ and the position of co-host of the sex education show “Girlfriends” on the YouTube channel “Tender Editor”. Photographer Anton Bundenko, a former miner, has been doing the project “Futureisnown” for several years now, in parallel with shooting for magazines and brands - a mixture of clothing design, technology and contemporary art - and exhibiting with it in galleries. Linor Goralik successfully combines a career in marketing, literary activity, work on PostPost personal stories media and being an artist. The list can go on for a long time, but everyone probably has at least a few multipotentials around them.

Treatment

However, if the state of apathy persists for two or three weeks, and home methods have not brought any relief, they should not be underestimated. In such a situation, it is necessary to consult a doctor. Lack of energy, sadness, and refusal to engage in various activities can be warning signs of many illnesses and may require a quick check at the doctor's office and proper treatment. It is worth listening to your body and catching its “signals”. Immediate medical attention can not only improve your mood and quality of daily functioning, but above all, it can preserve your health or even save your life. And then you will no longer be bothered by the question: “I’m tired of everything, I don’t want anything, what should I do?”

Psychological support in many cases turns out to be one of the most effective ways to combat apathy. Listen to yourself and maintain mental health, and then you will not suffer because you don’t want to do anything.

Secondary benefits of workaholism. Why do people throw themselves into work?

Everything is simple here - for many of us, work is a way to escape from ourselves, a painful past, and problems in our personal lives. Relationships aren't going well, is it difficult to keep in touch with your family?

Why bother if you can refer to professional employment. People will understand that in our society work is a sacred cow, which is used to justify everything: fatigue, loneliness, reluctance to help around the house, raise children, take care of your figure and health. “I’m busy, I don’t have time, I work three jobs. “You’re great, you’re building a career!”

As a result, work fills all space and destroys other areas of life. Workaholics lose their families, their character deteriorates, irritability, cynicism, a morbid fixation on the ideal appear, and their health deteriorates. Workaholics have no time to visit doctors, exercise, or maintain a healthy diet. But the most interesting thing is that deep inside these people are rarely satisfied with the quality of their work; they develop emotional burnout and loss of interest in the profession. Workaholism does not contribute to career growth, but hinders development, kills creativity, and strains working relationships. The number of tasks increases, but not the quality of their execution, labor productivity decreases, a person makes more and more mistakes, which only increases stress and nervous tension.

You may be interested in: “Signs that it’s time to change jobs”