Dealing With That Thing Called Apathy
Apathy is horrible. It can strike at any point, and it feels as if a thick blanket of fog has just dropped down around you. It stops you dead in your tracks and your feet feel as if they are stuck in a swamp and unable to move. It is energy sapping.
We all suffer from it at some point. For some individuals, it is just a momentary malaise that will move along all on its own in next to no time. For others, it is far more serious than that. They find it virtually impossible to move that feeling along, and instead, they believe that the fog is getting thicker and heavier.
Clearly, being in this frame of mind isn't easy. The longer it goes on without any help, then the harder it is to lift that fog from your mind. You can ultimately get to the point where doing even the simplest things becomes too difficult. In that situation, what do you do?
Well, in my experience, there are several methods to combat this rather unfortunate feeling that has swept over you. Of course, it's impossible for me to say that a certain something is going to work for you, so it can be a case of trial and error.
- Accept that this is something that has to be addressed.
Apathy is an emotion that you are feeling and just simply disregarding it is not an option. Ignoring that there is an issue only serves to make matters worse with the result being that it becomes harder to overcome. Even if you feel that you have only one small piece of you that has any 'go' then you have to kick that into action if at all possible.
- Get a perspective on things.
Apathy is only a temporary state of mind, that means it can be lifted even though you need to do this before it develops into depression. Just because you are feeling apathetic doesn't mean it defines you. It's not as if you are lazy, emotionless, or anything else as part of your personality. Keep that in mind as it just means that things make more sense.
- Understand what is causing it.
There must be a reason that underlies the way you are feeling. Therefore, it is important that you understand the root of this since it makes it easier for you to then rectify the issue. What has triggered it? Do you feel hopeless about something? Anxious? Stressed? Have a real in-depth think and you will be surprised with what you can come up with.
- Change the easy things first.
Small changes can have a profound impact on the way you feel, and yet we try to make the bigger and more difficult changes first as we feel that it will have a huge impact. The problem here is that we set ourselves up for failure leading to us feeling more depressed and hopeless. Go small at first, and then see where it takes you.
- Stir things up a bit.
For some, being stuck in a routine can cause this feeling of apathy to strike. It makes sense for you to then try to change your routine slightly just to be different as this variation can shake the feeling as your mind has not settled into doing the same old things a the same time.
- Search for a place with a more positive mood.
Apathy is an extremely negative thing. Therefore, it makes sense to search for people or places where the vibe that is coming from them is far more positive in nature. These positive feelings are so easy to catch and it can overwhelm the negative energy that is seeping from you at this moment in time.
- Break things down into small parts.
If you are feeling apathetic about some task that you need to do, then break it down into smaller parts that are much easier to handle. Once again, this removes that feeling of being overwhelmed with things as that alone is going to stress you out and make you feel depressed. Also, don't forget to praise yourself when you achieve one of the small parts because that in itself is a real success.
The point I'm trying to make here is that apathy is a temporary state and it is something that you can tackle directly. Yes, it is extremely annoying when it strikes and it seems to do so at its own leisure making it even harder to contend with it. However, hopefully the points mentioned above can make a difference to you and it allows you to overcome that feeling and get on with your life.