Apathy - Symptoms, Treatment, Causes, Signs

2024 Author: Rachel Wainwright | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 07:39

Apathy

The content of the article:

1. Apathy Causes and Risk Factors
2. Forms of the disease
3. Symptoms of apathy
4. Diagnostics
5. Apathy treatment
6. Potential consequences and complications
7. Forecast
8. Prevention

Apathy is a psychotic state characterized by a complete absence or a sharp decrease in aspirations and interests, depression of emotions, indifference to events and people around them. This condition is not an independent disease, but develops as a symptom of certain mental illnesses (depression, schizophrenia), as well as organic brain damage. Apathy can also develop in patients suffering from severe somatic diseases (malignant neoplasms, myocardial infarction) or those who have experienced severe emotional stress.

Apathy - a state of complete indifference, indifference

Apathy is often confused with laziness. At first glance, these two conditions are very similar, but there are still serious differences between them. Laziness is a bad habit that has become a trait of a person's character and manifests itself in a lack of motivation. The person does not do any business because he is not interested in it, and he prefers instead to walk with friends or take a nap on the couch. That is, if a person prefers to perform some actions over others, then this state is regarded as banal laziness. With apathy, the desire to perform all actions at all disappears. For example, a person understands that it is necessary to clean the house. He doesn't like the mess, and the cleaning process itself is not unpleasant. However, due to a lack of strength and motivation, expressed indifference, a person cannot force himself to start cleaning.

Synonyms: atimia, aphimia, anormia, attimia.

Apathy Causes and Risk Factors

The most common causes of apathy are:

• the state of convalescence after severe infectious or somatic diseases;
• hypovitaminosis (especially a lack of B vitamins);
• mental, emotional and / or physical exhaustion;
• chronic stress;
• work that requires a high concentration of attention, responsibility for the life and safety of people around;
• severe acute psychological stress, which can be caused, for example, by the death of a loved one, a catastrophe;
• premenstrual syndrome in women;
• damage to the brain (especially some areas of the frontal lobes);
• side effect of taking drugs from the group of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

Some mental illnesses can also cause apathy. Most often, apathy appears as a symptom of depression or schizophrenia. Therefore, if complete indifference to the surrounding reality continues for a long time, and even more so it is combined with other alarming symptoms in relation to mental illness (decreased concentration, memory lapses, insomnia, auditory, visual or tactile hallucinations), you should definitely consult a neuropsychiatrist.

Deficiency of B vitamins is a risk factor for apathy

In some cases, apathy can be considered as a variant of the normal reaction of the nervous system to overwork, that is, it is a kind of signal that signals the need for good rest. In this case, signs of apathy are usually insignificant and persist for a short time. Their appearance calls to change the surrounding situation or attitude towards it, your mode of life. It should be understood that with the wrong perception of such "normal" apathy and the lack of reaction to it, it can intensify. In this case, it will be almost impossible to cope with it without the help of a specialist. This outcome is usually observed in people with a very strong, or, conversely, too weak character. A person with a leader character, ambition, strong will and strong convictions instead of giving himself and his nervous system a rest,begins to actively fight the symptoms of apathy, loading himself with additional tasks, by force of will forcing him to perform them. As a result, his condition worsens. After a while, psychological discomfort, accompanied by the formation of a self-deprecating complex, joins the physical and emotional discomfort caused by manifestations of apathy. A person mentally scolds himself for weakness, unwillingness and inability to fulfill his duties, the growing indifference not only to loved ones, but also to himself. As a result, signs of apathy progress even more until the development of depression. It must be remembered that in case of apathy, in no case should you increase mental and physical stress! At the same time, you cannot completely relax, surrendering yourself to the power of a psychotic disorder and waiting for it to pass on its own.

People with a weak character, when symptoms of apathy appear, begin to fight them with drugs, alcoholic beverages, and sometimes drugs. Such an approach not only does not eliminate, but further increases the manifestations of apathy, and in addition, it can create additional problems (the formation of drug addiction, alcoholism, drug addiction).

Forms of the disease

Psychotherapists distinguish three types of apathy:

1. Passive apathy. Its main symptoms are detachment, lethargy, lack of interest in life. They are quite well expressed and noticeable to others.
2. Active apathy. Changes in the human psyche are practically invisible to those around him. Over time, pathology destroys the psyche so much that it leads to mental illness or suicidal attempts.
3. Traumatic apathy. The cause of its development is organic brain damage caused by injuries, tumors, cerebrovascular accidents. Elimination of the etiological factor in this case also leads to the elimination of signs of apathy.

Symptoms of apathy

The main symptoms of apathy are the loss of aspirations and desires, insensitivity and indifference, a loss of interest in affairs and things that were previously interesting to a person. Other signs of apathy include:

• significant limitation of social contacts;
• decreased interest in professional activity;
• unwillingness to perform routine duties;
• a state of chronic fatigue that does not disappear even after a long rest;
• lack or a sharp decrease in appetite;
• slowness of physical and mental reactions;
• depressed mood;
• slurred, blurry speech;
• lack of initiative;
• violation of concentration.

The main symptoms of apathy are indifference, loss of interest in life

A person with apathy is distinguished by detachment from the surrounding reality and people, passivity and indifference, the absence of a natural need to be loved and to love oneself. Emotions are preserved, but hidden deep in the realm of the unconscious. That is why a person suffering from apathy is perceived by those around him as insensitive, lifeless, devoid of emotions, having no aspirations, drives or desires.

With severe apathy, bordering on the state of abulia, patients have a pronounced lack of initiative, taciturnity, inactivity, impaired thinking, memory lapses. Speech is indistinct, blurry. The movements are indistinct, sluggish, sometimes poorly coordinated.

Apathy can occur with well-visible clinical symptoms around, but sometimes it develops gradually. In this case, the destruction of the human psyche occurs endogenously, and an outwardly healthy and active person can suddenly attempt suicide for everyone.

Irritability and tension are never signs of apathy. In a person, on the contrary, any desire to do something, to try to satisfy his desire disappears. Atrophying and devaluation of personal emotional experiences occurs, as a result of which neither positive nor negative emotions arise.

Diagnostics

It is possible to assume that a patient has apathy if he has 4-5 symptoms from the list below:

• Recently experienced severe stress;
• lack of communication with friends and relatives for a long time, strong discomfort when thinking about upcoming contact with them;
• dark thoughts that arise regularly;
• slovenliness in clothes, unwillingness to take care of oneself;
• constant feeling of tension;
• decrease in working capacity;
• sleep disorders, especially sleepiness during the day and insomnia at night;
• perception of the surrounding reality in slow motion;
• lack of joyful emotions;
• decreased self-confidence.

To identify the cause underlying the development of apathy, the patient consults with a neuropsychiatrist, neuropathologist, therapist, endocrinologist.

Apathy treatment

The choice of treatment for apathy is determined by the form of the psychopathic disorder, as well as the intensity of the clinical manifestations.

Therapy of mild degrees of apathy is carried out without the use of medications. Patients are recommended moderate physical activity, regular walks in the fresh air, adherence to the regime of alternation of work and rest. Travel, communication with friends and family help to cope with apathy in this case.

Treating apathy involves working with a neuropsychiatrist

In severe apathy, treatment is carried out by a neuropsychiatrist. The therapy regimen includes pharmacological agents in one or more courses, as well as psychotherapy sessions.

Potential consequences and complications

Severe forms of apathy in the absence of adequate therapy can lead to the development of an affective state in the patient, depression, and suicide attempts.

Forecast

The forecast is favorable. In most cases, this psychotic state is well served by therapy. In cases where apathy develops as a symptom of a mental illness (schizophrenia, depression), the prognosis is determined by the course of the underlying pathology.

Prevention

Prevention of apathy is aimed at preventing physical and mental fatigue and includes:

• compliance with the daily routine;
• regular sports;
• proper nutrition;
• avoidance of stressful situations.

In order not to fall into a state of apathy, psychologists recommend:

1. Don't hold back your emotions. If there is a state of sadness and a desire to cry, you should not fight it. Stress goes away with tears.
2. Take breaks. When you feel growing tired, you need to find an opportunity to stop the flow of business and allow yourself to rest. The best thing is to take a vacation and go on a journey, not necessarily a distant one. In the absence of such an opportunity, it is worth taking a walk in the park, visiting a museum, going to the cinema, that is, trying to change the environment in any way.
3. Get a dog. This recommendation is especially relevant for single people. The animal must be regularly looked after, every morning and evening take long walks with it. This stimulates a sense of responsibility and prevents apathy from occurring.

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Elena Minkina Doctor anesthesiologist-resuscitator About the author

Education: graduated from the Tashkent State Medical Institute, specializing in general medicine in 1991. Repeatedly passed refresher courses.

Work experience: anesthesiologist-resuscitator of the city maternity complex, resuscitator of the hemodialysis department.

The information is generalized and provided for informational purposes only. At the first sign of illness, see your doctor. Self-medication is hazardous to health!