When you feel a sense of apathy or lack of motivation, it's extremely important to listen to these feelings. Counseling is an excellent place to explore and get to the bottom of these feelings. The absence of feeling is an emotion. It could be that you're feeling depressed, or you might need to change something in your life.
Whatever the case may be, therapy or counseling can help. Online therapy through BetterHelp is an excellent way to cope with these feelings. The counselors at BetterHelp know what it's like to feel numb at these times in our lives. They are experienced in helping people experiencing the same feelings that you're feeling no to navigate their complex feelings and figuring out why you may feel a certain way.
Sometimes you don't know why you cannot feel, and that's natural; you don't have to know. Lack of motivation can be a related symptom of mental illness or another mental health-related prognosis. Your therapist supports you in deconstructing your feelings and working hard to get the help you need so you can start getting well and figure out what's wrong.
Emotional numbness is a mental health symptom that often comes with depression. But, some people want to help you, including your loved ones and professional therapists such as those at BetterHelp. When you are ready, you can share your story and experiences with a trusted professional and begin the journey of managing your emotional states and mental health. Below is a list of reviews from people discussing what they felt when they shared their stories with counselors who are ready and willing to listen.
I dreaded my first conversation with Neil and all the awkward, clunky explanations I'd have to give about my depression and anxiety. All of the things that felt like dirty little secrets caused me so much pain. But I was pleasantly surprised by how Neil accurately picked up on what I was saying and gave me more insight into how my brain was working. It made my issue feel less of a personal problem and more of a universal problem we could examine together. He always gives me a thoughtful response within a day or two any time I send a message.
I think we've made more progress in between sessions just by communicating things that are coming up in real-time. Neil is intelligent and kind. I appreciate his communication style and highly recommend him. She's not afraid of pointing out what to work on and give you the right tools immediately. It is highly personalized just for your unique symptoms and situation! Tamera helped me manage my depression and anxiety, and I became more empowered to control my life.
I feel a lot happier. While it may be easy to look back at this time and feel guilty for the feelings that you felt or regret some of the things that you missed out on, it is also important that you remember that you cannot change the past.
Do not dwell on the "what ifs" and feel guilty about something that has happened in the past. You can only look to the future and work hard to make it the best future you can build. If you feel better, focus on that and be grateful that those dark days are behind you.
If you were able to connect with others dealing with these same issues, you could pay it forward by now assisting them with your newly discovered wisdom.
It is definitely not the time to contemplate existential purposelessness. If a grand piano tipped over on top of you, would you spend a few hours tinkering with chords? When you are trapped under a piano it is not the time to attempt Chopin or Rachmaninoff. First you must free yourself from the trap. I would probably come up with some horribly dark answer that would depress me further but be totally wrong.
David Burns believes that depression is not necessarily the result of a brain disorder. It is something that happens to normal brains. Anybody can get depressed. Depression arises from distorted thinking. Even if you are a genius and your IQ is off the charts, when you are depressed you are unable to think rationally about certain things. You have a heavy negative bias in evaluating your self, your life, other people, and the world. This is why you cannot philosophize your way out of depression.
And this is why suicide is not an option. One study found that contact with nature was linked to better well-being, better mood, more positive social interactions, and increased happiness. Think about who might be a good source of support in moments like this.
Who can you talk to who might understand what you are feeling? Are you looking for someone who can listen or do you want someone who can inspire you to get moving? Enjoying a cup of coffee in a busy coffee shop, smiling at people in the grocery store, or saying hi to a neighbor are all simple social experiences that can help shift your mood.
Research suggests that mental imagery, or visualizing things that you want to do, helps increase the motivation, expected pleasure, and anticipated reward of those planned activities. Doing something like planning a trip or some other activity can give you something to look forward to and get excited about. Thinking about a future project or goal might involve doing things like visualizing the outcome , planning out the steps involved, or even creating a mood board for inspiration.
When it comes to finding the energy to do something, getting started is often the hardest part. So if you're struggling with the doldrums, starting with something small can help. Instead of getting overwhelmed by a mountain of tasks you don't have the mental or physical energy to tackle, pick one small thing that you can do—then do it.
Easy tasks you might try to tackle include:. Chores can be boring, but even the easiest tasks can start to feel overwhelming if you let them pile up. Starting with one small task is sometimes enough to get the ball rolling. Once you get done with that easy chore, you might think that tackling one more might not be so bad. And if you decide to stop after just one, that's fine too!
Give yourself some grace and do what you can, when you can. When you are struggling with difficult emotions, it can sometimes be helpful to write about them. Some research suggests that journaling can a useful mental health tool. Often described as expressive writing or writing therapy, this approach has been shown in various studies to help decrease blood pressure, relieve anxiety symptoms, and reduce depressive symptoms.
Spending some time writing in a journal can be a great opportunity to reflect on what you are feeling and explore some of the reasons you might be feeling that way. Some strategies that might help inspire you on those days where you don't feel like doing anything include:. If your mood persists and is accompanied by other symptoms, it may be a sign of depression. Some other symptoms to watch for include:.
Reach out to your doctor or therapist for help, which might involve therapy, medication, lifestyle changes, or a combination of these approaches.
For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. On days when you don't feel like doing anything, check in with yourself to make sure that you have the things you need to feel ok. It can put you more in touch with all of your emotions, even the distressing ones. But it helps you become better able to notice them and accept them without judging yourself or letting them pull you down.
Ready to give it a try? Just keep in mind that different friends might try to help in different ways, so reach out to the right friend for your situation. While putting on your favorite music can soothe you or energize you, or excite you, or anything else, depending on what type of music you prefer , it may even have some benefits for your brain, including improved attention and memory.
Some research also suggests music may have the potential to help reduce pain and symptoms of depression. You may not want to do anything if you have a lot of unpleasant or boring things like chores, bills, or errands to get done. Try creating a list of everything you need to take care of.
Then, rank them by priority — what needs to be done ASAP? What can wait until next month? You can also organize them based on how easy they are. Doing something, even something small, can help break you out of this rut of powerlessness and set you back on track. Depending on your answers, you may need to set aside some time for self-care. It may just be a sign that you need to rework some things or set aside more time for certain tasks. If you feel too low on energy to even hold a book it happens , consider an audiobook instead.
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