How do you get past paralyzing apathy?

Usually I go for a long walk and get a good night’s sleep. Next day, if I’m still dragging, I’ll usually force myself to do something, typically exercise related or chore related, something that takes mindless effort but yields a tangible reward. Past that, I’ll sit down with a good book or a movie I love, sort of let the mind go blank and/or refresh itself on something enjoyable.

Medication

Only the truly hopeless have a general apathy. Do you still care about anything, anyone? Focus on that.

Personally, I care about my wife and my pets and not much else, but I still go on. I try to interpret my feeling and actions as being related, in some way, to the things I do care about.

I am in that situation as we speak.

I have learned to shut off the worry part of my brain. Ok, it makes me forgetful and easier said then done..
But, I am good at living for today, and today is better then yesterday. For the most part.

It really comes down to developing and understand who to have the serenity to accept the things you cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

What worked for me was the following:
1. To allow myself to feel like crap for awhile and expect nothing of myself.
2. Somewhere during feeling like crap I started writing down what made me feel that way so I didn’t have to hold it in my head. I hate journaling but it did help.
3. Then at some point I felt a little nudge to get out of it. So I chose one activity to participate in and after I went to that activity (in the community with close friends) then I felt great afterwards. It is a weekly activity so I kept going weekly and this seemed to pull me out of my slump.

Other things that work psychologically speaking are:
1. Making sure you get up and get dressed everyday
2. Getting yourself out in nature
3. Listening to music
(those are all mood changers)

I would also suggest volunteering somewhere, a cause that if you weren’t in ‘apathy’ you would normally care about. It may just help you turn that apathy into empathy.

If I hadn’t agreed to walk my roomies’ dog once a day every day last year, I don’t know what would have happened, but yes, you need just one thing outside of yourself to focus on, don’t beat yourself up or otherwise be belligerent towards yourself, and remember, this too shall pass. Because it will.

Try to get away from your daily grind. New experiences, even small things like seeing new sights, should help pull you out of it.

If it is work related (and it often is), I refocus onto what makes me happy in life, and remember that work makes that possible.

Feel that way now. And I don’t care about getting beyond it. Go figure.

Exercise. Road trip. Seek a novel experience.

Instead of unplugging I look for outlets to plug into. Starving children, who can turn their back on that? Homeless people starving and freezing in the streets, how can you not care about that? Abused children, elderly, animals. My crap seems very petty by comparison. I get involved.

Think about all the good things that you have going for you. Concentrate on all the things that you can do, not what you can’t do. Ask for help from your friends, family and or a doctor. Use them as a lever to get back on your feet. Try to be as physically active as possible. Good health to you.

Please help, everyday I have to deal with emotional turmoil, anguish and frustration because all my confidence has gone, I am very self conscious. I have a pet cat for company and a partner who is unbelievable supportive of my mental breakdown, somedays I get desperate and feel suicidal, how can I break this wicked awful cycle of guilt, self pity, self loathing, a communicaton barrier to the real, how can I stop feeling so depressed and lonely at everything, and as though life is just passing me by without me caring about it , this is very scary and hellish. I use to have such intelligence, motivation and compassion for so many things, and I loved life. Everything seems such a grudge and hard work to please people the right way, I use to love and enjoy people now I’m scared of them. Why?