What is Apathy

Apathy is a state of total indifference, disinterest, lethargy, inertia.  It manifests itself in a detached attitude to everything around you, in a lack of desire to take actions.

All of us can experience tiredness and unwillingness to interact with our environment. Not always does this state require help.

However, if the person is in a critical state, and instead of tears and emotions you see an empty and apathetic look – it means that the situation had such a huge effect on them that it turned on a defense mechanism – the person merely cannot realize what’s happening, and, to some degree, “disconnected” from reality.

It’s better to let reaction complete fully – they will need some time for the realization to happen. To do that, organise an opportunity for the person to rest: help them lie down, take off their shoes, unbutton their tight clothing.

If you’re in a public place where there’s no opportunity to go rest or, for the person’s safety, you need to calm them down quickly, the following actions are useful.

How to help someone during apathy:

– Make contact: stroke their shoulders, tell them that the things they’re feeling are okay in these circumstances, it’s going to pass soon.

– Try to involve the person into a simple shared activity: offer taking a stroll together, walking calmly, put their hands up and down (manageable physical activity), make them a cup of warm sweet tea;

– Try to evoke their response, to do that, ask a few simple questions: “what’s your name?”, “does anything hurt?”, “do you want some water?”

– Massaging biologically active spots is helpful (earlobes and fingers). Don’t forget to warn them about your actions, explain it to them.

Do not:

– Act abruptly and fast, make loud noises, yank and shake the person;

– Stress on their sense of duty, responsibility, guilt them: “get it together!”, “stop whining!”, “who’ll take care of your kids”.

How to help yourself during apathy:

– Let yourself rest, don’t pull yourself out of this state by force;

– don’t drink alcohol, coffee, energy drinks – physical awakening is not the problem;

– Massage biologically active spots – fingers, earlobes – it will turn the process of “recovery” on;

– Make simple movements: put your hands up and down, sit down and stand up, stretch;

– Turn on your energy-saving mode to your own self: do not rush, do not try to do everything at once, move in mid-tempo and take some time for yourself!