Major depressive disorder (MDD) doesn’t always look like sadness or feeling “down.” Many people with depression experience a lack of energy or emotion. They may not feel drawn to interact with people or engage in activities they usually care about. This feeling is called apathy.

You should know that apathy can be a feeling that eventually passes or a sign of other conditions besides depression. It can be caused by stress and overwhelm, which is a common reason why young adults find themselves feeling apathetic. Feeling pressure from a person or situation in your life, managing too many responsibilities, and facing challenges without enough support can all create feelings of apathy. Apathy in depression is characterized mostly by diminished motivation rather than just the absence of emotion.

In combination with depression and other mental health conditions, apathy may bring up thoughts of self-harm or suicide. If you or someone you love is in danger, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988.

This blog post is about the connection between apathy and depression and treatments that can help when apathy is caused by a mental health condition.

How are apathy and depression connected?

Depression and apathy are two distinct types of symptoms that often occur together. They overlap with each other, and people may experience them at the same time. Apathy, or a lack of feeling, motivation or interest, is associated with other psychiatric and neurological conditions. These include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and stroke. 

What does apathy look and feel like? 

In contrast to feeling down or depressed, apathy is more about not feeling an emotional connection to people and activities in your life that you usually care about. The inability to feel pleasure or joy is known as anhedonia, and this can be an aspect of apathy. Apathy can also make it harder to do activities of daily living like getting dressed, showering and feeding yourself. People with apathy may withdraw socially because their symptoms make it hard to interact with other people. Friends and family may notice that they’re not as expressive as they once were, which is known as emotional blunting.

What treatments are helpful for people feeling apathetic?

Treatment for symptoms of apathy will depend on their root cause. Neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s require medical care. For apathy that’s connected with a mental health condition, most people need either medication, therapy or a combination of the two. If your apathy doesn’t impact your ability to function, outpatient therapy may be a good place to start. If you’re having trouble taking care of yourself and going about your usual routine at work or school, you may need a higher level of treatment. 

Young adults with apathy caused by a mental health condition may benefit from the following treatments:

• Outpatient psychotherapy — Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of many effective approaches to treating conditions that involve apathy. You can also find therapists who take a more relational approach or use mindfulness to help their clients manage symptoms.
• Virtual Intensive Outpatient Program (vIOP) — vIOPs like Lightfully University are great for young adults who need comprehensive treatment that works with their schedule.
• Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) — An in-person IOP combines individual, family and group treatment in weekday sessions up to a few hours long.
• Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) — PHP is the highest level of outpatient mental health treatment. At Lightfully, clients attend full days of treatment with the added benefits of medication management and Safe & Sound Emotion Regulation sessions.

Feeling like you don’t care about important parts of your life can be an important sign that it’s time to ask for help. For apathy that’s not too severe, talking with a friend or an outpatient therapist may be helpful. If you’re experiencing other symptoms along with your apathy, if it seems like too much to bear, or if you think you might be in danger of hurting yourself, you may need to consider a higher level of treatment.

Your young adult years are an important time to develop foundational life processes and good habits for lifelong mental wellness. Mental health isn’t an absence of problems, but a goal to actively pursue. At Lightfully University, you can start building these processes for yourself and meet with other people your age who are on a similar journey. You’ll “graduate” with a clear plan to maintain your mental health and possibly some new, healthy relationships with people who get you.

In most cases, apathy isn’t a permanent condition, but a symptom that can be managed or reduced. If you’re looking for support, please contact us.