How to deal with apathy and lack of motivation
As I see more clients with a lack of motivation, interest or concern for the present moment, I can kind of agree with a recent term that I came across ‘Covid Hangover’
The term ‘Covid Hangover’ comes from the similarity between a hangover (alcohol, drug, exertion or otherwise) and the after-effects of 2 years of being in limbo whilst Covid was evident in most people’s lives.
Symptoms of a ‘Covid Hangover’ appear to be:
Low-mood
Apathy
Lack of interest
Lack of motivation or drive
Grogginess
TATT (Tired all the time)
Fatigue
Disrupted sleep
Lethargy
Whilst we can all experience some of these symptoms every now and again, especially if we have over-indulged, recently recovered from a virus, or have young children that are demanding and not great at sleeping or even a stressful job that you find hard to switch off from, a ‘Covid Hangover’ seems to arise when there are no such tangible reasons for feeling below par for a significant amount of time.
My observations, from working with my clients, have been that they have been devoid of the very things that usually keep them buoyant, for instance:
Spending time with friends and family
Socialising
The freedom to move freely, explore, visit, and go on adventures
Going on holiday
Sunshine (especially if you live in the Northern Hemisphere and would usually go abroad 1+ times a year for a fix)
Routine and structure
A goal to work towards
A purpose that is clearly defined
Humans are creatures of habit and you can guarantee that your habits have been turned upside down in the last 2 years or so.
Humans are also designed to withstand short term threats but are ill-equipped to deal with long-term stressors - like 2years of a global pandemic.
So, how do you get yourself out of the destructive apathy cycle?
Disconnection, apathy, and lack of concern for self/others/the present can all be attributed to a lack of happy hormones. These include Serotonin, Oxytocin, Dopamine and Endorphins and these all play a part in our mood.
Boosting these hormones naturally will increase a sense of hopefulness, connection, motivation and joy. And the best thing is - they are all free!
Make some of these a daily healthy habit and see your mood lift.
To boost your levels of serotonin, the natural mood stabiliser (anti-depressants delay the reuptake of serotonin in your system):
Go for a walk outdoors in nature
Ride a bike, swim or dance
Do something relaxing
Listen to music
Read a book
To boost your levels of Oxytocin, the natural love hormone:
Hug someone for at least 3 seconds
Hold hands with someone you care for
Stroke a pet or something soft and fluffy
Random acts of kindness to others or yourself
Be kind to yourself with your words and actions
To boost your levels of Dopamine the natural reward hormone:
Do activities that you enjoy
Celebrate your successes
Recognise your own achievements
Eat your favourite foods
Complete a goal or task and reward yourself with a pat on the back
To boost your levels of Endorphins, the natural pain killer hormone:
Listen to music
Laugh
Watch funny videos
Exercise
Be creative or artistic
Most importantly, apathy and lack of motivation come from having no goals or purpose and the natural tendency is to believe that there is no point in having one as that is the nature of apathy. Set yourself a goal, a task, a desire to want or need something. give yourself a purpose and if you can’t find a purpose for yourself, find purpose in helping others.
Write it down, and give your goal or purpose detail in terms of how, what, why and when.