8 Ways to Combat Apathy

The alarm clock rings and you’re in a mood that feels nonexistent. That feeling lingers throughout the day, and you spend it going through the motions. Sound familiar? Apathy is one of those unspoken symptoms that plagues not only Bipolar patients, but today’s society in general. Apathy is a lack of interest in anything, an indifference, or numbness. Here are 8 ways to nip it in the bud.

1. .Get out of your comfort zone and try something new. The days you feel like doing absolutely nothing, are the ones that need the most care. There’s an uncomfortableness that accompanies new things at first. After, a positive or negative emotion will take over depending on what you tried.
2. Watch a familiar movie/tv show. There’s power in entertainment, especially in what we’ve already seen. To jumpstart your emotions, turn on a comedy or thriller. It may be easier to choose something familiar, so you know how you’ll feel by the end of it.
3. Take a walk. This is an overdone suggestion, but it works. You will see how beautiful the sky is at sunset, or how the trees blend together. If you live in a city, take notice on how some people elegantly walk with a Bluetooth, coffee, and three shopping bags.
4. Listen to the music you want to feel. Music is one of the most powerful emotional affluences. Everyone has different tastes, so listen to the music that fits the kind of mood you’d like to be in.
5. Let it out. Apathy can have a million different causes, and one of those is shutting down. If you’ve been recently stressed, letting out some of that tension can erase the need to shut it down. Go to the heart of the matter, and watch your apathy dissolve.
6. Dance it out. I’ve found that apathy can be quickly altered through dance and exercise. All it takes is the motivation to put headphones in and get your body moving. You may feel silly at first, don’t stop. Let it move you.
7. Create a list of personal mood boosters. This is crucial. Everyone has varying likes/dislikes, but creating your own works on a deeper level. You know yourself better than anyone else. Some of these may include: visiting a friend, creatively expressing yourself, going to your favorite restaurant, etc.
8. Be patient with yourself. Sometimes, you can try every tip to combat apathy and still feel indifferent. When nothing seems to work, remind yourself that tomorrow is a day full of endless possibilities. Apathy is a temporary state of being, and the nothingness will not last forever.