I’ve been having a lot of those mornings recently. You know the kind; you wake up bleary-eyed, stare at the ceiling, and wonder exactly how you’re meant to motivate yourself to do a single thing that day.
I’m not alone. Nearly a third of UK employees say they don’t feel motivated at work. Many of us struggle with motivation to go to the gym. Even hanging out with friends can be a tough ask for some.
If all that sounds familiar, allow me to introduce you to the medical term I wish I’d heard of years ago: you could be suffering from avolition.
Avo-what now?
You’ve probably already heard of apathy, or a general “meh” feeling about everything in your life. Avolition is a kind of turbocharged empathy, or a lack of motivation so severe that seemingly ‘ordinary’ tasks become paralysingly difficult.
If you face feelings similar to these but assume it’s down to laziness, Healthline suggests you might want to reconsider. “People with avolition don’t have the ability to act,” they say. “In a sense, it’s like being paralysed by apathy or the inability to anticipate or experience the rewards of performing a task.”
This can make it hard to do everything from replying to texts to going to work or school, paying your bills, or washing yourself. “You can’t start or finish even simple, everyday tasks,” WebMD says. “Getting off the couch to wash the dishes or drive to the supermarket can feel like climbing Mount Everest.“
So, if the mere thought of doing a load of laundry or heading to the shops for milk is overwhelming to you, you might have the condition.
Avolition is not a disease in and of itself
If you’re thinking, “wait, that sounds a lot like depression,” you’re not entirely wrong. The condition is a symptom and not a disease in and of itself, and is often associated with deep depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia.
Avolition can also be a symptom of:
- Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia)
- Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PDD)
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Traumatic brain injury
- Alzheimer’s disease.
It’s worth seeing a professional if you suspect you have any of the above.
Help and support:
- Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
- Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
- CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
- The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
- Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org