The True Cost of Apathy: Why You Shouldn’t Ignore this Symptom of MS
No denying MS comes with a wild number of symptoms, apathy being one of them. However, it’s not one you should ever choose to ignore.
One of the most confusing symptoms of my MS condition was apathy, a symptom commonly overlooked by medical professionals and, indeed, ourselves.
If left untreated or unacknowledged, apathy can quickly lead to physical and mental health decline.
Of course, this is a problem for the most typical of people, let alone someone living with MS.
In this quick guide, I’ll explain precisely what apathy within MS looks like, what you need to understand about the condition and some of the best ways to deal with it.
Let’s get into it.
What is Apathy?
Apathy is generally defined as a lack of interest or concern for the things happening around you.
That said, it’s more than just feeling low, sad, or bored. It’s more of a feeling of disengagement from life in general.
Notice how I mention it’s the lack of interest.
It’s an important distinction since it can be seen as lazy or not putting in an effort. That’s not the case. It goes deeper than that and is indeed the absence of desire. It’s not depression, although I certainly thought mine could be. It’s something far more abstract but potentially more impactful on all aspects of your life.
In my experience, apathy often comes on suddenly and without any real warning. One day you may feel totally fine, and the next, you just can’t be bothered with anything. It’s frustrating to deal with and can often leave you feeling even more isolated and alone.
The Link Between MS and Apathy
This is a difficult one. We don’t know precisely why apathy and MS are linked, but we do know that they are.
According to studies, apathy is one of the most common mental disorders in people with MS. It’s thought to affect around 50% (between 20% and 50%) of people with the condition at some point in their lives.
The thing is, apathy can have a massive impact on your life.
In a typical life, apathy can leave you feeling empty and emotionless. You can feel nothing towards both incredibly positive and negative events, and you may feel indifferent toward literally everything.
However, when you’re living with multiple sclerosis, you get all these symptoms plus the severe risks that come with it. In fact, it can be incredibly dangerous in some circumstances.
If you’re not taking medication, not exercising, eating properly, socializing, or doing all the things you should be doing, it can lead to a severe decline in your physical and mental well-being.
It can make it hard to stick to treatment plans, take medications as prescribed, and even just get out of bed in the morning.
So, what can you do about it?
How to Deal with Apathy within MS
The first step is acknowledging that apathy is a real symptom of MS and one that needs to be dealt with. It’s not laziness, and it’s not something that you can or should just ignore.
If apathy is starting to take over your life, the first port of call should always be your doctor. They’ll be able to rule out any other potential causes (such as depression) and help you come up with a plan to deal with it.
As above, I believed my apathy was simply a form of depression, but after speaking to a professional, that just wasn’t the case. Once I was clear that the issue was apathy, I could then start taking steps to remedy the situation and move away from such feelings.
There are a few things that have helped me in dealing with apathy, and I hope they can help you too:
Find a Support Group
There’s nothing quite like talking to others who are going through the same thing as you. It can be incredibly helpful and may even give you some ideas on how to deal with apathy.
This is so important because, without your support group, you’ll find it incredibly difficult to even put yourself in a position where you’ll go and see a doctor. Sometimes, we all need a little push in the right direction and some outside perspective to show us what reality is truly like.
Even if you don’t feel like seeing or talking to other people, you have to push yourself, reminding yourself that you’re feeling something holding you back and that place is not where you want to be.
Identify Your Triggers
What are the things that seem to trigger apathy episodes? For me, it’s usually stress or tiredness. Once you know your triggers, you can try and avoid them or be prepared for them.
It’s clear that having MS can be a trigger in itself, but you should keep an eye out for when you’re feeling it more than when you aren’t. What happened leading up to the rise of apathy within you?
When you find the triggers, you can start doing something about it.
Create a Routine
A set routine can help you feel more in control and motivated.
Apathy can often be caused by feeling overwhelmed, so a routine can help to reduce that. This takes the thought out of what you’re doing, so you can mindlessly go through the motions instead of wondering what you need to do.
You can set routines for everything, from when you go to sleep and wake up, when you eat, when you go out and see people, when you take your medication, and much more.
Take Some Time for Yourself
This is crucial. Apathy can be absolutely draining, both mentally and physically. Make sure you schedule some time each day to do something just for you and the things you want to do.
Getting Help
Dealing and living with any aspect of MS can be exhausting, so it’s important to get help when you need it. Apathy can severely impact your life, so don’t be afraid to reach out for help.
I’ve been living with MS for over a decade and have been diagnosed four years ago. I learned so much over that time. Now, I’m growing a service to help people like you get access to the knowledge you need to live the life you want, regardless of what you think may hold you back.
Contact me today to schedule an appointment that could be the first day of the rest of your life.