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Lack of Motivation: Causes, Ways to Manage, & Therapy Options

Lack of motivation may be related to stressors and life changes as well as a number of mental health diagnoses such as adjustment disorder or depression. Low motivation can be treated with activities that increase dopamine output such as physical exercise, behavioral activation, mindfulness, psychotherapy, and for some, medication.

Feeling unmotivated can take a significant toll on your life, relationships, and self esteem. But working with a therapist can help you reclaim the spark and drive that you sense is missing.

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Causes of Lack of Motivation

When we think about motivation, we rarely consider what is going on and where it comes from until we no longer have it to rely on. As it lowers, you may begin to feel agitated and lose focus on the things that are important to you; you may also self-isolate and begin to feel angry.

Causes for low or no motivation may include:

Feeling overwhelmed or stressed out
Lack of interesting activities with which to engage
Constantly doing things for others but not taking time for yourself
Difficulty changing your perspective
Challenging recent events events
Genetics
Depression

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Lack of Motivation vs. Depression

While experiencing a lower drive to do things or experiencing less interest in the things you enjoy is common in both conditions, low motivation and depression are different.

Lack of motivation generally feels like limited or no interest about most anything in your life, including things you’d normally enjoy. Depression feels much more emotional and negative towards yourself, although it does substantially lower your energy, motivation, interest, and focus.

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9 Ways to Kick Your Lack of Motivation

Here are nine ways to get motivated again:

Create a routine
Take care of yourself physically
Work out
Break large goals down into smaller tasks
Reward yourself for completing tasks: This works because you’re promoting dopamine output as well as motivating yourself to keep going.
Do things you used to enjoy
Reach out to your support system:
Practice gratitude & mindfulness skills
Consider going to therapy: If you’ve tried several strategies to dispel your lack of motivation but you’re still struggling, it may be time to consider therapy.

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How Therapy Can Help With Motivation

Therapy can help you by providing the opportunity to experience a safe and secure place to share your thoughts and feelings with someone who will be objective and not judge you. Going to a therapist or counselor can also help to destigmatize your symptoms and to feel validated by someone who can empathize with you about what you’re experiencing.

CBT is a popular option for lowered motivation, as it challenges you to change your thinking patterns, your behavior patterns, and your perspective to increase your motivation levels and experience feelings of success.

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IDEAS CURATED BY

Claudia Florescu

@claudiaflorescu

Psychotherapist, CBT fanatic, community organizer, active citizen