How many times have we felt demotivated by some disappointment? How many times have we thought about the meaning of certain actions due to the moment we are living? The state of mind commanded by the lack of motivation is usually common at some point in life. However, there are people who have a strong tendency to have this state of mind for a reasonable time.
This can affect interpersonal relationships in different sectors of daily life. Having concrete and relevant data can give us tools to deal with this problem in a more pleasant way. For this reason, in this Psychology-Online article, we will talk about the amotivational syndrome: what is it, causes, symptoms and treatment.
Index
- What is amotivational syndrome
- Causes of amotivational syndrome
- Symptoms of amotivational syndrome
- Treatment of amotivational syndrome
What is amotivational syndrome.
The amotivational syndrome refers to the loss of interest of a person in activities of any kind. This can cover both the work, social and family levels, resulting in a state of mind linked to
Although it is not completely delimited, according to the considerations of the DSM-V[1], the amotivational syndrome can be understood as a persistent depressive disorder called dysthymia. There are a number of diagnostic criteria that characterize this syndrome. We see them below:
- Depressed mood for most of the day.
- Poor appetite or overeating.
- Insomnia or hypersomnia.
- Lack of concentration.
- Low self-esteem.
- Fatigue.
- Feeling of hopelessness.
- Deterioration in work, social and family relationships.
Causes of amotivational syndrome.
Understanding where the amotivational syndrome comes from is necessary when establishing the appropriate strategies to address the problem. Therefore, below, we will show you the main causes of amotivational syndrome:
Environmental factors
There is research that supports the heavy use of marijuana causes the appearance of amotivational syndrome. In this sense, it should be noted that the effect produced by this toxic substance relaxes the Central Nervous System.
In addition, it is important to keep in mind that the environment in which a person lives plays a transcendental role in the development of amotivational syndrome. In other words, the experience of a specific situation within the family can cause a loss of interest and/or motivation.
Genetic factors
The neural connections that are carried out in the cerebral cortex are linked to the processing of information from the outside. Given the similarity that exists between the amotivational syndrome and depression, some chemical alterations that affect mood. In addition, if a parent has this pathology, there is a high probability that the offspring will suffer from the same clinical picture.
Symptoms of amotivational syndrome.
In order to delimit with greater emphasis the amotivational syndrome, it is necessary to take into account how does it manifestboth physically and psychologically. So, let's see what are the most characteristic symptoms of amotivational syndrome:
- General lack of interest.
- Apathy.
- Passivity.
- Lack of concentration and attention.
- Alterations in sleep and eating.
- Memory loss short and long term.
- Lack of involuntary reflexes.
- Distress.
- Low academic and/or work performance.
- Impossibility of planning for the future.
It is important to understand that the presence of any of these symptoms does not necessarily imply that we are facing an amotivational syndrome. In this sense, the diagnosis should be made by a mental health professional I evaluated the clinical conditions of each person.
Treatment of amotivational syndrome.
Although it is true that amotivational syndrome has serious consequences for people who suffer from it, today there are clinical methods to treat this problem. Next, we will review the most effective amotivational syndrome treatments.
psychological therapy
Psychological therapy is a space for personal reflection in which situations that generate conflicts for the person are addressed. On the one hand, therapies work on the emotions, thoughts and behaviors that are linked to the symptoms of amotivational syndrome. On the other hand, they try find out the origin of the conflicts through the analysis of past experiences related to current symptoms.
This approach allows the creation of tools to deal with situations that generate demotivation. The most effective to achieve this are the cognitive behavioral therapy Y psychoanalysis.
drug therapy
Given the neuronal component that the amotivational syndrome entails, it may be necessary to supply psychiatric medications that make changes to neural connections. However, the consumption of psychotropic drugs must be carried out under the supervision of a specialized mental health professional. In this article you will find information about the types of psychoactive drugs that exist.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to Amotivational syndrome: what it is, causes, symptoms and treatment, we recommend that you enter our category of Clinical psychology.
References
- American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.). Arlington: Pan American Medical Publisher.
Bibliography
- Quiroga Gallego, M. (2002). Cannabis and comorbid psychopathology. Addictions Magazine, 14 (2), 191-200.
- Solé Puig, J. (2001). Development of ICD-10 and DSM-V for Cannabis-related disorders. Health and Drug Magazine, 1 (1), 41-70.
Amotivational syndrome: what it is, causes, symptoms and treatment
