What Is the Mental Disorder Where You Don’t Care About Anything?

I remember the first time I truly noticed it. A close friend of mine, who used to be full of life, just… stopped caring. He stopped texting back, stopped showing up to plans, and even when we did manage to drag him out, he barely engaged in conversations. It wasn’t sadness exactly—he wasn’t crying or visibly upset. It was more like a complete indifference to everything around him.

At first, I thought he was just going through a rough patch, but when I finally asked him what was going on, he just shrugged and said, “I don’t know. I just don’t care anymore.” That hit me hard. How could someone who once had so much passion suddenly lose all interest? That’s when I started digging deeper into what could cause someone to feel absolutely nothing.

Apathy Syndrome: When Nothing Matters

The mental state where a person stops caring about anything is often linked to apathy syndrome. Apathy isn’t just laziness or lack of motivation—it’s a deep, emotional detachment where nothing seems to matter. It’s a defining symptom of several mental disorders, including:

1. Depression – Apathy often goes hand in hand with major depressive disorder, but while depression comes with sadness and hopelessness, apathy is more about emotional numbness.
2. Schizophrenia – Many people with schizophrenia experience “negative symptoms,” including apathy, lack of motivation, and emotional flatness.
3. Dysthymia (Persistent Depressive Disorder) – A long-term, low-grade form of depression that slowly drains away motivation over the years.
4. Apathetic Depression – A subtype of depression where the main symptom isn’t sadness, but an overwhelming indifference to life.
5. Neurological Conditions – Diseases like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and even traumatic brain injuries can lead to severe apathy.

“I Just Don’t Care”: A Common Yet Overlooked Symptom

When I finally convinced my friend to see a therapist, he admitted that he hadn’t been feeling anything for months. “I wake up, go to work, come home… and I feel nothing. Not happy, not sad. Just empty.”

This lack of emotional engagement is often dismissed as laziness, boredom, or even personality changes, but it can be a serious sign of an underlying mental disorder. Studies show that apathy is present in about 50% of people with depression and is one of the hardest symptoms to treat.

A few weeks later, we met up for coffee. He had started therapy and was prescribed medication. “It’s weird,” he told me, stirring his drink absentmindedly. “I still don’t care about much, but at least now I care that I don’t care. If that makes sense.”

It did. That was the first step—recognizing that something was off.

The Science Behind Apathy: Why Does It Happen?

Apathy is often linked to dopamine dysfunction—the same brain chemical responsible for motivation and pleasure. When dopamine levels drop, so does the will to engage in life.

Neuroscientists have found that damage or dysfunction in the prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain responsible for decision-making and motivation—can lead to apathy. It’s why people with Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s often lose interest in things they once loved.

One study published in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry found that people with higher levels of apathy had lower activity in their brain’s reward system, meaning that even if something good happened, their brain wouldn’t react the way it normally should.

How Do You Know If You Have Apathy Syndrome?

If you’ve ever felt like nothing excites you anymore, or that you just can’t bring yourself to care, you might be experiencing apathy. Some key signs include:

• Lack of motivation – Even basic tasks like showering or replying to texts feel like too much effort.
• Emotional numbness – You don’t feel happy, sad, or even angry—you just exist.
• No interest in hobbies or relationships – Things you once loved now feel pointless.
• No sense of urgency – Deadlines, responsibilities, and consequences don’t seem to matter.

Can Apathy Be Treated?

Yes—but it’s not always easy. Since apathy isn’t just about feeling sad, typical treatments for depression don’t always work. Therapy and medication can help, but often, behavioral activation (forcing yourself to engage in activities) is key.

Here’s what worked for my friend:

1. Setting small goals – Instead of waiting to feel motivated, he started with tiny actions (like making his bed).
2. Exercise and movement – Studies show that physical activity increases dopamine, helping to reduce apathy.
3. Talking about it – Therapy helped him realize that even if he didn’t care, he could still choose to act as if he did.
4. Medication adjustments – His doctor switched him to a medication that targeted dopamine, which made a noticeable difference.

It took time, but eventually, he started feeling more connected to life again.

The Debate: Is Apathy Always a Bad Thing?

One night, over drinks, we got into a deep conversation about whether apathy is always bad. My friend argued, “Maybe not caring is just part of life sometimes. I mean, does everything really need to matter all the time?”

It’s a valid point. In small doses, apathy can be a defense mechanism—a way for the brain to protect itself from stress or burnout. But when it takes over, when nothing feels meaningful anymore, that’s when it becomes a problem.

Conclusion: When to Seek Help

If you’ve been feeling emotionally detached for a long time, it’s worth talking to a professional. Apathy might seem harmless, but it can signal deeper mental health issues that shouldn’t be ignored.

Looking back, I’m grateful my friend opened up about what he was going through. Apathy might make you feel like nothing matters—but that’s the biggest lie it tells. You matter. Your experiences matter. And there is a way back to feeling again.

Have you ever experienced apathy? What helped you (or someone you know) break out of it? Let’s keep this conversation going.

Is 165 cm normal for a 15 year old?

The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.

Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?

How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).

How tall is a average 15 year old?

Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years

How to get taller at 18?

Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.

Is 5.7 a good height for a 15 year old boy?

Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).

Can you grow between 16 and 18?

Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.

Can you grow 1 cm after 17?

Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.