If you've been wondering why you have no motivation, you're not alone. Many people today find that they have little to no motivation and are always tired. Many factors can contribute to someone having no motivation.
Getty/AnnaStills Undiagnosed medical issues or underlying mental health challenges often contribute to feeling a lack of motivation. In this article, we look at some reasons you may lack motivation and provide examples of what to do so you can start feeling motivated and get back to living a life you truly enjoy.
No motivation and always tired Have you been feeling exhausted lately, unable to get motivated, and can't seem to get enough rest, no matter what you do? If you've been experiencing these symptoms for an extended period and there's no apparent trigger for these feelings, there could be something bigger going on.
When you have no motivation, the first thing to do is get a complete checkup with your primary care physician to rule out serious medical issues and other physical ailments. Once you have a clean bill of physical health, the next step is to move on to mental health care. When was the last time you spoke with a counselor or licensed mental health professional about the challenges and successes in your life?
Mental health care is just as critical as physical health care. If left unattended, it can be why you feel you have no motivation.
Motivation and mental health issues When you have your initial session with a licensed mental health professional, you can expect to spend 60 to 90 minutes with them. Your appointment will begin with you filling out insurance and other paperwork for your therapist to register you in their billing system. After verifying your insurance or payment method, the next steps are to complete behavior screening questionnaires that help your therapist gauge your current mental health state.
Your therapist will recommend one or more screening questionnaires based on the reason for your initial visit. Screening questionnaires supplement other diagnostic tools and indicate whether the presence of a mental health condition is more or less likely based on the results of the inventory. The following are examples of screening questionnaires organized by the corresponding conditions they treat.
Depression The most commonly used depression screening tool is the PHQ-9 . This widely used questionnaire asks patients about having trouble staying or falling asleep, feeling down, depressed, or hopeless, or having little interest in activities that used to interest them. It's not uncommon for depressed people to have issues in these areas of their lives. The depression screening tool helps doctors and mental health professionals recognize, diagnose, and treat depression.
Getty/AnnaStills Depression is the most common mental health condition that causes a loss of motivation and interest in activities: 14.8 million adults in the US suffer at least one depressive episode annually.
Drugs and alcohol Common screening tools for excessive alcohol use include the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test . The World Health Organization developed the test to categorize participants into "alcoholic" and "non-alcoholic." Doctors, mental health professionals, and other qualified professionals administer this test in various clinical settings.
Regarding the severity of drug and alcohol problems , about 29.5 million people have an alcohol use disorder, and 24 million have a drug use disorder.
Bipolar disorder Screens for bipolar disorder include the Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ). The MDQ asks questions like, "Has there ever been a period when you were not your usual self - and you got much less sleep than usual and found that you didn't miss it?”
The inventory consists of 13 similar questions related to eating habits, sleeping habits, and participation in daily living activities. A person who scores high on the MDQ has the potential for a later diagnosis of bipolar I disorder . The MSQ scale isn't designed to screen for other versions of bipolar disorder at this time.
Suicide risk The screening tool used to assess the potential for suicide risk is the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS). This rating scale is available in over one hundred languages and is used as an assessment tool for professionals and non-professionals alike. The C-SSRS is used by doctors, mental health professionals, psychologists, social workers, teachers, and the clergy.
Anxiety disorders The GAD 7 and the PC-PTSD are two screening tools widely used for anxiety. Clients who score high on these assessments are recommended for more in-depth anxiety screenings, as the potential for an anxiety disorder is likely based on the initial screening results.
Trauma screening Clients are screened for trauma using tools like the Life-Event Checklist (LEC). This checklist lists difficult and stressful events that happen in everyday life that are likely to result in physical or mental trauma.
The inventory highlights traumatic events like hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, and other natural disasters. Other traumatic events include the unexpected loss of a family and witnessing or being a victim of a violent assault or attack. High scores on the LEC screening indicate the likelihood of the patient suffering from severe physical or emotional trauma.
Getty/Xavier Lorenzo Next steps and moving forward to improve your motivation The following is a brief overview of the three primary components of mental healthcare in order of their likelihood to occur. We've already talked about one of the first critical components of mental health care - assessment. Following assessment and diagnosis, two other standard methods are used to manage mental health-related conditions. Here they are in more detail:
Assessment We've already touched on the assessment here. The assessment stage of a mental health disorder is where screening tools and more advanced diagnostic tools are used to determine the presence of and diagnose a mental health disorder.
Medication The first component of treatment is medication. Medication is often prescribed in cases where symptoms are persistent, ongoing, and debilitating. Psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, and primary care physicians can prescribe mental health medications.
Therapy Talk therapy is a critical form of mental health treatment that helps clients talk through their behaviors and feelings. Talk therapy aims to help clients understand their conditions and what triggers their negative symptoms and provide coping strategies and life skills that lead to better outcomes.
Other reasons why you don't feel motivated Motivation is strongly linked to mental disorders; however, there may be other reasons why you might feel that way. You may feel unmotivated because of a certain level of pessimism. In other words, when you have a goal ahead, you may have lost interest in achieving your goal and ambition before getting on the train to start your journey. For this reason, you don't believe in the success of any project. You also don't see the need to begin doing the work. Psychologists see that as a low level of self-efficacy, which is the ability to influence the result of a certain venture.
It's also crucial to set realistic goals. You must understand that success is a series of small goals, not something that happens overnight. If you find the lack of motivation is affecting your life, consult a therapist to help give you support and guide you through essential steps to stay motivated.
Get counseling services online to help improve motivation People experiencing a lack of motivation, whether due to related mental health issues or any other reason, should seek counseling with a licensed professional counselor or therapist as soon as they realize they have a problem they can't handle on their own. A mental health professional has the education, training, and expertise to help guide chronic mental health sufferers through mental health challenges affecting their quality of life.
If you’re ready to talk to someone, online therapy is a convenient, accessible option. You can schedule sessions at times convenient for you without worrying about the added stress of long, frustrating commutes that can discourage mental health clients who suffer from depression, lack of motivation, and other mental disorders that limit that zap motivation. One review of 14 studies found that online therapy is just as effective as in-person treatment. If you’re ready to take the next step, connect with an online counselor to get started .
Takeaway There are many reasons why people experience a lack of motivation, but it’s important not to let it hold you back in life. If you have no motivation and think the cause is related to your mental health, talk to an online therapist.