Lack of energy, drive, or will to do anything, especially anything structured or organized, is the definition of anergia in psychology and psychiatry. It goes beyond just being ‘tired,’ in fact, it often appears to be an overwhelming inability, both physically and mentally, to start or continue efforts of any kind.
One who has anergia, for instance, feels as if they have some sort of barrier, is unable to extract themselves from bed, to go to social functions or to execute the fundamentals of the day. Anergia is most often linked with the mentally ill and is prevalent in the conditions of most major depression, schizophrenia, and some anxiety disorders. It is considered to be an associated core feature of “hopeless” depression, especially when it is low energy depression and the lack of energy is all-consuming and integrated with the loss of hope and pleasure in existence.
Anergia appears to be “schizophrenic” most often in the bleak symptoms of social apathy and emotional detachment. It is also associated with other, more neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, and some medication can also induce it. Anergia is, clinically, one of the most crucial and fundamental dimensions of well-being, as it can drastically modify its quality and usability. Possible approaches for treatment can be a blend of psychotherapy, self-directed lifestyle changes such as activity scheduling, and medication when the situation presents itself.