5 Signs You’re Unmotivated and Depressed

Welcome back, Psych2Goers. Do you feel like your lack of motivation is getting in the way of your happiness? It can be hard to work through your emotions when you’re feeling unmotivated, depressed, or both at the same time. If you’re going through this right now, today’s video will hopefully help you feel heard and less alone. Here are 5 signs you’re unmotivated and depressed.

*Disclaimer: This video isn’t intended to be used to diagnose mental illness. There are many reasons why people may feel unmotivated or depressed, and lack of motivation is not always an indicator of depression. If you are concerned about your mental health, please reach out to your healthcare provider.

1. You no longer enjoy your favourite activities

Have you noticed that you’re losing interest in things that you used to love doing? Maybe you no longer feel excited to hangout with your friends, or you don’t get as much joy out of your hobbies. This lack of interest is a common sign of depression (Healthline Editorial Team, 2019). Depression can make you feel emotionally numb, even in situations that you would normally find fun and stimulating. As a quick self-reflection exercise, try asking yourself: when is the last time something or someone made you feel happy?

2. You feel either overwhelmed or not challenged enough

Challenge is a key ingredient for motivation. As humans, we have a natural drive to overcome obstacles and gain new skills. A lack of challenge can cause boredom and kill your motivation. On the other hand, having challenges that are too daunting can cause us to feel overwhelmed, and in turn decrease our motivation (Duncan, 2018). If you feel like the obstacles you face are too big or too small, this could be a sign that you’re unmotivated.

3. You don’t give yourself enough credit

It’s important to celebrate your accomplishments, including your little wins. If you focus a lot on the skills you’re lacking and not enough on the things you’re good at, this may be a sign that you’re unmotivated (Locke, 2021). Feelings of uselessness and low self-esteem are also signs of depression (CAMH, 2022). So, it’s important to monitor these negative thoughts and reach out for support if you need it.

4. You’re distant from friends and family

Do you dread family get-togethers because you don’t want to talk about your plans for the future, or how you’re doing in work or school? When we’re excited and passionate about our work, we might want to share it with others and hear about their goals, too. But when we’re feeling unmotivated, it can be tough to talk about our life and goals. This can cause us to act distant from friends and family. While this distance can be due to a lack of motivation, it may be the result of other causes. Withdrawing from those you love is also a sign of depression (CAMH, 2022).

5. You have a “fixed” mindset

Do you believe that it’s difficult for you to develop new abilities, and that your success is out of your control? If so, you might be feeling unmotivated because you have a fixed mindset. People with this mindset believe there’s no point in learning new skills because it probably won’t help them succeed anyway. (Kirby, 2022). On the other hand, people with a “growth” mindset believe their success is within their control, and that it’s possible to master new skills. If you have a fixed rather than a growth mindset, this may be a sign that you’re unmotivated.

Final thoughts

If you made it to the end of this video, you probably related to these 5 signs. So, let’s use this opportunity to connect with others in the community and motivate each other! How do you deal with feeling unmotivated? What’s your biggest accomplishment, and what are you looking forward to? Share in the comments below!

Thanks for watching and being part of this community. If you want to see more relatable videos that help you learn about psychology and mental health, don’t forget to subscribe and hit the like button. See you next time, Psych2Goers!

References:

CAMH. (2022). Depression. https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/mental-illness-and-addiction-index/depression

Duncan, C. (2018, March 6). 10 Things That Steal Our Motivation—and How to Get It Back. Shine. https://advice.theshineapp.com/articles/10-things-that-steal-our-motivation-and-how-to-get-it-back/

Kirby, S. (2022, June 28). Common Causes Of Lack Of Motivation And How To Overcome Them. BetterHelp. https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/motivation/common-causes-of-lack-of-motivation-and-how-to-overcome-them/

Locke, R. (2021, February 11). 10 Reasons Why People Are Unmotivated (And How to Be Motivated). Lifehack. https://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/10-reasons-why-some-people-are-always-unmotivated.html

The Healthline Editorial Team. (2019, March 22). Signs of Depression. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/recognizing-symptoms