Psychological inertia

Apathy is a mental state in which the sufferer lacks the desire, will or energy to engage in any activity, whether intellectual or physical. It is variously called indifference, boredom, lassitude, languor, listlessness, laziness, lethargy or inertia. It may be symptom of mental disorder. It is first alienation of the self from the world and then self-alienation. Finally it is withdrawal from all participation in the care of others and care of oneself. Collectively, apathy may be expressed in social, economic, political or ideological paralysis, with all the available energy for change locked up in the institutions, systems and structures of society.

Sloth is the visible sign of apathy and indifference, lack of interest and lack of concern, lack of engagement and lack of emotion. Sloth has both passive and active forms. In its passive form accidie results in lethargy, lifelessness and paralysis of the will. It believes in nothing. It cares and lives for nothing. It finds pleasure in nothing, and dislikes nothing. It finds meaning in nothing. It keeps itself alive because there is nothing for which to give its life. In its active forms sloth results in boredom and spiritual restlessness. Without hope, the slothful person makes life troublesome for others. His desires are distorted toward indifference, indifference about suffering of others or being the cause of distress. He lacks care for life in any of its manifestations. He is bored, impoverished and self-absorbed.

The inability and refusal to cope mentally, as a form of psychological disturbance, may induce irrational fears and the total loss of self-confidence or the ability to accomplish any given task. It may reduce a person to dependency. On a wider level it forms the basis for apathies of various kinds. It may also be expressed as a nervous breakdown after a period of stress.