5 Things to Do If You Feel a Loss of Interest

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Feeling a loss of interest can make it harder to do the things you need to do each day. It can leave you feeling listless, disinterested, andunmotivated to do much of anything at all. Known as anhedonia, this feeling can cause people to lose interest in activities they used to enjoy.

If you feel like you’re losing interest in everything, you may be wondering what to do. Here are five options, along with some potential causes of your lost of interest. We also talk about how to get help so you can start to enjoy life again.

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Why You Feel a Loss of Interest

Loss of interest can create a cycle from which it’s hard to break free. Because of decreased interest, you might stop spending time with others and engaging in things that normally help you feel less stressed. This increased isolation, decreased activity, and lower social support can then play a part in making you feel more anxious and depressed.

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What to Do When Losing Interest in Everything

Fortunately, there are some steps that you can take to feel better when you are experiencing a loss of interest. Here are some things that may help.

Focus on Staying Active

A loss of interest can make it difficult to stick to an exercise routine, but focus on getting some physical activity in each day. Exercise has been shown to have a number ofpositive effects on mental health, including improving mood and decreasing symptoms of depression.Even going for a brisk walk each day can help.

Get Enough Rest

Lack of sleep can have a negative impact on mental health. For instance, one meta-analysis of 34 studies found that insomnia significantly increases depression risk.So if you are struggling with a loss of interest, make sure that you are practicinggood sleep habitsand giving yourself plenty of time each night to get quality rest.

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Take Small Steps

Make Plans

Although it can be difficult to get inspired when you’re losing interest in everything, you may find it helpful to make plans for things that you want to do in the future. Research has found thatplanning for the future, known as proactive coping, can help improve resilience.

Giving yourself things to look forward to and looking for things to get excited about can help you cope with the lack of interest you might be feeling at the moment.

Find Support

When you’re feeling disinterested, it can be helpful toturn to friends and family for support. Let them know that you’re struggling with this lack of interest.

Sometimes just spending time around other people can lift your mood. Other people’s enthusiasm can also be contagious, so you might find that their zest for different activities starts to rub off on you as well.

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Getting Help For Your Loss of Interest

It’s important to know that you don’t have to live with a loss of interest in your life. Instead, reach out to your healthcare provider and talk to them about what you are feeling suggests Dr. Gans.

If feeling a lack of interest is causing significant distress or impacting your functioning in important areas of your life, it is important to reach out for help.—STEVEN GANS, MD, PSYCHIATRIST

If feeling a lack of interest is causing significant distress or impacting your functioning in important areas of your life, it is important to reach out for help.

—STEVEN GANS, MD, PSYCHIATRIST

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

Diagnosis

Your physician will ask questions about the symptoms you are experiencing. They may also perform a physical exam and lab tests to help rule out any underlying medical conditions that might be contributing to how you’ve been feeling.

They may then recommend different treatments depending on your diagnosis. For example, if you arediagnosed with depression, your provider may suggest psychotherapy, medication, or a combination of the two. You might also consider just seeking help directly from a mental health professional without first seeing your primary care physician or nurse practitioner.

Get Help NowWe’ve tried, tested, and written unbiased reviews of thebest online therapy programsincluding Talkspace, Betterhelp, and ReGain. Find out which option is the best for you.

Get Help Now

We’ve tried, tested, and written unbiased reviews of thebest online therapy programsincluding Talkspace, Betterhelp, and ReGain. Find out which option is the best for you.

Treatment

There are a number of different treatment approaches that can be used to address the loss of interest, includingcognitive-behavioral therapy(CBT) to help change your thoughts and behaviors. Antidepressants or other medications may be prescribed to help elevate your mood.

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A Word From Verywell

Everyone experiences some degree of disinterest from time to time. Sometimes it might be because you are just feeling uninspired. In other cases, it might mean that you’ve lost interest in some of your old hobbies and need to explore some new passions.

But losing interest in everything can also be a sign of a mental health condition such as depression. If a loss of interest is making it difficult to cope or interfering with your life, it is important to talk to a physician or mental health professional about how you are feeling.

Depression can worsen over time, so the sooner you get help, the sooner you will begin feeling better and regain your passion for the things that bring you joy.

If you or a loved one are struggling with depression, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you or a loved one are struggling with depression, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

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4 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychiatric Association.What is depression?Biddle S.Physical activity and mental health: evidence is growing.World Psychiatry. 2016;15(2):176-177. doi:10.1002/wps.20331Li L, Wu C, Gan Y, Qu X, Lu Z.Insomnia and the risk of depression: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.BMC Psychiatry. 2016;16:375. doi:10.1186/s12888-016-1075-3Polk MG, Smith EL, Zhang L-R, Neupert SD.Thinking ahead and staying in the present: Implications for reactivity to daily stressors.Personal Individ Diff. 2020;161:109971. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2020.109971

4 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychiatric Association.What is depression?Biddle S.Physical activity and mental health: evidence is growing.World Psychiatry. 2016;15(2):176-177. doi:10.1002/wps.20331Li L, Wu C, Gan Y, Qu X, Lu Z.Insomnia and the risk of depression: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.BMC Psychiatry. 2016;16:375. doi:10.1186/s12888-016-1075-3Polk MG, Smith EL, Zhang L-R, Neupert SD.Thinking ahead and staying in the present: Implications for reactivity to daily stressors.Personal Individ Diff. 2020;161:109971. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2020.109971

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

American Psychiatric Association.What is depression?Biddle S.Physical activity and mental health: evidence is growing.World Psychiatry. 2016;15(2):176-177. doi:10.1002/wps.20331Li L, Wu C, Gan Y, Qu X, Lu Z.Insomnia and the risk of depression: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.BMC Psychiatry. 2016;16:375. doi:10.1186/s12888-016-1075-3Polk MG, Smith EL, Zhang L-R, Neupert SD.Thinking ahead and staying in the present: Implications for reactivity to daily stressors.Personal Individ Diff. 2020;161:109971. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2020.109971

American Psychiatric Association.What is depression?

Biddle S.Physical activity and mental health: evidence is growing.World Psychiatry. 2016;15(2):176-177. doi:10.1002/wps.20331

Li L, Wu C, Gan Y, Qu X, Lu Z.Insomnia and the risk of depression: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.BMC Psychiatry. 2016;16:375. doi:10.1186/s12888-016-1075-3

Polk MG, Smith EL, Zhang L-R, Neupert SD.Thinking ahead and staying in the present: Implications for reactivity to daily stressors.Personal Individ Diff. 2020;161:109971. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2020.109971

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