If you are having trouble completing daily tasks or even getting out of bed, you may be suffering from avolition. Avolition is when you lack the motivation for tasks with an end goal. This behavior is typical in mental health disorders such as schizophrenia, depression, and bipolar disorder. By understanding how avolition plays a role in your mental health disorder, you can discover how it can be managed through treatment.
What Is Avolition?
A person who is experiencing avolition may withdraw from all social activities. They may feel numb, and what most would consider fun activities are not enjoyable to them. A person experiencing avolition may also not make eye contact, have limited or halted speech, stop participating in events or gatherings, and fail to make appointments.
Avolition is one of the negative symptoms associated with schizophrenia. Those with schizophrenia may fail to take care of their hygiene or participate in work due to avolition. It is important to remember that a person experiencing avolition is not avoiding activities but cannot act on them.
How to Treat Avolition
Treatment for avolition most effective once the mental health disorder a person is struggling with is identified. Treatment typically includes the combination of antipsychotic medications and therapy. Antipsychotics correct the neurotransmitter levels in the brain to help brain cells communicate with each other. Different types of therapy, like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), can be effective in assisting people to gain the skills they need to function in their daily activities.
How to Help Someone Experiencing Avolition
If a loved one struggles with avolition, it is essential to be patient with yourself and the other person. You can help create a schedule for them, including a plan to take care of their hygiene, take medications, eat, sleep, and other regular activities. Use gentle reminders of what that person needs to do. If their condition reaches crisis proportions, make sure you have contacts on hand. Keep with you a list of contact information of doctors and mental health professionals.
Avolition is when you lose the ability to act on or participate in activities you enjoy and basic living tasks. Avolition can be a negative symptom of schizophrenia and other mental health disorders. By coming up with a schedule of daily tasks and continuing to take your medication, you can beat avolition and take control of your mental health. At Alta Loma, we understand how avolition can make daily functioning harder, and we are here to help you. Located in Georgetown, Texas, our facility provides medication management, individualized therapy, therapeutic recreational activities, and more. Call (866) 457-3843 to learn more.
