Emotion: Apathy

When you want to write the emotion apathy, it's important to "show" the emotion your character is experiencing through their physical reactions and dialogue, rather than "tell" it. In this article we provide you with inspiration so you can avoid showing emotions and immerse your readers in your story.

Apathy is a state of indifference or lack of interest or enthusiasm towards something or someone. It is the feeling of not caring or being unaffected by a situation, event or person. In other words, apathy is a lack of emotion, motivation, or concern.

Different Types of Apathy

Here are some different types of apathy:

• Emotional numbness
• Lack of interest or enthusiasm
• Indifference
• Feeling disconnected or disengaged
• Inability to feel emotions
• Feeling detached or uninvolved
• Lack of motivation or drive
• Feeling drained or exhausted
• Difficulty making decisions

Situations Associated with Apathy

Here are some situations where a character might experience the emotion of apathy:

• Feeling overwhelmed by a situation or problem that seems unsolvable
• Dealing with a sense of hopelessness or disillusionment
• Experiencing a significant loss or failure
• Being disconnected from one's community or social circle
• Feeling trapped or stagnant in one's life or career
• Coping with chronic stress or burnout
• Struggling with mental health issues such as depression or anxiety
• Being exposed to traumatic events or prolonged periods of adversity
• Feeling a lack of control over one's circumstances
• Being subjected to social or political oppression or injustice

Keep in mind that each character's experience of apathy may be unique and influenced by their individual background, personality, and circumstances.

Physical Reactions to Apathy

Here are some physical reactions a character experiencing apathy might have:

• Lack of facial expression or monotone voice
• Minimal body movement or slumped posture
• Avoidance of eye contact or disinterest in surroundings
• Reduced energy level or slow movements
• Neglect of personal hygiene or grooming
• Reduced or absent emotional responses to others or events
• Poor concentration or difficulty making decisions
• Disinterest in hobbies or activities once enjoyed

Thoughts Associated with Apathy

Here are some thoughts a character experiencing apathy might have:

• What's the point of doing this? It won't make any difference.
• I don't care about anything right now. I just want to be left alone.
• Why bother putting in the effort? It's not like anyone will appreciate it.
• I feel so empty. Nothing seems to excite me anymore.
• I should be feeling something right now, but I just can't bring myself to care.
• Everything feels pointless and mundane. It's like I'm just going through the motions.
• I used to be passionate about this, but now I don't feel anything at all.
• I feel disconnected from the world around me. Nothing seems to matter.
• I know I should be worried about this, but I can't seem to muster up any concern.

Atmosphere of Apathy

Here are some ways that you might reflect the emotion of apathy in the atmosphere of your scene:

• Use a monotonous and uneventful setting that lacks any excitement or energy, such as a deserted street or a quiet room with neutral colors.
• Create a sense of emptiness by describing the absence of people, objects, or sounds in the environment.
• Use passive language and avoid vivid descriptions or sensory details to create a feeling of detachment and indifference.
• Use repetition or redundancy in the dialogue or actions of the characters to suggest a lack of interest or motivation.
• Incorporate routine or mundane activities that convey a sense of boredom or disinterest, such as watching TV or doing chores without enthusiasm.
• Avoid using strong emotional language or dramatic events that could trigger a response from the characters, as apathy is characterized by a lack of emotion or reaction.

Verbs Associated with Apathy

Here are some verbs commonly associated with the emotion of apathy:

• Ignore
• Dismiss
• Neglect
• Indifferent
• Detached
• Unconcerned
• Uninvolved
• Passive
• Nonchalant
• Complacent
• Lethargic

Emotions Before Apathy

Here are some emotions that may come before a character experiences apathy:

• Curiosity
• Excitement
• Joy
• Love
• Empathy
• Sympathy
• Compassion
• Hope
• Optimism
• Anticipation
• Enthusiasm
• Gratitude
• Contentment
• Satisfaction
• Confidence
• Trust
• Forgiveness
• Acceptance
• Understanding
• Tenderness
• Affection
• Admiration
• Respect
• Inspiration
• Motivation
• Determination
• Courage
• Bravery
• Empowerment
• Pride
• Amazement

Emotions After Apathy

Here are some emotions that may come after a character experiences apathy:

• Sadness
• Anger
• Frustration
• Disappointment
• Regret
• Loneliness
• Envy
• Bitterness
• Resentment

Telling Apathy Examples to Avoid

Here are some examples of telling the emotion apathy in a sentence. You should avoid things like this:

• She felt indifferent about the news.
• He didn't care whether he won or lost the game.
• She showed no enthusiasm for the party.
• He had no reaction to the sad ending of the movie.
• She was unmoved by the beautiful sunset.
• He had no interest in the topic of conversation.
• She felt disconnected from the world around her.
• He was indifferent to the suffering of others.
• She had no passion for anything in her life.

Practical Examples of Showing Apathy

Here are some examples of showing apathy in a sentence:

• She stared blankly at the wall, not bothered by the chaos around her.
• He shrugged his shoulders and walked away without a word.
• She couldn't care less about the project, not even bothering to show up to meetings.
• He scrolled through his phone, not even bothering to look up when someone entered the room.

Exercises for Showing Apathy

Here are some writing exercises to practice showing apathy:

• Write a scene where the character is surrounded by people or events that should normally evoke a strong emotional response, but they remain indifferent and uninterested.
• Create a character who is going through a major life change or traumatic experience, but instead of showing sadness or anger, they feel nothing at all.
• Write a scene where the character is confronted with a moral dilemma, but they are unable to care about the outcome or consequences.
• Create a character who is struggling with depression or burnout, and explore how their lack of motivation and interest affects their daily life.

Want more help with showing emotion instead of telling? You find more help in our full emotions thesaurus.