Sometimes people become apathetic because of depression or trauma.13 Other times, people turn to apathy after repeatedly being disenfranchised. Psychologists call this “learned helplessness,” and we see it in victims of abuse, people who have been incarcerated, and families that have experienced generations of poverty and racism.14 When you lose power over your own life, you don’t have much reason to stay energized and motivated.15 So, you protect yourself emotionally by checking out and giving up.
