Introduction
In light of the plague of the 21st century – stress – apathy deserves special attention. Frequently being only a temporal state, it skillfully disguises the actual dangers that come with a chronic apathetic condition. Firstly, it attacks the sense of personal identity and affects the person’s mental health. Then, it starts disrupting the natural physical processes of a subject, causing vast amounts of stress. Only a thorough examination of these effects and consequences can prove the apathy’s title of a “silent killer.”
Discussion
If approached figurately, the state of apathy serves as a killer of identity. At its core, apathy is a state of utter indifference to external and internal factors – an apathetic individual experiences little to no emotions, feelings, or interest. Moreover, interests or concerns regarding social, emotional, spiritual, philosophical, virtual, and real aspects of life are absent as well. Consequently, the variety of activities an apathetic person conducts narrows to solely existing. Existence alone does not imply any meaningful personal traits or expressions essential in constructing one’s identity. In this context, the state of apathy elevated to an extreme makes a person indistinguishable from other life forms deprived of identity, such as, for example, plants. However, unlike plants that cannot showcase signs of identity for understandable reasons, people without identity resemble hollow shells. Despite being alive, apathetic people are seemingly “dead inside,” implying their identity’s death.
Unfortunately, the effect of apathy is not limited by its figural meaning. Another peculiar contradiction of the apathetic state is creating constant stress in spite of the subject’s dormant state. On the one hand, it might seem that a lack of external stimulus safeguards a person from potential social stress. To some extent, it is true – there are many possibilities for getting into a stressful situation during social interactions. Since the apathetic person avoids these interactions due to the absence of motivation, they successfully manage to avoid the associated stress. However, the overall complexity of the situation urges a broader picture.
On the other hand, the subject’s isolation can cause an equal, if not more significant, amount of stress. Human beings are inherently social, which is proved by the evolutionary process and tendency to form groups. In this context, complete isolation resulting from disinterest in socialization will sooner or later have a detrimental effect on one’s psychic. Moreover, the exposure to negative thoughts often looped inside the apathetic mind due to the inability to receive and communicate knowledge presents a substantial danger as well.
Last but not least is the harmful physical impact the apathetic state can have on an individual. It is known that moderate physical activity positively affects the body processes, such as blood circulation and hormone secretion. Not only can it make the organism more stress-resistant, but it also improves mood and contributes to the immune system’s strength. Conversely, a lack of physical activity has a detrimental impact on the body’s homeostasis. Generally speaking, physical inactivity resulting from apathy deprives an organism of the means to naturally battle against it. Another destructive loop common among apathetic individuals is a lack of physical activity due to the absence of motivation that sustains the apathy and results in further unwillingness to be physically active. Thus, such a lifestyle, albeit not displaying any imminent danger, shortens the individual’s lifetime and contributes to premature mortality.
Conclusion
In light of the effects of the apathetic state on an individual, the title “silent killer” genuinely fits the apathy. In a figural sense, apathy kills the very core of what it means to be human – the human identity. In a literal sense, apathy causes a dual effect on a person, disrupting their mental and physical states. Altogether, apathy poses a substantial threat to people affected by it and can gravely punish for the dismissive attitude.