 Do you feel like your lack of motivation is getting in the way of your happiness? Maybe even simple things like getting out of bed in the morning seem impossible. And you're wondering, why do I feel this way? If you're going through this right now, you're not alone. The first step to addressing a lack of motivation is identifying the cause. This video will help you determine whether depression is the root of the problem, or if there's another reason you're feeling unmotivated. Keep watching to learn 5 signs that your lack of motivation might be related to depression. 1. Disinterest Have you noticed that you're losing interest in things that you used to love doing? Maybe you no longer feel excited to hang out with your friends, or you don't get as much joy out of your hobbies. According to Healthline, this lack of interest is a common sign of depression. Depression can make you feel emotionally numb, even in situations that you would normally find fun and stimulating. As a quick self-reflection exercise, try asking yourself, when's the last time something or someone made you feel happy? If you can't think of anything, it may help to reach out to someone you trust to talk about your disinterest and any other concerning feelings you may have. 2. Over or under stimulation It's nice when things are easy, but we don't grow or learn. When things are easy-peasy for us, as humans, we have a natural drive to overcome challenges and gain new skills. An article published by the Mental Health app, Shine, states that a lack of challenge can cause boredom and kill your motivation. Do you feel like you're stuck in a rut? Learning something new may be just what you're looking for. Try a new hobby and see how you like it. Or if there's a hobby that you used to be passionate about, pick it back up again. On the other hand, having challenges that are too daunting can cause us to feel overwhelmed and decrease our motivation. The mental health organization, Beyond Blue, states that prolonged and intense challenges, such as an unhealthy relationship or work-related stress, can cause depression. 3. Diminishing accomplishments It's important to celebrate your accomplishments, even those little wins. According to best-selling author and success coach Tim Castle, when you're unmotivated, you may focus more on all the things you haven't done, instead of celebrating what you have accomplished. The Canadian Center for Addiction and Mental Health states that feelings of uselessness and low self-esteem are also signs of depression. It's important to monitor these negative thoughts and reach out for support if you need it. 4. Self-Distancing Not social distancing Do you dread family get-togethers because you don't want to talk about your plans for the future or how you're doing in school or work? What about making excuses to cancel plans with friends? The Center for Addiction and Mental Health states that withdrawing from the ones you love is a sign of depression. If you're feeling unmotivated, you may distance yourself because you feel like there's nothing to report or contribute to a conversation. This also may be the case if you feel that your loved ones may perceive you negatively for not having your normal passion for activities. 5. Rigid Thoughts Do you think you don't have any skills or that you can't learn a new one? Maybe you feel like you just can't do well at anything. If so, you might have what psychologists call a fixed mindset. According to BetterHelp, people with a fixed mindset believe there's no point in learning new skills because it probably won't help them succeed anyway. A study published in the Clinical Psychology Review found that people who had a fixed mindset were more likely to experience depressive symptoms and worse mental health overall. Of course, this does not mean that everyone with a fixed mindset is depressed. But if you find yourself thinking this way, it may be worth considering whether your lack of motivation is related to depression. Lack of motivation can happen for a variety of reasons. If you've been busy for weeks and need a lazy day, that's totally normal. However, having multiple signs may be your body letting you know that your mind needs some attention. How do you deal with feeling unmotivated or depressed? Are there other signs you've seen? Share in the comments below. Thanks for watching and being a part of the community. If you want to see more relatable videos that help you learn about psychology and mental health, don't forget to subscribe and hit the like button. See you next time Psych2Goers!