Mental health experts decode 'languishing', one of 2021's most discussed words

Logging into the Internet right now feels like walking into a virtual cremation ground It is only natural that the answer to the inevitable lsquoHow are yoursquo is anything but lsquookayrsquo If yoursquore feeling lsquoblahrsquo lsquomehrsquo or simply empty you are lsquolanguishingrsquo Coined by sociologist Corey Keyes in 2002 the term was popularised by organisational psychologist Adam Grant in a recent New York Times piece This dominant emotion of 2021 Grant wrote ldquofeels as if yoursquore muddling through your days looking at your life through a foggy windshieldrdquoSmall acts such as taking time to rearrange your closet help in managing languishing and make you feel accomplished Representation picLanguishing is a collective experience at the moment Navigating it though can be challenging So we spoke to citybased clinical and social psychologist Gauri Karkhanis and psychiatrist Dr Nahid Dave about the experience and tiding through itKarkhanis views languishing as being stuck in a limbo where you arenrsquot working to your fullest capacity yet are not all down in the dumps ldquoItrsquos not something that can be clinically diagnosed Itrsquos a general feeling of stagnation You are sailing through life by just existingrdquo she saysMultiple factors at playThe psychologist explains that there are various factors that influence the state of languishing the absence of boundaries prevailing uncertainty the loss of purpose and being homebound ldquoWork from home has led to lethargy which in turn affects your sleep cycle You watch Netflix till 3 AM and wake up late with the guilt that yoursquove wasted your dayrdquo she explains The second lockdown has also played a major role in feeling languished Dave says that in contrast to 2020 when people were pursuing new hobbies and taking up online courses the drive to be productive is now lost Also the knowledge that others are feeling the same way reenforces your languishingDr Nahid DaveDifferent from depressionAn important marker that separates languishing from clinical depression Karkhanis says is the extent of lack of motivation ldquoLanguishing doesnrsquot entail an innate loss of motivation but rather the feeling stems from the fact that there is nothing to look forward tordquo But can languishing become detrimental to you or those around you The answer is yes ldquoBecause you canrsquot go out and socialise you arenrsquot driven to be in touch with people Your computer becomes your comfort zone And if and when those restrictions are lifted you may develop social anxietyrdquo she cautionsRisk factor for mental illnessWhile languishing is not a mental illness per se it can lead to a diagnosis of one if not managed over time Letting yourself be in the middle of a spectrum that ranges from feeling low to being content only manifests as a risk factor for mental disorders Dave suggests seeking professional help if you are experiencing the following for over two weeks problems with sleep unable to concentrate on work to the extent that people around you have started noticing lapses and suicidal thoughts ldquoIf the thought of death doesnrsquot make you scared but gives you a sense of relief then itrsquos definitely a red flagrdquo she statesGauri KarkhanisBreak the cyclegtgt An antidote to feeling languished Karkhanis and Dave emphasise is acceptance before action Once you accept you are feeling languished take control of your life through small acts that give you a sense of accomplishment ldquoCreate a workstation change your curtains or reorganise your closet You can even organise yourself digitally via compartmentalising your files or deleting old photosrdquo Karkhanis advisesgtgt Change the atmosphere at home ldquoSurround yourself with air and brightness instead of sitting in a dingy room Sit near the window as much as you canrdquo shares Karkhanisgtgt Stick to a routine Donrsquot skip showers Change your PJs Setting small attainable goals is important because you donrsquot want to pressurise yourself says Karkhanis To correct your sleep cycle Dave recommends sleeping at a fixed time every day and switching off gadgets one hour beforegtgt Dave asserts that avoiding constant exposure to news is critical too ldquoRefrain from watching the news on TV as it comes with added drama Instead read it once a day Also stop watching videos circulating on WhatsApp as their authenticity canrsquot be verifiedrdquo