Hello, Hedera! I'm struggling with depression and the inability to write right now, and I really wonder what your experience with depression and apathy was, and whether you have any tips or just recommendations how to manage with this horrible state. I deeply admire you as a writer and just as an incredibly wise person and I hope you're doing well .
Firstly I need to say I hope you're doing alright, kind stranger - or if not okay, I hope you're hanging in there as best you can while things are difficult. I'm sorry to hear you're experiencing something so horrible right now and I really wish there were some magic words I could say or some superior advice to give that would work as a quick fix. I don't claim to be an expert when it comes to dealing with depression and apathy but I'll do my best to give the best advice I can.
Before anything else, I hope you're in the fortunate position to seek professional help for your depressive symptoms. Different psychotherapeutic treatments have been proven to be effective when it comes to alleviating depression. However, I know not everyone has this option available to them - but if you do, I cannot recommend it enough, as taxing as seeking treatment can be.
As for any tips or advice from my own experience, the first one that comes to mind is to leave your house or apartment as often as you can bring yourself to. I know especially in this day and age it's not the easiest tip to follow, but even a walk around the block counts. Personally I've found that being cooped up indoors for too long, especially spending long periods of time alone, is not good for my mood and really makes me feel worse. It might not be possible every day, but whenever you can manage. And if you can't bring yourself to go outside, try to open your curtains and let in some natural light. We have very long, dark winters where I live, and lack of daylight definitely has an effect on people, myself included.
My second tip would be to reach out to the people in your as much as you can and have the energy to. Not necessarily to talk about how you feel - I never liked to, and still don't - but just to talk and maybe simply to listen to them, ask them questions and let them tell you about what's going on with them. (Maybe don't do this with a loved one who is also in a bad place or suffering though, as that might be quite taxing.) Sometimes the best way to take a break from your own thoughts and feelings is to listen to someone else's. As someone who is not a very sociable person, I have often felt it's unfortunate that humans are such social animals. I really love spending time by myself and am generally picky about the company I keep, but even I noticed (and still do) a noticeable worsening of how I felt if I spent too much time all by myself.
Third tip, and perhaps the most important, would be to exercise some self-compassion. At least for me being apathetic and tired and not getting things done starts an immediate barrage of accusations and harsh words about how I should be able to do this and how I should be able to do that. All it does in the end is make me feel worse, I just end up feeling guilty and far less motivated to do anything than I was earlier. If this is something you also experience, do your best to give yourself a break and allow yourself time to heal and get back to things. You have time. If your home doesn't get tidied today, the world won't end. If you need to ask for more time to finish an assignment for school or work, the world won't end. If you end up taking longer to graduate, nothing will have been ruined. I know all of the above from personal experience.
And when it comes to writing, be kind to yourself about it as well. You can always come back to writing later. No matter how long a time you spend not writing, you can find your way back to it. I spent almost two years not writing and have since written many pieces I've really enjoyed writing and the quality of which I was actually happy with. Your creative energy will return in time. It's okay if it's not there today or even tomorrow. Try to find any little thing to do that lets you forget your worries for a moment, or even improve your mood if that's possible. Even if it's a small thing, it's better than nothing.
Try not to lose hope, kind stranger. There will be times in your future when you'll feel so much better than you feel now. I know it can be difficult to believe it now but try to have hope. Nothing lasts forever, not even this. I hope you feel better soon. <3