Lacking motivation in my studies

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I'm a 16-year-old community college student, I've been a part time student for 1.5 years and have just started as a full time student.
Recently, I've been having difficulty focusing on my studies. I spend my whole day procrastinating and as a result, my grades are suffering. In the past I've always gotten exclusively B's and A's, but am in serious jeopardy of failing my physics course if I don't get better about studying. And while I certainly don't want to fail, I don't really care that much, even though I know it would wreck my GPA and my plan to transfer to a state school at the end of the year. I do enjoy my studies, I'm focusing on math and science, which are passions for me; but lately, I've been having difficulty engaging even with things I love.
Everything feels unimportant. I feel numb (I haven't cried or felt the need to in 8.5 months). I lack motivation to even do simple things--like eating or sleeping--and whenever I sit down to study or do an assignment, it just doesn't get done. I know it sounds like I'm describing clinical depression, but that's really not it. I'm not depressed, just apathetic and disorganized. I'm also a life long pacer, there's been a loop where grass does not grow around my house because ever since I was a little kid I've paced back and forth constantly, but recently it's out of control (up to 4 hours every day).
I've recently (a couple months ago) stopped attending therapy due to my former therapist retiring, which might have something to do with all of this. I will be meeting a new therapist later this week. I don't really feel I need it (it's required, which is why I do therapy), but I don't hate it, I just tend to keep my own council. I don't think I'm comfortable talking about this stuff with my therapist, since they will be the official authority on my mental state (which for reasons I'll leave unspecified, I do need to reflect mental stability). I don't want to worry my parents by talking about this stuff with them either, but I know they will worry if they find out I fail my physics class.
Has anyone had a similar experience? If so, how did you get yourself motivated?

My motivation always has been positively correlated with my self-esteem at any moment. In fact I do have experience with what you described. I dropped out of a college and didn't return for over ten years, because of this problem. When I did return, my grades were very high. When I dropped out earlier, they weren't.

I think you do need to see that new therapist. And yes, what you describe sure does sound like clinical depression. Could it instead be a rough patch of being down on yourself (low self-esteem?). Having therapy imposed on you (i.e., mandatory) suggests a situation that could very easily be related to your low motivation.

As previously noted, motivation isn't something that comes to you. You have to find it.

IMO you will not find it if you don't engage fully with your therapy. Therapy is supposed to be that time where all internal walls come down, that way your therapist can best help you to help yourself. It is tough but that is the best way.

Mood = Motivation. Personally I'm in my 3rd year of an Astrophysics degree and I can say hands down that I am most motivated when I'm dancing around the house like a deranged psychopath.

oof i can relate. I'm 16, in my junior year of high school, and doing the bare minimum. It's annoying because I know I'm intelligent, but focusing and starting my work is very difficult for me, and doing homework feels like an impossible task.

I can completely relate. I have zero motivation to study or write papers. I'm not passionate about the field that I am in, and hoping to pursue something that interests me.

Who requires you to see a counselor?

Counselor Jamie Adair correctly told me that "counseling can help"

Marketing

Advertising


Counseling can "hurt" or neither


Splitting fine hairs


Which counselor


After ,35 counselors, some of them "helped"






But zero of them "helped" me enough to justify their $$$. Jeanne Courtney "helped" me one dollar and she earned 75 bucks.


Ripoff


Mister redelings "hurt" me ten dollars and he got zero.


Jeanne Courtney cheated me 74 bucks


Mister redelings only cheated me ten dollars


Fair market value


Minimum wage


Contract



When I was 21, flunked structural engineering


No motivation at jack s**t


Age 36


You can take time off school

Fewer units


Prescription


Hobbies


Change major

Stress is cumulative in nature. Unless stress can be vented effectively it can turn into distress such as trauma. These are the symptoms of trauma:

* Deer in the headlight frozen expression
* Paleness and racing heartbeat
* Terrified speechless
* Disruptive behavior
* Anger, irritability, mood swings, edginess
* Hyperactive - pacing around yard
* Poor concentration - difficulty focusing on my studies
* Demonstrating poor impulse control
* Lethargic, lack of energy - procrastinating
* Depressed
* Shock, denial, or disbelief
* Confusion, feeling out of control
* Anxiety and fear
* Night terrors
* Guilt, shame and self-blame
* Withdrawing from others
* Feeling sad and hopeless
* Feeling disconnected or numb, spacey - having difficulty engaging even with things I love
* Hyper-focus on mortality or death
* Loss of appetite or overeating
* Obsessive-compulsive behavior
* Avoidance behavior

The brain is composed of many components. The middle brain is a "fight or flight" response. Stress hormones and chemicals that are unused in a fight or flight situation are stored in the nerves and muscles of your body. Since you said "I'm also a life long pacer, there's been a loop where grass does not grow around my house because ever since I was a little kid I've paced back and forth constantly, but recently it's out of control (up to 4 hours every day)." it is my guess that this energy is locked away in your legs (a flight response).

One way to vent this energy is exercise. The middle layer of the brain within the Sympathetic Nervous system controls the “fight or flight response”. When an individual encounter a threat, they either flee or attack. Unused stress energy builds up in your muscles and nervous system. This stress energy needs to be purged or it will slowly damage your body. This can be done by exercise but there is a secret here. Most exercise only reduces stress for a few minutes or hours. You need to purge this energy so that the effects last for days, week, and months. In order to do this it requires an extreme vent. In order to purge the stress energy from your legs, you need to simulate being chased by a tiger, literally chased by a tiger.

An example of exercise that will purge deep stress (exercise in which maximal oxygen uptake is 100%), is to perform ten 6-second maximal sprints (a 50-yard dash), running like a bat out of hell with a 30 second recovery between each sprint. [This emulates the flight response in a panic.]

Motivation may not last long but focus does. You need to keep your focus intact, then you will get the motivation you always needed.

I have to admit I don't have a great track record studying. I can only speculate why they let me graduate high school and I dropped out of community college like nine times. But everything I'm looking at and everything I'm trying to do now (I study a lot of Brainscape flashcards while thinking about going back to school) suggests it's something better to make part of your rote routine if at all possible. It's kind of a cognitive/emotional realization that "This is just what I'm going to be doing now." There's just a set amount of time devoted to this activity a day/week/whatever.

As far as actually focusing, that sounds like executive functioning issues to me. "Therapy and medication," I think.

As far as being honest with your therapist, it's like... to me... yeah, there's sociopolitical/legal issues involved, but "focusing on your homework" is something you can be pretty upfront with them about. It's pretty neutral, so long as everyone involved knows you're going to school.