Editing Avolition (section)

==Psychopathology==
People with avolition often want to complete certain tasks but lack the ability to initiate behaviors necessary to complete them. Avolition is most commonly seen as a symptom of some other disorder, but might be considered a primary clinical disturbance of itself (or as a coexisting second disorder) related to disorders of diminished motivation. In 2006, avolition was identified as a [[negative symptom of schizophrenia]] by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH),<ref name="Castonguay & Oltmann">{{cite book | vauthors = Castonguay L, Oltmanns T | veditors = Castonguay L, Oltmanns T | year = 2013 | chapter = General Issues in Understanding and Treating Psychopathology | title = Psychopathology: From Science to Clinical Practice | pages = 5–6 | location = New York | publisher = Guildford Publications | isbn = 978-1-4625-2881-3}}</ref> and has been observed in patients with [[bipolar disorder]] as well as resulting from trauma.

Avolition is sometimes mistaken for other, similar symptoms also affecting motivation, such as [[abulia]], [[anhedonia]] and [[asociality]], or strong general disinterest. For example, abulia is also a restriction in motivation and initiation, but characterized by an inability to set goals or make decisions and considered a disorder of diminished motivation.<ref name="pmid16030444">{{cite journal | vauthors = Marin RS, Wilkosz PA | title = Disorders of diminished motivation | journal = The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation | volume = 20 | issue = 4 | pages = 377–88 | date = 2005 | doi = 10.1097/00001199-200507000-00009 | pmid = 16030444 | s2cid = 11938168 | url = http://www.yaroslavvb.com/papers/marin-disorders.pdf | access-date = 2015-07-18 | archive-date = 2015-08-11 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150811041523/http://yaroslavvb.com/papers/marin-disorders.pdf | url-status = live}}</ref> In order to provide effective treatment, the underlying cause of avolition (if any) has to be identified and it is important to properly differentiate it from other symptoms, even though they might reflect similar aspects of mental illness.