Apathy can also be a necessary defense mechanism used to escape from life. When we resort to an apathetic state we consciously deny ourselves the ability to feel. Indeed, if we absorbed every sensation in life to its fullest extent it might be nearly impossible to survive emotionally. Used in moderation apathy can help to lessen the pain of a negative experience and continue through life seemingly unscathed. However, if we maintain this apathetic stance in the face of the currents of life we become a rock- strong and steady but inanimate and lifeless. Rollo May speaks of apathy and its effects on the human psyche in greater detail in his book "Our Schizoid World".