Confused and Struggling

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I'm feeling the desire to talk to someone because of how upset I am, but at the same time, I feel too upset to actually talk to anyone? I am guessing that this is not an uncommon feeling to experience.

Has anyone here found themselves unable to concentrate enough to indulge in their special interests? Or perhaps found that their special interests no longer seem that interesting? What do you do when seemingly nothing interests you?

I'm in a bad place right now, partly because of my inability to concentrate, where I am unable to do almost anything.
I love to read, mostly non-fiction seeing as fiction usually frustrates me (I hate all the needless descriptions. I don't care if the sky is a light shade of blue and that the clouds look like freaking cotton candy! Just give me the facts)! However, lately, I find myself unable to make it through even a chapter. Worse than that, I can't make it through an entire internet article/blog post.
I also love to do Twisty Puzzles (think Rubik's Cubes). In fact, I can do over 30 different types. But as with reading, I find no joy in doing them (perhaps because I haven't had a new challenge in so long?).
I don't even feel like researching reptiles, which has been a special interests that has been a part of my life, off and on, since I was a young child.

What do you do when you get this way? How do you stop obsessing over the things that won't stop intruding your thoughts? What happens when practically nothing you've tried (and I've tried a lot) works? What happens when everything you thought was important , everything you believe, just doesn't seem to matter anymore?

You go on WrongPlanet, and discuss your issues with people who have similar issues.

Welcome to the Forum.

I just try to wait it out.

Sometimes I get into funks where the prospect of a new interest is more interesting to me than the actual interest. I might spend hours dreaming about all of the things I'm going to do/learn with it and then research everything I'm going to need, then I don't have the focus or motivation to actually do it.

Best of luck and welcome to WP.

Read DUNE by Frank Herbert. It gets to a point where you have to think about every line to truly appreciate the story.

I can't concentrate enough to read right now and I also dislike fiction. The only fiction I usually read is Dostoevsky but I can't even enjoy one of his books right now.

when i was young and all out of sorts like what you described, i would just go running at full tilt until i couldn't run anymore, then i'd go swimming laps until i couldn't swim any more, then i'd be so tired i'd fall asleep, and when i awoke in the morning it was as though somebody had hit the RESET button and i felt better

I have had a problem similar to what you describe here. I recently fasted for two weeks-I ate only two small meals a day. It completely changed the way that I think, and I can concentrate MUCH better now. I'm not going to explain how fasting did it, mainly because it's something that cannot be explained. It has to be experienced. I highly recommend it. There are different kinds of fasts you can look into-bread and water fasts, partial fasts, total fasts, etc.

***Warning***
If you are considering going an extended period of time without food, you should consult a doctor first.

Its actually a story about society and humanity set in a fictional universe where most technology is basically outlawed. So, its in the future but more like medieval. Its a rather unique book.