Bored with life

Post Reply New Topic

I was sort of fine until this year. Even when I turned 40, it was just another year. 42 hit me like a ton of bricks.

I've become bored with many things I used to do; video games, online blogging, going to the beach, reading, movies, all kinds of things I used to love to do all of a sudden interest waned.

I have no plans going forward past the next three months, and this is on an ongoing basis. No plans for next year, five years, 20+. Others look forward to their retirement, I couldn't be more different. I'll likely work till I drop, if for no other reason than I'd get bored after only a few days with nothing to do.

It doesn't seem to me that this life holds much more for me to gain from it? Its hard to be motivated and enthusiastic when I have nothing to look forward to. I joined a Tai Chi exericize class because I'm starting to resemble a beached whale, but this is only a superficial interest so I can get exercise.

When I was a young kid I would be thrilled just going to the car wash with my grandfather, now washing the car is just a chore. When I was young everything seemed new, full of life, now everthing seems old, boring, repetitious. I want the enthusism I had for life back that I had when I was a kid. Is it a vain hope, I'm not getting any younger?

The worst thing is that I didn't expect or anticipate becoming bored with life, it just happened suddenly. I'm in a rut and I don't know how to pull myself out of it.

I know exactly how you feel and am going through the same kind of thing. I'm not going to offer any advice because I'm not really in a position to and each person needs to find their own way but I'm pretty sure that what you are feeling is completely normal.

Do you suffer from clinical depression or anything like that? I'm bipolar and have NVLD so many of my problems stem from that including extreme boredom and lack of motivation.

Things have gotten so bad that I am seriously considering going to Peru for an ayahuasca ceremony. I know many people who have benefited from such an experience.

Anyway, don't fret too much about things..life is a trip and some stops along the way are just sh***y. But I'm pretty sure that things get better. Try not to be too hard on yourself. I think the Tai Chi is an excellent idea. Also, practice mindful awareness. I find it to be very helpful.

This is a classic sign of depression - I'd urge you to get it checked out if it continues.

I'm fairly close to you in age and I think I can relate to you about being bored with your current activities in life. For me, it isn't the first time I've felt this way - I've had periods like this off and on throughout my adulthood. While it's possible this could be a symptom of depression, as someone mentioned, I think this may be an issue that can be remedied with a bit of initiative and determination.

Everyone is different so I can't really advise you on the avenues you ought to take but, for whatever it's worth, I can break down a couple of my own anecdotes:

1) Situation: mid 20's, minimal social life revolving around live-in girlfriend. Bored and unexcited about anything in my life, I took up a new hobby, painting. I enjoyed the process and immersed myself into the learning and observing everything I could about it. This literally gave me a fresh new perspective on reality.

2) Situation: late 20's, married with young child, superficial social life, out of shape and bored. I came to realize I was overweight after witnessing some photographs of myself (it's amazing how mirror images can be distorted!). Coincidentally, I stumbled upon a diet book that was informative made some real sense. I decided to try it out while also working out regularly. The more I progressed, the more enthusiastic I got about and health and fitness. I felt better about myself and experienced renewed energy.

In each of these cases, I committed whole-heartedly to one significant change in my life and I was rewarded. Maybe that's what you need to think about.

I agree with other posters above. I think it can very possibly be a symptom of depression. You might benefit from seeing your doctor about it. If it is depression, you had better get it treated as soon as possible.

I had a period of time (for about 1 to 2 years) when I felt like that (bored with everything). During that period I also felt "awful" (I don't know how to describe it) and I didn't even know whether that awful feeling was mental or actually physical. I recovered from it without any treatment. I actually don't know what it was. I saw an incompetent psychologist who didn't help at all.

Any way what I want to say is that I did recover from it and now I find many things exciting again. As you said, your boredom happened unexpectedly. I just want to make you aware (if not yet) that it could also end unexpectedly. Just because you are bored now, it doesn't necessarily mean it will last forever. You can't even imagine how you might be feeling in one year's time. And I'm pretty certain that you will get out of this boredom eventually even though you might not be able to see it right now.

In the meantime you could try the strategy that the above poster (Destidude) mentioned. Sounds like a good idea. Also please see your doctor, just in case.

Yes - I recognise this as likely to be depression too. I have had several professional diagnosis of my own chronic depression, so believe I am familiar enough with the condition to make a credible observation.

It is a much maligned and undermined condition with social stigma. However, it is in fact very real and very significant. It can even be dangerous, driving many sufferers to suicide, which can sometimes be spontaneous and not necessarily pre-meditated. (This may be the worst case scenario, but at the very least it is a quality of life issue, with sufferers basically being absolutely miserable).

So yes it's worth considering an assessment, if only to understand your current state of mind, depressed or otherwise.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_depressive_disorder

I have had times where activities that I thought defined me became mundane, and losing interest was scary because of it. In my case, I tried a few new things that I felt comfortable doing, and eventually I lost interest in the new things and found comfort in the old and familiar. Of course, I agree with the others that a depression diagnosis is step #1. I also get how steep that step actually is.

I agree, there is a difference between being in a rut and actual clinical depression, and only a doctor can diagnose the latter.

CapriciousAgent makes a good point about how to get out of the former. if it is just a rut, NTs have them all the time, too, in that they just go to work, get home, eat, sleep, and then rinse and repeat at the joke goes.

Trying new things is a very good thing if it is just a rut.I find helping others rewarding, too. While I don't know where on the spectrum you are - it's a lot easier for me - volunteering at my church is always fun because I know I am helping others - and serving the Lord of course. (You can always visit http://lonelinessandgod.com/ - I do online missions work with these people). There are soup kitchens, Salvation Army things, and other places, too, where you can keep telling yourself you are helping others.

Writing and reading are also fun. have you ever tried NaNoWriMo? It's the National Novel Writing Month, where you challenge yourself to write a novel in one month; 50,000 words. Of coruse, again, I find it easier to put thoughts to paper than some might. You can go to www.nanowrimo.org and start to look into it. You can even get it published online at a place like lulu.com

Or, there are specific places you can "publish" certain thigns online. For history lovers, for instance, some people have created incredibly detailed alternates based ona single Point of Departure at www.alternatehistory.com.

However, while I have felt a rut before, I have never felt clinically depressed that I know of, and it was easy to snap out of that rut within a week if not less.

Last edited by BigSnoopy126 on 14 Jun 2013, 8:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I'm in the same situation. The things that used to fascinate me and keep me alive are now boring. It could be depression or it could be that I am in-between special interests. Or both.

I too feel that I'm bored with what the world has to offer. Seen what it's like, got the principle, now it's just repetition of the same. I think maybe trying to figure myself out all my life till my late forties made me addicted to always having a huge goal, and the thrill of discovering new things all the time because I was searching for myself. Now that I've figured myself out and know why I am different and how, any other activity is not as thrilling. Coupled with the fact that meaningful human relationships is not in the cards for me with my autistic limitations, makes me feel there's not much else to discover or do in this world.

I was lucky enough to stumble upon a reason to exist 3 years ago by chance. I was introduced to a group of stray cats and asked to care for them. What started as a favor to someone became my all. I've adopted 3 of them into my home and have another 10 in the public garden downstairs. All spoiled rotten.

You're lucking, I'm Athsmatic as well and allergic to cats. (Love em' but can't be near them)