Fighting Boredom thread: What did you try today?

[Blahblah]

Starting this thread because boredom, idleness, lack of stimulation is often a key trigger of depression and bad habits. When I get bored, I feel an emptiness, uselessness and physical/mental lethargy, cue ruminations, then I sleep excessively. This isn't always fatigue: It's an automatic (and very negative) avoidance behavior.

This link lists 150 ideas (from high effort to minimal effort - from "fun" to mundane) in order to build healthier habits. I need to stop waiting to "feel good" before taking any action. Any thoughts?

https://www.developgoodhabits.com/what-to-do-bored/

Today, I:

Journaled, Cleaned my desktop, Backed up computer, unsubscribed to some junk email, Did some stretching, called a relative, dealt with an admin issue, read some blogs about depression, provided some words of support/appreciation for someone.

Edited January 15, 2020 by Blahblah

[Gearhead]

Good idea for a thread.

Today I went out to lunch with my husband. We had Indian food, which is my favorite international cuisine. While we were there, I realized that the ambient music was a sitar player covering such classics as “Desparado” and CCR’s “Who’ll Stop the Rain?” It was a moment of transcendent surrealism. I was entranced. 

[Unstrung Harp]

44 minutes ago, Gearhead said:

Good idea for a thread.

Today I went out to lunch with my husband. We had Indian food, which is my favorite international cuisine. While we were there, I realized that the ambient music was a sitar player covering such classics as “Desparado” and CCR’s “Who’ll Stop the Rain?” It was a moment of transcendent surrealism. I was entranced. 

I was really flummoxed a few months ago at a Mexican restaurant to hear a swing version of Walk on the Wild Side.

Today I drove my kids to school, did a bunch of meditating, went to a medical appointment, and picked up my son.

Edited January 17, 2020 by Unstrung Harp

[psychwardjesus]

After work, I finally packed up my old, damaged android phone and took it to the post office to mail back to the third party insurance people. 

Also got an oil change that I definitely needed. 

Felt pretty proud of myself since I was tired and had zero motivation. Usually do something to avoid/sabotage. 

[mikl_pls]

Today, I took my friend to a neighboring city where his pharmacy is to get his meds and paid for a flu shot for him.

I also managed to find my nebulizer asthma medicine (for some reason I put all the boxes in the back of one of the drawers in my chest of drawers), used it, and coughed up a ton of phlegm! It was strangely satisfying... yet disgusting... lol 

[Blahblah]

Emailed psychiatrist with update on my symptoms (I hate to be a bother), listened to some Binaural Beats (after 90 minutes of mindless FB scrolling), called to deal with my Mac issues (been procrastinating badly). Though those were not really "fun" things, the music was somewhat enjoyable and I also held 2 minutes of "planks" yesterday (and my abs can feel it, yikes I'm out of shape!!)

[Blahblah]

9 hours ago, Unstrung Harp said:

I was really flummoxed a few months ago at a Mexican restaurant to hear a swing version of Walk on the Wild Side.

So random. What's with all these mellowed-out/cover versions of past rock songs? Guess I'm getting old, but I still like my rock music at least! Before long we'll be hearing instrumental elevator music versions of Bowie or Nirvana (actually those probably already exist... 😝)

[sugarsugar]

I watched “fruity fruits” YouTube videos on my favorite channel. She explained different unusual fruits, how to eat them, and tasted them. Ok I know this would be considered boring by some, but I love her videos on various topics. 

[Blahblah]

Got a haircut (and chatted a lot with stylist & receptionist), bought much needed hard drive for computer (hate doing tech crap), watched a documentary about rescue dogs that was really heartwarming.

[Juniper29]

I've been crocheting a lot. Checked out a new book and bought a couple others at the library bookstore, so I have lots of interesting reading material if I can make myself focus enough to read.

[Fluent In Silence]

Ennui might be a better word because it's French and makes me sound more intelligent than I am. But it does capture it better than mere boredom. It's not mere boredom though and it is an emptiness, pointlessness, uselessness. You can get so stuck in your own head that you don't see what's in front of you - "Oh is that volcano erupting? I was too busy thinking about the futility of life." It's difficult to break out of the desire to do nothing and avoid everyone, but that just leads you further up the anus hole of depression.

Doing something new and challenging yourself is probably the best way. It might not be anything spectacular like doing a parachute jump or jumping a motorcycle through burning rings. Maybe the volcano was a bad example, we can shrink our world down to something we can manage, and that can cut out the good bits and make life boring. Or am I talking about two different things? Ah it's all fucking depression at the end of the day.

[Cerberus]

8 minutes ago, Fluent In Silence said:

but that just leads you further up the anus hole of depression.

What an unusual perspective. I have always found myself headed downward into the anus hole of depression. Perhaps you are having a moment of unexpected optimism?

[Fluent In Silence]

13 minutes ago, Cerberus said:

What an unusual perspective. I have always found myself headed downward into the anus hole of depression. Perhaps you are having a moment of unexpected optimism?

Downward would be out, unless the anus hole of depression was doing a handstand, and I wouldn't be surprised if it did that because it's an arsehole.

[chem]

I tried a new ice cream place today. The ice cream shake I had was soooo good. Creamy, rich, well flavored, and mixed perfectly with cookie crumbs. Yummmmm

[Blahblah]

10 hours ago, Fluent In Silence said:

Ennui might be a better word because it's French and makes me sound more intelligent than I am. But it does capture it better than mere boredom. It's not mere boredom though and it is an emptiness, pointlessness, uselessness. You can get so stuck in your own head that you don't see what's in front of you - "Oh is that volcano erupting? I was too busy thinking about the futility of life." It's difficult to break out of the desire to do nothing and avoid everyone, but that just leads you further up the anus hole of depression.

Doing something new and challenging yourself is probably the best way. It might not be anything spectacular like doing a parachute jump or jumping a motorcycle through burning rings. Maybe the volcano was a bad example, we can shrink our world down to something we can manage, and that can cut out the good bits and make life boring. Or am I talking about two different things? Ah it's all fucking depression at the end of the day.

Too funny. Yes, I suppose Ennui would be a better word. But let me delude myself and call it simple boredom, sounds less of a mountain to climb (or anus hole of depression to avoid) 😜

[sming]

On 1/15/2020 at 10:09 AM, Blahblah said:

Starting this thread because boredom, idleness, lack of stimulation is often a key trigger of depression and bad habits. When I get bored, I feel an emptiness, uselessness and physical/mental lethargy, cue ruminations, then I sleep excessively. This isn't always fatigue: It's an automatic (and very negative) avoidance behavior.

This link lists 150 ideas (from high effort to minimal effort - from "fun" to mundane) in order to build healthier habits. I need to stop waiting to "feel good" before taking any action. Any thoughts?

https://www.developgoodhabits.com/what-to-do-bored/

Today, I:

Journaled, Cleaned my desktop, Backed up computer, unsubscribed to some junk email, Did some stretching, called a relative, dealt with an admin issue, read some blogs about depression, provided some words of support/appreciation for someone.

My OCD prevents me from reading loads of comments so I don't know if this has been suggested before but you know that the whole "action before feeling like action" is covered big-time in the "Feeling Good" (David Burns) book? I fucking hate that book. I naively followed all the exercises, expecting change and... nothing. 

To my knowledge, the prick who wrote it has never encountered someone with either TRD or anhedonia. He's such a condescending wanker. To be fair, I'm sure a huge chunk of non-TR folks he sees are "miraculously" transformed by these CBT techniques and he has to instill optimism but please, it's like us anhedonic folk literally don't exist.

Edited January 19, 2020 by sming
named the FG author

[Blahblah]

12 hours ago, sming said:

My OCD prevents me from reading loads of comments so I don't know if this has been suggested before but you know that the whole "action before feeling like action" is covered big-time in the "Feeling Good" (David Burns) book? I fucking hate that book. I naively followed all the exercises, expecting change and... nothing. 

To my knowledge, the prick who wrote it has never encountered someone with either TRD or anhedonia. He's such a condescending wanker. To be fair, I'm sure a huge chunk of non-TR folks he sees are "miraculously" transformed by these CBT techniques and he has to instill optimism but please, it's like us anhedonic folk literally don't exist.

Oh God - I know that book well. My first pdoc recommended it. I hate CBT also. I keep trying to take action, because I keep feeling like it's my damn fault or plain laziness. No one ever takes anhedonia seriously and I'm constantly questioning whether I have some sort of TRD or if I'm just f&cking lazy, or my brain is just destroyed and royally screwed (to the point of no return) after 2 decades of powerful psych meds.

[BouncingBiscuit]

Was feeling bored/off so I did some google searches and came across this forum 😛

Typically though I end up playing a game or just reading books. But that really doesn't help with the boredom as much as it seems to distract me away from it.

[mcjimjam]

I took my dog to the groomer, had a visit from mum, played video games and went for a walk.

[Blahblah]

Watched hours of the impeachment trial (am I insane? maybe....) My boredom shifted towards, well, something else that's for sure. Just wow. History in the making and fear around what's next.

Edited January 22, 2020 by Blahblah

[Melancholya]

I baked muffins. 

[sming]

On 1/20/2020 at 5:46 AM, Blahblah said:

Oh God - I know that book well. My first pdoc recommended it. I hate CBT also. I keep trying to take action, because I keep feeling like it's my damn fault or plain laziness. No one ever takes anhedonia seriously and I'm constantly questioning whether I have some sort of TRD or if I'm just f&cking lazy, or my brain is just destroyed and royally screwed (to the point of no return) after 2 decades of powerful psych meds.

That's me right there. My brain is irretrievably busted. By which means, I do not know but ultimately it doesn't matter - the fact is is that it's fooked.

[marysmith2020]

I moved my betta fish back to their original, larger tanks and can tell they feel much better rather than when they were in the 10 gallon tanks.

[Juniper29]

I'm knitting a lace shawl.

[Unstrung Harp]

I got a long-overdue haircut and color.

ETA: I was able to complete some revising action items this evening (after three cups of tea and two cups of coffee, which is screwy).

Edited January 24, 2020 by Unstrung Harp

[aquarian]

On 1/16/2020 at 8:34 PM, Unstrung Harp said:

I was really flummoxed a few months ago at a Mexican restaurant to hear a swing version of Walk on the Wild Side.

Today I drove my kids to school, did a bunch of meditating, went to a medical appointment, and picked up my son.

 

On 1/16/2020 at 7:50 PM, Gearhead said:

Good idea for a thread.

Today I went out to lunch with my husband. We had Indian food, which is my favorite international cuisine. While we were there, I realized that the ambient music was a sitar player covering such classics as “Desparado” and CCR’s “Who’ll Stop the Rain?” It was a moment of transcendent surrealism. I was entranced. 

I was at the Olive Garden for a late lunch this week (please no judgement regarding my choice of restaurant) and in the midst of all this Frank Sinatra-y type background music with mostly typical Sinatra songs, I suddenly realize I'm listening to a cover of "Wonderwall" sung totally Frank Sinatra style. So that was weird.

But nothing tops the Chinese restaurant we used to go to that played the "Chariots of Fire" theme song on repeat pretty much every time we were there. The first time, it crept up on us slowly since it was background music, but once we realized it was there, it was unmistakable and could not be ignored. Over and over again with the crescendo-ing. Climax after climax. (Not a good thing in this case.)

Oh well, the food at that Chinese place eventually went downhill anyway. But yeah, forget waterboarding. Try "Chariots of Fire" on repeat.

[mcjimjam]

Walked my dog, browsed forums, listened to music and played video games.

[Gearhead]

I thought about making fried eggs. This sounds incredibly lame, but it took a dazzling amount of mental energy. Because toast, too? In the end I made instant potatoes.

I was up way too late.

[Blahblah]

Made a bunch of doctor appointments for next week.

[mcjimjam]

Walked my dog, visited my brother and had dinner at my grandma’s.