Help Numbing Boredom and Apathy

[Fulminare]

I'm wondering if anyone else is struggling with extreme boredom or more like the state of feeling absolutely nothing. If so, how do you cope with it?

I told my therapist about this but she was unsure of what to say. She says I already have such a packed schedule, boredom shouldn't be a thing for me. But it is. It's a deep state of apathy and not finding joy in anything I do.
I am sick of abusing substances and doing risky activities just to feel something.

The only thing that helped me was to go shooting, but I'm from Europe and the shooting range is super expensive around here. I can't be the only one who faces the same issue.
Please do tell me about what helps you!

 

[Rainy_days]

I like learning about things because it's something you never finish. There's always more to learn. Doesn't always work but it's cheap and available anyway.

 

[lionetta12]

I'm wondering if anyone else is struggling with extreme boredom or more like the state of feeling absolutely nothing. If so, how do you cope with it?

I told my therapist about this but she was unsure of what to say. She says I already have such a packed schedule, boredom shouldn't be a thing for me. But it is. It's a deep state of apathy and not finding joy in anything I do.
I am sick of abusing substances and doing risky activities just to feel something.

The only thing that helped me was to go shooting, but I'm from Europe and the shooting range is super expensive around here. I can't be the only one who faces the same issue.
Please do tell me about what helps you!

I've pretty much tried everythimg I can to combat this and to find a solution, but I haven't yet. Life is just very boring to me and I guess this is it how it always will be for me. My therapists told me to get used to it because it seems like nothing will cure it.

 

[oneeyed]

I have this too but it's more of what you said about not finding joy in anything. Sometimes I do feel some with certain activities but it's very very short lived then of course if you're not able to take joy in anything, your mind will wander and you get bored. Not really much of a remedy other than try new things to see if it triggers a passion and develop it from there. Much easier said than done. Start by writing out what activities you "enjoy". Maybe there's a common trait between those.
If you're on antidepressants/anxiety meds, this may also be what's contributing to your lack of feeling.

 

[Regen]

You say your therapist, that you feel always boredom (= inside) and the answer is the look to your schedule (= outside)? Sounds, that your therapist doesnt understand your problem.

I often feel bored. In the past I often feel nothing. That was one of the reasons for my self harm. So I understand your thing with substances and activities. I think, feeling boredom can have many reasons. For example feeling no joy / anhedonie. Less real love as a child / the feeling of had missed something important as a child. No contact with my inner child / my true me. Living not my own life. Having no good friendships in my allday life. For some people the problem may be that they had get always too much as a child, that can cause big problems too. My biggest problem is the anhedonie.

For me it sounds that you have a big schedule in the outside but less knowledge of the deep inner wishes. Maybe you can search the real wishes of your inner child. Maybe your inner child feels boredom because its unseen. But I dont know you, this is only an idea.

 

[Fulminare]

You say your therapist, that you feel always boredom (= inside) and the answer is the look to your schedule (= outside)? Sounds, that your therapist doesnt understand your problem.

Yes, that's what it felt like to me as well. She didn't quite understand what I meant. I also told her that I have issues with empathy but she said me being vegan doesn't point at empathy issues. One of the reasons why I discontinued my sessions with her.

For example feeling no joy / anhedonie. Less real love as a child / the feeling of had missed something important as a child. No contact with my inner child / my true me. Living not my own life. Having no good friendships in my allday life. For some people the problem may be that they had get always too much as a child, that can cause big problems too. My biggest problem is the anhedonie.

Anhedonie is exactly what I mean! My childhood is definitely the origin and it's probably also a lack of love from both of my parents. I didn't think it would connect to my feeling of apathy, but it does make sense.

I think what you're saying about one's inner child is key. Reconnecting with that, finding out what you wanted as a child and then implementing that into your life has helped me greatly throughout my life. But I've reached a point where that doesn't help anymore. I just seek out thrills (self harm, risky activities) and substances to cope with it. I cannot imagine continuing living like this.

 

[Regen]

Yes, I understand your feeling of not being able to move forward with your inner child.

For me it also feels like I'm at the end there. My therapist is good and kind and committed, she laughs at me and thinks there is still a lot of potential, things I haven't seriously tried yet. But I am not sure if that is true.

I think I might have been brought up with anhedonia. Whenever I was happy about something I was told: but watch out.... but be careful... But I can't do that... But it's too expensive... But how does the other person feel about it...? But what do people think... But you can't earn money with it... But you don't do that... But only if the grades in school are good.... I think at some point I just got out of the habit of being happy. That's probably where my lethargy comes from, the feeling it's pointless to do this or that anyway.

I was also a sensitive, creative, dreamy kid. But my mother could not perceive that, because she herself is not highly sensitive. I think my mother lived a lot for the outside and forgot the inside of me.

Where do you think your anhedonia comes from?

In any case, I can understand that you don't know what to do at the moment and then slip back into destructive things in order to at least feel something..... For me it often doesnt work anymore. Or I think if I really want the things and feelings I feel after I do something destruktive. Most time this works. But sometimes I slip to other toxic things... I dont know. Its not easy.

 

[FrozenMango]

I'm also super bored despite being busy. I can't think of one way to find joy, happiness, and entertainment. I wake up, do errands and chores, and come back home. My life is meaningless

 

[Csmith8827]

I know what you're saying. I drink all day to escape the situation I'm in. I also understand what you're saying about doing destructive things to feel something. I am absolutely notorious about doing that when all i really want is to not feel bored or feel like I'm doing nothing with my life...like I'm not living but I want to live type a thing. I'm probably in a different situation than you in that I'm not really financially capable of living a "real life" (I'm homeless, on the streets, pan-handle, etc...) but like just TRY SOMETHING...HONESTLY. Like i have an electric guitar on layaway at guitar center at the moment but the real problem is I don't have a place to play it. I'm working on that too (I'm supposed to buy a van and renovate it...instagram or twitter #vanlife, #vanconversion and you'll see what I'm saying.) I feel like once my finances are in order I'll be able to live a real life financially...but it's a challenge to make that happen at the moment. Up until this moment I'd just view porn and have illicit sex to cover up or band-aid the problem but I don't thats a real answer or positive at all...good luck!