I’ll sound like an old man but…Go outside!
Steam and YouTube are good sources of entertainment but use them in moderation. Because they’re fleeting and ultimately unfulfilling. There are hundreds of other ways to spend your time.
This isn’t meant to be a criticism of your post, but as someone who fades in and out of this situation I want to say: “go outside” is not overly helpful advice for people in this situation. I’ve tried going outside but without a goal to fulfill or any idea of how “normal people” have fun, it’s a struggle to make it feel any less empty than being at home. Obviously it’s not your job to write a book-length guide on how to live a fulfilling life though, so carry on.
Right? “Go outside!” AND THEN DO WHAT, MOTHERFUCKER? Just be depressed outside??
People have this weird idea that because they like being outside, that it must be some sort of cure-all for depression. They also seem to think that being sad is the same as depression.
Set yourself a goal for some place to walk, could be a park, a lake, a gas station, doesn’t matter. The most important thing is that it takes you a reasonable amount of time to get there and back again (preferably at least an hour). You can listen to music or a podcast or an audiobook while you walk if you want to.
The point is that your body responds positively to a lot of different stimuli:
- moving
- open spaces
- natural light
- green things
Among others. You don’t have to do “anything specific” in order to get those stimuli and get your endorphins flowing. Once that happens, people typically start feeling happier, and get more of a desire to do other things, making it easier to do more cool things.
I’ve learned to at very least I can go outside and just be in the sunlight for a while every day. For me personally it often involves messing around in my garden for a few minutes or going for a walk. If you aren’t able to do that mentally or physically then just sit outside on your porch or something and just be there observing the world. None of this stuff is a cure all but this is such a minimal thing that anyone can do and for some reason I feel a little bit better that day.
Create something. If you like games, learn to program and create them. Start with something small and easy like a basic platformer in Game Maker Studio. When you only consume and create nothing, you actually create depression.
But that’s the problem. You can’t. You physically don’t have enough energy and motivation to do anything. Everything is boring and when you force yourself to do something, it’s shit. The problem is that you can’t enjoy anything and just feel shit and bored all the time.
This used to be me until I got diagnosed with ADD. Medication pretty much solved the issue completely.
It’s hard but it can be done. It took me two years to make a shitty Mario clone with one level, but I did it. Ever since I started, I noticed that I don’t think about killing myself as often.
Lol, dude’s not able to find the strength to play, you tell him to learn to program
Easier said than done, or “My goodness, what an idea! Why didn’t I think of that? Just create something.”
Particularly with learning curve (and needing to assess things) while lacking creativity(/ideas), motivation, energy, good status etc.
That, and it’s easy for things beyond your control to change things. Destroying your interest in said creating (even if you’ve made something complete), turn it into lurking (waiting for someone else to make certain changes), or requiring finding a different avenue for creation.
Huh. Maybe I have depression.
Might also be undiagnosed ADD/ADHD, which in general is a lot easier to treat than pure depression.
It depends on your struggles. In my case, medication is not enough to deal with executive dysfunction, and that’s why I’m waiting for therapy.
then be exhausted at 7pm
Fall asleep at 4am
Productive day
Only idiots open chrome and write “google.com” in the address bar