lost interest in all hobbies and entertainment

[brianmanahan]

If it doesn't, you should probably talk to your GP about it.

i haven't actually seen a GP for 20 years, so i don't have one anymore... i thought about getting one and going for a visit in the next couple months

 

[OverVolt]

Yea but I wouldn't take the sauce

People end up on that junk and labeling themselves for decades over what is really just a temporary problem.

 

[Xcobra]

What is your age and marital status?

You mean, "asl?"

Personally, going back to basics in terms of how I live worked. It makes you appreciate the little things and being thankful for what we have. Americans are so used to getting everything so conveniently and readily and so that probably desensitizes most people. Granted, I have my phone but I need to stay in contact with people. I quit my job and been traveling on funds I saved up working in public accounting for almost 7 years (ugh). I couldn't look back at all.
Find something that makes you feel thankful and happy you're where you are. Gym, getting out into the wilderness, picking a hobby. Find meetup groups. Do meditation. Tons of stuff you could try. Good luck!

 

[IEC]

i haven't actually seen a GP for 20 years, so i don't have one anymore... i thought about getting one and going for a visit in the next couple months

It will probably take you some time to get established with one, so call and set up a new patient appointment in a month or so. In the meantime try the things I suggested and see if that does it for you. If it doesn't, you'll have an appointment ready. If it helps, you will still be able to get a checkup at the doc's and have your blood drawn just to make sure nothing is out of whack. Preventative health care is usually covered/cheap under most health insurance because it costs a lot less to catch something early (e.g. during an annual wellness visit).

 

[brianmanahan]

Learn to play Piano. Also how old are you? You sound like an old geezer.

i actually play piano! i kind of forgot about that since i've done it for so long, it is one thing that i still find time to do. i've always wanted to learn guitar too since other people seem to like guitar way more than piano.

i'm mid 30's but i feel like i'm mid 60's. i think brain surgery and crappy meds might have something to do with it, but not sure. my memory of names and events is awful. if i didn't have pictures i'd probably forget most everything i've done in the past 10 years. it just seems like a blur, but maybe that is normal for adults?

 

[lxskllr]

i actually play piano! i kind of forgot about that since i've done it for so long, it is one thing that i still find time to do. i've always wanted to learn guitar too since other people seem to like guitar way more than piano.

i'm mid 30's but i feel like i'm mid 60's. i think brain surgery and crappy meds might have something to do with it, but not sure. my memory of names and events is awful. if i didn't have pictures i'd probably forget most everything i've done in the past 10 years. it just seems like a blur, but maybe that is normal for adults?

I remember stuff from when I was a kid better than more recent stuff, though there's some exceptions. Smell triggers memory and nostalgia more than anything for me.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Oh right you got brain surgery and are on meds, that may also be having an effect. I would mention it to a doctor for sure, maybe they can just switch up your meds and that may actually help on it's own. Some meds sometimes start to have bad side effects and need to be switched up with similar but different ones.

Though I think sometimes you just have to take the "just do it" approach. If there is something you want to do but never have motivation, set a day to do it, and mentally prepare yourself, like think "tomorrow I'm doing it". Once you do it you'll really feel accomplished. I think this is an issue a lot of people face due to social media and stuff like that. You get instant gratification (but very short lived) from those things and then you lack motivation to do things that may require a bit more effort. I'm guilty of it myself, I can sit at the computer for hours and actually not even accomplish anything, it's terrible. Some days I just say "ok I NEED to finish NNN TODAY!" And if I really set my mind to do it I will, then I feel accomplished.

Though I find physical tasks are easier than computer related tasks, because with computer related tasks it turns into "ok now that I wrote that function let's check forums real quick...". But with a physical task, I'm away from the computer. The other day for example I installed a wired doorbell, I had been procrastinating that for so long, and I know halloween is coming and that's when it gets the most mileage. So I finally did it, and as silly as something like a doorbell is, I feel accomplished that I have a proper working one now, and the button even lights up!

Diet is probably a big factor too, something I've been trying to fix myself, but it's hard, I never know what to make, I suck at cooking, and also hate cooking. So I have bad tendency of eating prepackaged foods and take out.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

I'm fairly sure that ATOT isn't allowed to have productive conversations on personal well-being. Better get a mod in here and close this real quick before something good happens.

 

[JM Aggie08]

Might be worth having a chat with your doctor. I suppose it's somewhat common to have interests come and go, but if it's a prolonged feeling, it may be worth having a chat with your GP.

If you don't have a dog, I would recommend one. That will at least give you a routine, and let's be honest, dogs make the world brighter

 

[purbeast0]

Might be worth having a chat with your doctor. I suppose it's somewhat common to have interests come and go, but if it's a prolonged feeling, it may be worth having a chat with your GP.

If you don't have a dog, I would recommend one. That will at least give you a routine, and let's be honest, dogs make the world brighter

And they make your house a lot dirtier.

 

[ponyo]

And they make your house a lot dirtier.

But you get far more in return. It's a good trade.

Your kid makes your house a lot dirtier too. You should get rid of your kid so you can have cleaner house.

 

[Cappuccino]

i actually play piano! i kind of forgot about that since i've done it for so long, it is one thing that i still find time to do. i've always wanted to learn guitar too since other people seem to like guitar way more than piano.

i'm mid 30's but i feel like i'm mid 60's. i think brain surgery and crappy meds might have something to do with it, but not sure. my memory of names and events is awful. if i didn't have pictures i'd probably forget most everything i've done in the past 10 years. it just seems like a blur, but maybe that is normal for adults?

The piano is way better than Guitar. Are you singing with the Guitar? Are you finger picking? The guitar is only good if you sing and play imo. Guitar is crap and I am biased because I play Piano lol. Maybe try out Violin? If you can read sheet music then picking up the vio is really an ahead start already because sheet music is literally the same. Very satisfying instrument to learn.

Wow brain surgery? no wonder you dont cap your words!!!! JOKES!
Happy you are fully recovered! That is all that matters!

 

[NesuD]

But you get far more in return. It's a good trade.

Your kid makes your house a lot dirtier too. You should get rid of your kid so you can have cleaner house.

No more Dog or Kids or Wife and for the first time in my life my house is always clean. Who'd a thunk!

 

[BurnItDwn]

My brother plays all the instruments. He started on guitar when he was like like 7.
If you can already play piano, then your brain should already have lots of the "music" pathways up and running. you may be able to learn additional instruments without an infinite difficulty curve like when my brother tried to teach me guitar (which is supposed to be one of the easiest instruments to learn.)

Otherwise, yea, sounds like depression, which means you are in the same boat as a lot of folks.
You could Join some kind of hobby group or meetup group and go to the get togethers to find like minded people, maybe you will find womenfolk there too if interested.

 

[Cappuccino]

My brother plays all the instruments. He started on guitar when he was like like 7.
If you can already play piano, then your brain should already have lots of the "music" pathways up and running. you may be able to learn additional instruments without an infinite difficulty curve like when my brother tried to teach me guitar (which is supposed to be one of the easiest instruments to learn.)

Otherwise, yea, sounds like depression, which means you are in the same boat as a lot of folks.
You could Join some kind of hobby group or meetup group and go to the get togethers to find like minded people, maybe you will find womenfolk there too if interested.

I don’t think it’s depression, I think brainmanhan needs more sleep lol

What is music pathway lol. If you can read sheet music then picking up a new intrument should be straight forward. Also I think the triangle is the easiest intrument to learn haha

 

[whm1974]

I'm fairly sure that ATOT isn't allowed to have productive conversations on personal well-being. Better get a mod in here and close this real quick before something good happens.

I really hope you are just joking about this. I go to groups for my mental health and not only do I not mind passing along useful information I'm learning, I also want to help others if I can.

I would really be pissed at the Mods if they closed this.

 

[clamum]

Man... I could've pretty much wrote that OP cause I feel the same way, and have for the past several years. I battled alcoholism for several years until finally getting sober in 2013 but I feel like I've been in a slump since a little before then even. I think it's depression. I saw a therapist for a few years although I no longer do; just a psychiatrist once every 3 months for a certain medication now. I've tried a couple different anti-depressants with him and neither did anything noticeable for me and one had kind of an undesired side effect (made me feel weird sometimes, like almost "high" or out of it a bit) so I quit those.

Anyway, I feel ya bro. I think having a gf would really help get me out of it but being so f'ing shy and introverted doesn't make that easy. Oh well. I'll keep truckin on I guess.

 

[OverVolt]

Man... I could've pretty much wrote that OP cause I feel the same way, and have for the past several years. I battled alcoholism for several years until finally getting sober in 2013 but I feel like I've been in a slump since a little before then even. I think it's depression. I saw a therapist for a few years although I no longer do; just a psychiatrist once every 3 months for a certain medication now. I've tried a couple different anti-depressants with him and neither did anything noticeable for me and one had kind of an undesired side effect (made me feel weird sometimes, like almost "high" or out of it a bit) so I quit those.

Anyway, I feel ya bro. I think having a gf would really help get me out of it but being so f'ing shy and introverted doesn't make that easy. Oh well. I'll keep truckin on I guess.

Apparently the guys who take those like pickup artist classes, like 75% really just suffer from crippling anxiety talking to women, lol.

 

[Humpy]

brain surgery

Pics?

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Anyway, I feel ya bro. I think having a gf would really help get me out of it but being so f'ing shy and introverted doesn't make that easy. Oh well. I'll keep truckin on I guess.

Apparently the guys who take those like pickup artist classes, like 75% really just suffer from crippling anxiety talking to women, lol.

There is some good merit to those classes, it's really just a study of the female brain to a certain extent that teaches you to perform based on practice instead of instinct (to a certain extent).

Personally, I would just favor doing online dating. It simply eliminates all the bullshit games of dating - you know they are they for, and they know what you are there for. That online eases a lot of the tension of stupid mind games like "Does she like me? Would she want to go on a date with me?'

At that point, all you really have to do is stand out from the other chumps on online dating, which is pretty simple.

 

[BurnItDwn]

I don’t think it’s depression, I think brainmanhan needs more sleep lol

What is music pathway lol. If you can read sheet music then picking up a new intrument should be straight forward. Also I think the triangle is the easiest intrument to learn haha

Sleep likely would help. Maybe lack of sleep is causing depression. Or maybe stress is keeping awake at night. Or maybe lack of sleep is causing stress which makes it hard to sleep which causes depression.... Sorry, circular logic...

The thinking is that musical instruments are like languages. If you can speak piano & English, then you are like a bilingual person, you already know how to "thiink" in music. Thus, you likely will be more capable of picking up and learning new instruments and languages.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/07/170706113209.htm
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/09/science/new-ways-into-the-brains-music-room.html
http://jonlieffmd.com/blog/music-training-and-neuroplasticity

I had piano lessons when I was like 7 or 8 years old. I learned basic stuff like Twinkle Twinkle and Row your boat. I can't play anything. I did learn to read sheet music, but, never was fluent enough. Sort of like a kid first learning to read, having to sound out each and every word slowly one by one.

I suppose you could say that percussive instruments in general are "easier to play" than other types of instruments but, that would only be true for people who have rhythm

 

[who?]

This may explain things: https://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/220/testosterone

 

[clamum]

i actually play piano! i kind of forgot about that since i've done it for so long, it is one thing that i still find time to do. i've always wanted to learn guitar too since other people seem to like guitar way more than piano.

i'm mid 30's but i feel like i'm mid 60's. i think brain surgery and crappy meds might have something to do with it, but not sure. my memory of names and events is awful. if i didn't have pictures i'd probably forget most everything i've done in the past 10 years. it just seems like a blur, but maybe that is normal for adults?

My memory is pretty shit as well but I've always had a rather crummy memory, actually. I'm pretty sure I could get ADHD medication due to having (probably low-level) ADHD but I've never pursued it. I've just had to deal with a fleeting memory; making lists and writing things down helps a TON, I will say that. FYI I'm 34 years old.

 

[GobBluth]

in the past year i've pretty much given up on everything except sitting around reading the internet.

it's not that i can't do anything with my free time... i just don't feel like it. my body and mind don't seem to have the will to do any more than exist.

have a bike, hiking boots and golf clubs and used to do scores of rides, hikes and rounds in the summer, but did maybe 1 ride, a couple hikes and 9 holes this year.

got plenty of computer games and used to play them all the time, but haven't started any up in months.

last year i went on a couple big vacations and was psyched about going on a couple more this year, but instead i just spent vacation sleeping in and sitting around for a couple weeks.

dear ATOT, what should i do to kickstart my life? thanks.

That's a major sign of depression my friend. Maybe you should talk to someone and see why you lost interest in everything. There might be more to it then you even realize. Then again, you might have just gotten lazy.

 

[BudAshes]

I would recommend finding an art form. Pomes for instance.