• just4myeyes said on Mar 25, 2007....

  interesting what you've written.

  I wonder if boredom or apathy is just one possible symptom of depression?  So a depressed person might experience a type of 'can't be bothered-ness' as a result of their system being in a state of depression.  I think psychosis is something way different again.

  Dunno... i don't really have the answers to what your pondering.

  Just4

• LadyGamer said on Mar 26, 2007....

  I think that true depression is NOT boredom, but I also think it is more rare than the medical field would have us believe.
  Your theory has some merit. Those who are not Truely clinically depressed probably ARE bored. In our world of instant gratification, once you have what you want, what else is there?

• beyondtheveil said on Mar 26, 2007....

  biglove- ladygamer has a good point as you do. Depression has become something of a catchword describing someone who is "down" or perhaps worried. I don't know what the estimates are for depression, but a good number have it. This I do know, if you ever get a serious case, you'll have an excellent idea of what the problem might be.

• AlisonMarie19 said on Mar 26, 2007....

  "Losing interest in your favorite activities" is one hallmark of depression. Now, there is a laundry list of symptoms, and you have to have most of them for a week or more to be diagnosed as depressed. So in your case, I think that boredom is much more likely than depression.
   
  As someone suffering from clinical depression, I know that the symptoms go far deeper than just being bored. Feeling 'blue' isn't what I would call depression. Depression, the way I see it, is a deep seated, unbearable feeling of sadness. It's heavy. It hurts. It's almost tangible. If I feel down, like you said, I like to shop.. it makes me feel better. But if I'm depressed: really, truely, not-on-my-meds depressed, life is unbearable. NOTHING makes me feel better. EVERYTHING sucks. Everything hurts, and I don't want to do a damn thing. I want to sleep. Period. That's not being bored.
   
  LG- I agree with you that depression is a popular diagnosis lately. If a housewife is having a string of bad days, she's depressed. If a man in mid-life is having issues, he's depressed. Sometimes I think people research the symptoms and fake it to get drugs. Usually, for most people, depression is transient. Life throws some shitty curveball and one gets depressed. After treatment, things are ok, and life goes on.
   
  Clinical depression is a serious illness, like diabetes. It's not for attention, it's not 'being blue', it's not dealing with crap. It's an ongoing disease that needs to be treated. These realizations came to me after over 10 years of fighting it. I thought it was "all in my head". I thought, "I'm too strong to be taken over by my feelings" and "I can fight this on my own." I had to grow up and grow some balls and say, "No, this just isn't right. I don't feel right." Then accept the fact that my brain chemistry is f'ed up and I have to take meds to right them. It sucks, but it's no different than a diabetic taking insulin. And if someone wants to judge me for it, they can kiss my ass. I'm not ashamed of it. And most of the time, the great majority of the time, I am a fun person to be around. I have a killer sense of humor and I love to have fun.
   
  Anyway, that's my take. :)
                                                         ^-^ ali m.

• Chudditch said on Mar 26, 2007....

  Quote: As someone suffering from clinical depression, I know that the symptoms go far deeper than just being bored. Feeling 'blue' isn't what I would call depression. Depression, the way I see it, is a deep seated, unbearable feeling of sadness. It's heavy. It hurts. It's almost tangible. If I feel down, like you said, I like to shop.. it makes me feel better. But if I'm depressed: really, truely, not-on-my-meds depressed, life is unbearable. NOTHING makes me feel better. EVERYTHING sucks. Everything hurts, and I don't want to do a damn thing. I want to sleep. Period. That's not being bored..
  
  Alison Marie, I couldn't have said it better so I wont attempt to, brilliant post.
  

• anonymous said on Mar 26, 2007....

  Thanks. :)  I plan on writing more about it on my own blog.
                   
                                     ^-^ ali m.

• Tappa said on Mar 26, 2007....

  Depression means I cannot move to take positive action - even when I Know it's what's needed! Makes me feel Useless (which feed th' black troll of depressions)
  For me, it means that I cannot emotionally respond to people/events the way I used to be able to.  
  I cannot do anything but worry or weep; I have to keep a list of household routines to remind me to do the most basic of housekeeping - otherwise I'd just vedge out all day!
   

• minniemouse said on Mar 26, 2007....

  AllisonMarie19...you took the words right out of my mouth!  Its like a heaviness you can't lift, your only escape is to sleep....the only time you don't feel it.  Deep down you know your feelings are irrational, but you can't seem to kick yourself in the ass.  Like you, I tried for years and years, to kick my own ass (interesting visual!!  lol) and resisited help, meds and doctors because "those things are for weak people and I can kick this myself!  Dammit!".  I truely think the people who resist gettin treatment the most are the ones most truely depressed, not the ones who run to a doctor for meds because they are a little sad.  I could be wrong.  But I am glad my husband finally made me get treatment.  I can't even explain the night and day difference in how I feel once my "brain worked right"  For those truely depressed, it is chemical, and not boredom, because I was the busiest depressed person ever! 

• AlisonMarie19 said on Mar 27, 2007....

  Minnie- I'm glad that you got help. It really does make a world of difference. :) ^-^ ali m.

• fatesblade said on Mar 31, 2007....

  i'm bored to the point of depression bordering on psychosis. i think extreme boredom is caused by depression. i have a theory just some mental shit i need to get out. i think people in this country esp. are so depressed anymore bcuz life's not as hard as it used to be. we took almost all of the extreme labor outta life. now we can live without having to spend every waking hour of the day making sure we have everything we need to make it thru the next day. now that we can actually stop and think about our lives on earth we realize it's really kinda boring. and that's definitely depressing.

• thunderstorm said on Sep 19, 2007....

  WHAT?!!! Boredom in no way is a symptom of depression. but yet a culprit. lets not put the carriage in front of the horse. boredom is generally the enemy to the depression types that cycle on and off, and is only a gatekeeper to the hell of depression. some go from happy to depressed without boredom. all depends on the type and severety. some types hardly cycle and therefore boredom would only be a divine state if an alternative. does boredom make you emotional? or does being emotional make you bored? hmmm thunderstorm

• ExtremelyBored said on Dec 04, 2007....

  I'm less concerned with trying to put a label on something than I am with finding a solution. I found this page today by googling for "extreme bordem". I pulled that term out of the air today to describe the cycle I continually get in with either my marriage my job or both. Could it be a "clinical" issue to say that a repeated extreme bordem is routinely impacting my life in a negative way ... yes. Do I think I need drugs ... no. But how DO I deal with this repeating issue. Arrgghhhh!!!

• GirlDreaming7 said on Dec 06, 2007....

  I think depression has a lot to do with simply being numb to the world. Worried about the fact that you don't care. It's very selfish and the more you realize this, the more you feel depressed, because you have no desire to actively change it. And I think boredom can elevate feelings of depression, because you have more time to dwell on the fact that nothing excites you anymore.

• biglove said on Dec 08, 2007....

  extremely bored ~ welcome to my blog! It could be "clinical"...or maybe it is lifestyle or choices. I wrote this blog at a time when I didn't really feel sad, however, nothing really interested me...I'd be there, done that. I think there is a good debate for both boredom and depression. I just wrote a blog about my recent experience with my bipolar condition...I don't know if it would help you, but it might shed some light.

  girldreaming7 ~ welcome to my blog! That is a good argument and that is one of the reasons I originally wrote this piece....it gets you thinking...."am I bored or am I depressed?" "Is depression really just boredom or am I bored because I'm depressed?" Unfortunately, I don't have the answers to this question, but I loved analyzing it. Thanks for your comments. 

• MikeDoe said on Jan 10, 2008....

  I also have been thinking about boredom and depression and if they are related. I have actually done a lot of thinking about it and here are my thoughts: 1. In the past, man has had to work very hard to survive. Not just at a job, but physical labor. This included farming, building and even just walking or riding a horse where to get from one place to another. This filled the day and made one tired enough to sleep at night. Before the invention of the light bulb which is pretty recent in the evolution of man, one could not really work at night. So, we either slept or socialized. Socializing is supposed a great way not to be depressed. This also made one's leisure time very precious and something to look forward to. 2. It seems that the more industrialized societies have more people depressed. Is that just because we have more time to whine and seek therapy and meds? Maybe. But it could be that we have to much time on our hands to think depressing thoughts. Life is too easy, me thinks. 3. Money does not equal hapiness. If it did, all of the third world would have committed suicide. There are very happy poor people in other countries. Maybe also in this country but not here because not having money means you are less of a person. 4. My reading (and experiencing depression for many years) has lead me to believe that boredom and depression are on the same wheel. "I am depressed. I am thinking sad thoughts. If I had something to do to take my mind of it I would be happier. I need to get a hobby, an interest, excercise. Nah, I'm too depressed." Thoughts?

• Vegged'out said on Sep 01, 2008....

  Hey, I was thinking the same thing while analyzing what the hell is currently going on with me, hence how I found this site. Am I really depressed – experiencing most of the 'symptoms' which get worse daily– or is this just extreme boredom? I was recently involved in a very exciting, very short relationship which has just ended. I have to admit, I was depressed before I got involved with the guy (who also happened to be depressed), and was depressed the whole time I was involved with him. I am even more depressed now that it is over. I don't think depression is boredom, as I was depressed even while I was being entertained. Rather boredom is a symptom of depression... 'loss of interest'... and in turn, depression gives you space to realise that you are bored 'have lost your interest'. In saying that, if I woke up one day and found that I no longer had the ability to enjoy the things I once loved ie I became BORED of them, then that would truely make me depressed. Yes, I think depression and boredom are separate phenomena, however, they are closely associated as they appear during similar/the same periods of mental hardship.

• usernameundefined said on Nov 03, 2008....

  I think its a cycle. One symptom (seen in publication) of depression is boredom, but at the same time being bored when not clinically depressed can lead one to ponder depressing things. I know that at least for me, this is the case. When I am bored my mind has to find something to work on, so it thinks about the past and family issues and that depresses me. Then the depression kills my desire to do anything but mope which leads to more depression. I have found that for me the cure is the simplest, yet at times hardest thing - get up and do what I need to do. Go to class, study, work on my research, or go jump in the pool. Simple and seemingly stupid, but effective. So I guess I better get to studying before I wind myself down into the gutter again.

• BetterStream said on Apr 26, 2009....

  I was depressed to the point of near death for the past year until today. I realized why, because I'm trying to live life like it isn't a prison. Life is a prison. I should be trying to break out of it. When we become trusting in society, the more passion you have the more depressed you are, because the hopelessness is that much greater because you want to do that much more but can't because of the social prison barricaded by Walmarts and the guards at the door are the real FBI. Get off your pharmaceuticals, smokes some herb to transition out, drop out of school, and join the BetterStream and don't even say goodbye to the mainstream. Just pretend its not there, that's how you join the BetterStream. I hope I could inspire one person. If not, I'll try again harder.

• fatpat said on Sep 24, 2009....

  biglove I have the same thoughts. "Faith can move mountains". But I have no faith in anything, so it seems I can't move a spec of dust from my floor! I wonder if nihilism and not believing in things is the root of boredom and depression.

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