I am starting to get bored of video games and other things in life, I don't know why

Ever since 3 weeks ago, I have been starting to get bored of video games and other things in my life. Like, the other day, I hung out with my friends, and it was not as fun as it was 6 months ago when we also hung out. I just dismissed It that day. But recently, I have been watching my favorite sports team in the NBA, and I do not get as much of a thrill out of it as I used to. It slowly started to descend, until yesterday, when my team hit a buzzer beater for the win, all I let out was a bit of a smile, and I did not have my usual reaction, which would be a lot more enthusiastic than what that was. I tried searching up what was happening to me and one thing that came up was Anhedonia, but I do not think this is as severe as that, because I still laugh super hard when one of my friends cracks a joke, or I see a funny meme. I do not know if this is some sort of phase, or a mental disorder, or if I am just seeing things in the wrong way. Maybe I am over playing my video games, or watching too much sports games that will make me uninterested in the future, but I do not think that that is what is my problem. Can someone please tell me what to do or what this may be? Thank you, that would help a lot.

Sounds like my depression cycle. Not a joke.

I wouldn't over-think it, it's natural that the more you do the same things the less enjoyable they become. I think it's easy these days (with easy access to everything) to just stick to what we know and get in a rut.

I've burnt out on many of the things I used to enjoy, some of them I can go back to after a break with renewed enjoyment, some I don't think I'll ever do again. Try taking up a new hobby or learning something new, variety is the spice of life and all that.

It's a hobby. It's okay to take time away from it.

Is your favorite NBA team the Pistons? I know they've sucked every ounce of joy from my life over the past month.

@kingbonesaw: That would just remind me of drafting Brandon Knight and passing up on Booker for Stanley Johnson. The disappointment is everywhere.

I’m not going to do you the disservice of pretending to know my ass from my elbow when it comes to depression and similar ailments. I just don’t. If you feel like you need to talk to a professional, just do it.

If you’re going to look at it less clinically, I’d say to get up to some junk that’s new and exciting. I never feel more alive then when I’m out backpacking JUST A LITTLE beyond my ability. It’s an adventure and it’s exhilarating. I only picked it up a few years back, but it’s super liberating and just makes you feel great.

Nothing makes me get this spiritual in-love-with-the-world feeling like the right club show. 500-5,000 people on an open floor, music you love, the sea of humanity, everyone being there for the same reasons (mostly). Just getting swept up in a sea of euphoria and energy...it’s like finding God.

I guess I’m saying get off the couch. I love my couch. I have multiple back injuries I’m recovering from, so sometimes I REALLY love my couch. But from what I’ve read, get out there.

Do something new. Something less passive. Learn an instrument. Start working out (I really enjoy listening to some music, hitting the treadmill, then moving onto some weights). Whatever it is, find something to find new parts of yourself through.

I also recently started getting full body massages (stripping down naked, laying down, and just having your body worked over for an hour). It’s the most amazingly relaxing thing in the right hands. I’m a meat and potatoes guy, so I never thought I’d be into it, but I just feel like a million bucks for days after a good massage.

On the other hand, I do feel a similar malaise when I spend too much time resting on the couch watching football, playing games, and watching movies. I bet you’re not alone there, at least at a very basic level.

It's hard to give any solid advice to someone who's basically a stranger. If I may ask, how old are you?

I still wouldn't over think it too much. Mix it up, get outside more, and feel comfortable taking a break. I've never regretted taking a break from games, social media, or the internet entirely.

If you are still concerned though, there's nothing wrong with talking to a professional who knows more about all that complicated brain stuff. Take care! :)

I go through cycles sometimes where I just don't really want to do anything. Including games. I don't want to say its normal, because I don't know you well enough to know that, but I do know that mine has been short (sometimes long) spells of depression that sort of just suck the fun out of everything I normally enjoy.

@boysef: Can you describe what this cycle is like?

@nutter: Thank you, this sounds like really good advice, and I will try it

@crazybagman: I am in my early teens

@nasher27: Have you ever gone and seen what it is? And how did you get rid of it?

If you're in your early teens - I'm assuming like 13 or 14 years old? - then this is almost definitely your mind and body telling you to get up and go do something else with yourself. I spent a lot of my teens ignoring this feeling and shouldn't have.

It's very likely not depression or anything worse. I'm not saying that it isn't, but look into some other interests to see if that improves your life. Learn to play an instrument, read a book that's totally outside of your wheelhouse, go play a sport you've never played before, go work out, learn how to draw and design stuff, get into woodworking, go volunteer somewhere, do some after school activities, learn about computers and programming - there are a million things you could do with your time. Your early teens is the best time to explore new interests and learn new things. You don't have a job or bills or a family or a living space to take care of, so take advantage of the time you have now.

And if a good effort into several different things leaves you feeling indifferent and unsatisfied with the world, then go seek some more qualified help.

@coolbob423465: No problems. Life is short but full of chances to do really amazing things. Find things that make you feel alive and do them.

Take care of yourself.

@coolbob423465: Nutter is spot on. These concepts are so simple, but they add up. Find versions of those things that fit you personally. I won't be backpacking anytime soon, but I can do some yoga. It costs zero money, takes maybe 30 mins, but it shifts perception just enough to bring a certain clarity to the present moment. I was looking at feng shui for reasons unknown and read that if I put some plants or some art in my space it improves the atmosphere. Consider doing an art, it doesn't matter what and it especially doesn't matter if you know what you're doing or not. The action itself is enough. If push comes to shove and you gotta go see a professional, then do that as well. All of these things are about bringing a focus inward to assure everything in and around you functions properly. That's my personal take, anyhow.

@coolbob423465: You change most as a person in your teens. Your interests will change and it's completely normal. Between the ages of 12 to 25 you'll likely gain and lose friends at a much higher rate than you ever felt possible. You change as a person your whole life just embrace the change and don't try to force enjoyment out of things. Between the ages of 16 to 23 I barely played any video games ad I simply had no interest in them anymore. As I've grown older my interest has come back. Things change and they aren't always permanent.

I remember as a kid I HATED music. Had no interest at all and adored Football/Soccer. Now as a 30 year old I listen to dozens of new albums a week and barely watch any sport at all.

If you don't have a history of depression and you're young, this is just your brain telling you to kick things into gear.

Join a new club at school or go to a meetup in your city and meet some new folks. Take up hiking or get outside and enjoy the world, either by yourself or with friends. As a young teen, your body is gonna be practically begging you to try new shit and this is exactly the time in your life to do that. It doesn't have to change your life, but the same thing every day gets boring and as a young person your brain just needs a lot more stimulation than it used to, or than it will when you're older.

@coolbob423465: You're either falling into a mild depression, or your current lifestyle is not fulfilling, or both.

This might not help for everyone, but when this happens to me, I take video games out of my life completely. Try to find another hobby for a while, spend more time with friends and family outside of the house, try to walk for 30 minutes a day, and try to focus on doing a really good job at whatever it is you do for a living. Once I feel better, I will play casual games for short bursts, but only as a reward after a productive day.

Again, some people will disagree, but video games really don't help with my mood. I enjoy them, but closing myself off in a room does nothing but increase my levels of anxiety. Video games will always be waiting for me, my life will not.

This is probably terrible advice, but it's my experience. The best advise anyone around here can give you is that you should see a doctor if you start feeling like your mood is seriously affected.

Everyone here pretty much nailed it on the head, I'll just add this...

If something ever feels like a timewaster, or rather something you do just to 'waste time' sooner or later it's going to get boring for you, which WILL lead to depression (if that's how you view all the activities in your life). It doesn't look like you have it now (I'm not a professional), so that's good. What sucks about being in the early teen years is that you can't travel freely, which limits a lot of potential, but not all is lost. I'm not gonna list a whole heap of recommendations as many people here already have done. So I'll end with this...

If the effort doesn't pay off in any meaningful way, we tend not to want to do it. As much as we love this hobby here on the site, games do require effort and time and the effort usually doesn't have any tangible benefits other than what we see on the screen. For some people, that's enough, for you that might not be. Do some good for others, their gratitude is worth more than experience points. Volunteer work is always there for teens. Exercise......andddd I'm starting to list off recommendations like I said I wouldn't. :P


TL;DR: Effort has to be worth the reward for most people. Imagine having that reward in hand and the effort will be worth it. Games sometimes don't have that benefit of a reward and as such, aren't always worth it.

ASD

Duder, you're going to experience a lot of swings in everything from mood, interests, emotional stability, beliefs, etc during this period of your life. Just focus on making yourself better than you were yesterday and don't sweat the changes too much.

That said, maybe give the memes a rest and go outside or do something with your hands. For two reasons: it's good for you, and the novelty will help you enjoy yourself a bit more and you might feel a bit better.

Ask your pops to take you fishing or shooting, as your mom to show you how to make her signature dish, yadda yadda. Gain new skills and explore your options. That is somwthing I really wish I had done at your age instead of ignoring the same feeling you have and just shuffling on through. Many yrars later that feeling developed into something very powerful that called to me, but it could have been much sooner than it was. And I would be a much better man had I pushed myself to explore more opportunities and skills as a kid. Think of it as a good excuse to try out something else.

Since you're still young I wouldn't jump to any conclusions about depression. Hormones can cause havoc with emotions in your early teens but talking it over with your GP could help ease your mind.

I've had depression and anxiety for over a decade and go through cycles where I just can't get into things I'm sure I normally like and can even get angry at it.

But even doing something like change the genre of game I'm playing can help. But what works best for me is to get outside and exercise.

Hope this helps. If you have any questions don't be afraid to ask. Alot of duders on here suffer from depression and know better than anyone that simply listening can really help.

@opusofthemagnum: Thanks man! Sounds like good advice, I will try that!

@coolbob423465: No problem man. I've been there a few times in my life and once I recognized it for what it was it stopped being so bad, it usually gave me motivation to better myself and that has led me to discover some of these things that have improved my life. Best of luck duder!

@opusofthemagnum: One question though. Is it normal for me to want these things in my life that are now boring to be fun again? Like usually when I get bored of a video game or something I don't care, but for this I really want it to be fun again, and it kind of stresses me out that it can't be fun again. Did this also happen to you or was it slightly different? I might be just overthinking it but I don't know. Also for anyone else who has some info about this I would love your feedback, thank you.

This. I fell off gaming for a bit and other things I used to enjoy. You can only play SO MUCH. I'm back into it now but. Just walk away and do something else for a bit :)

Maybe it's time to look at other new interests for now or try new things. You will probably get back to things you love later on :) Good luck

@coolbob423465: it definitely is normal, and most likely you will get back to it. I went through the exact same kind of thing, and finding some balance and just doing other stuff helped me come back to enjoying that stuff again. Novelty is a very powerful experience and something our brains respond to very positively in all aspects of our lives.

It was frustrating and bummed me out at first but when I realized I could find ither things to find satisfaction in that went away and I eventually found a balance with new stuff and old stuff and was able to enjoy stuff.

But its not all new stuff, working on yourself and bettering yourself will do a lot as well. Considering you are experiencing these feelings across multiple interests, I think it's more than just being bored. A common symptom of depression is lack of interest. Now keep in mind that when I say depression, it doesn't have to be chronic or serious, and experiencing those lows is normal especially at your age. Push through it and find ways you can improve yourself. Hence suggesting you learn new skills, etc. Work out, look at your diet and see if you can improve that, etc. It'll help you balance out your life and bring you back in line, and you'll come out of it in better shape than when you started.

@opusofthemagnum: Ok thank you man, I will keep those things in mind.