I've been exactly what you've described for many years. I've tried a lot and haven't succeeded. I've just become an introvert fuck whose only motivation is PC gaming. I hope you'll have better luck at changing yourself.
Yep, definitely find something to get into on the weekends or even week nights. Something your truly interested in. If you can't think of anything, skim the magazine section at a book store, look online for groups activities, or even just go out alone on a friday night to a popular spot and just people watch and hang out. Take a night class in something, even if it's something that you don't know you'll like it'll be exciting doing something out of the ordonary.
Exercise is the most immediate thing you can do. I can only speak for myself, but half an hour or an hour of exercise a day makes me feel great. Exercise can also be a catalyst for meeting people. If you live near an area with decent population there are a lot of hiking, and biking clubs. Or just get go for a walk and get some vitamin D. I mean, it couldn't hurt.
I'm basically at the lowest point of my life right now, so I can relate to your situation. Everyone's basically already given you the best answers. "Become dead on the outside." is indeed the best response I have seen in a long time, but I would advise against that if it is reasonable to do so. All I can really do is wish you luck and hope in time that you find something for which you feel passion. That's really all I can do for myself.
If you have worked non-stop for years you probably have a bit of money saved. Take a couple weeks off and go on a trip. Try going somewhere really different than where you live. If you live in the US you should know the country is filled with different types of places. Or you could go to the Canadian countryside which is gorgeous. Just stop doing what you are doing and do something else. It usually works.
Realize that there's a whole lot of people out there doing a lot worse? Sounds like youre just bored, not really dead inside/outside. Go talk to strangers, connect with new people around you. The more you hang around people and genuinely interact with other human beings, the less depressing it is I think. Good luck!
Yes. What you are describing sounds like anhedonia. It is a symptom of depression. You can seek a therapist (my favorite option seeing as how I'm a therapist) or go to a general practitioner for medication (I wouldn't suggest this option as you don't sound severely depressed and, even then, medication alone is usually not enough but to each their own). Here's a freebie though; do something different. You described your normal pattern of behavior (go to work, go home and mess around with TV/internet, then go to bed). You know that continuing this pattern will lead to the same result. So, do something different. Anything. Exercise, go out and meet new people, go to a concert, learn how to play an instrument, try to write a novel, etc etc. Just do anything different and see what happens. Because the normal behavior pattern is going to lead to the normal, depressed emotional state. Something different may not fix everything but it's better then just doing the same old shit that leads to feeling like shit.
Do like me (also stuck in a dreary office job) - buy yourself a old 35mm SLR camera, and a bunch of B&W film - first of you can tick off the "hobby part" - but also you will instantly have random people come over to ask into what that strange camera is.
Now you have a hobby and you have a great chance to meet new people.
This is funny, but seriously, I'd try to limit jerking off if you have this problem. Not because of some moral or religious issue, but because doing it too often keeps your testosterone levels low, which will do the opposite of help your situation. So there's that.
I know how you feel BTW, I've lost the sense of sharpness in my life in the last year.
Get some exercise. You will feel so much better if you start to exercise on a regular basis.
This is very true. Even if you don't feel it when you're doing the exercise, even if you think your problem goes way deeper than something exercise can help: The long-term mental effects of regular exercise are incredibly positive.
The fact that you are aware of your situation is proof you're not a zombie.
Many people in today's society spend their life exactly like that, but without thinking/worrying about it.
If you want to engage in social behaviour, join a club or visit places with lots of people. You'll eventually get into contact with some. And as soon as you have a social environment, emotions will become more apparent.
BTW having the feeling of being hollow is usually an indication for a certain sensitivity, which is an emotion itself. Emotions aren't limited to the extreme ones like feeling happy/sad/angy. There are various more "quiet" emotions as well :)
Therapist helped me, when my dad passed 7 years ago for a good 2 years i never left the house and developed a horrible social anxiety problem and went to see a therapist/psychologist and they put on anxiety medicine and when i started to get out in the public and made new friends i became happy. I don't suggest you go get on all these anti-anxiety/depression meds because it isn't for everyone, like myself i tried just talking but it wasn't enough and i was on Paxil and a few other medicines for a couple of years and now i just take anxiety medicine if my anxiety gets out of control, the depression medicine also helped me but i know a lot of people who hated taking anti-depression medicine, made them feel even more dead inside so like i said it might not be for you.. try going out and meeting people.
Everyone is different, therapist/psychologist helped me greatly.
Play more video games. When you are in a situation in which you are not able to play video games, pretend you are actually in a video game. For example, when someone walks toward you, jump on their head. Always cheers me up. Also, vodka.
You sir are suffering from routine. Get out of your comfort zone. Go to a bar, meet people, play more vidya, do a party, have some sex, eat better, excercise more.
Buy some of the classic books and read them (Dostoevsky, Orwell etc )
Watch some of the best movies ever made. (IMDB's top 250 helps)
I know these may not sound very different but they make you feel like you get more than just entertainment out of you time. In conjunction with the rest of the things suggested here you'll be back on track in no time. Also maybe try leaning an instrument?
Skydive. With or without a parachute. Wait, with a parachute that way if you don't feel alive by the bottom you don't need to pull the cord. Nothing like split second life decisions to make you feel more alive.
I don't know, I don't know how great my advice would be, but it's what I do.
I pretend as if I have 3 months left to live. I sit down and figure out all of the things I want to do in that time. Then I sit down and think about all the things I would want to do if I could live longer than 3 months. Then after that I go out and try to do/accomplish all these things. I can't promise it will work, but it's worked for me.
It really is that simple. That dead inside feeling will be gone in a month.
Wouldn't really call that simple for a lot of people here. :P
Alright not get a girl but talk to a girl. If everyone here spent as much time talking to girls as they did playing video games we would be pick up pros me included XD Seriously a chat with a total stranger is great. You can escape if convo turns sour or continue if it's going well.
The only difficult thing I admit is getting in that situation in the first place. I hate the approach.
Edit: I had to edit this a lot I blame writing it at 2:30 am
I spend more time talking to girls than playing games, and my life is a trainwreck because of it.
Let's not pretend girls are a cure to anyone's mental problems, eh? Girls are batshit crazy 95% of the time.
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