Nothing feels the same

[Sarma]

Ever since the end of last year i haven't felt the same. Suddenly all the motivation i had to do stuff was gone. It doesn't feel like life. I've been trying to find happiness since february. Anything i do just isn't fun. I feel like if my mother died i wouldn't be sad at all. It's like i forgot how to feel. I'm constantly in this mental state where the tone of my voice is the same and when i raise it, it's because i'm forcing it. I thought that it was because of gaming, i thought i was doing what i don't want. Although i just can't feel like how i did 6 or 7 months ago. I feel like i'm going insane. I don't understand what happened 7 months ago that made this happen. Have i changed my life style? I started my first year in highschool in september. At that moment i felt like i was on top of the world. I'm starting to think this is what people should actually feel.

[Cam Adair]

Hi Sarma. Are you exercising at all? If not, start there with 10-15 jog each day (You can also try the 7 Min workout - google it.) I would also do 10 minutes of meditation each day (use Headspace or Calm app) and write down 3 things you're grateful for every morning. Do these for the next 14 days and see how you feel them.

[Sarma]

Hi Sarma. Are you exercising at all? If not, start there with 10-15 jog each day (You can also try the 7 Min workout - google it.) I would also do 10 minutes of meditation each day (use Headspace or Calm app) and write down 3 things you're grateful for every morning. Do these for the next 14 days and see how you feel them.

Ok, i'll try

[Cam Adair]

Hi Sarma. Are you exercising at all? If not, start there with 10-15 jog each day (You can also try the 7 Min workout - google it.) I would also do 10 minutes of meditation each day (use Headspace or Calm app) and write down 3 things you're grateful for every morning. Do these for the next 14 days and see how you feel them.

Ok, i'll try

You've got this

[Sarma]

Hi Sarma. Are you exercising at all? If not, start there with 10-15 jog each day (You can also try the 7 Min workout - google it.) I would also do 10 minutes of meditation each day (use Headspace or Calm app) and write down 3 things you're grateful for every morning. Do these for the next 14 days and see how you feel them.

Ok, i'll try

You've got this

Should i force my self to do mentally engaging things even if i dont like it. Is it just the dopamine talking?

[Cam Adair]

Hi Sarma. Are you exercising at all? If not, start there with 10-15 jog each day (You can also try the 7 Min workout - google it.) I would also do 10 minutes of meditation each day (use Headspace or Calm app) and write down 3 things you're grateful for every morning. Do these for the next 14 days and see how you feel them.

Ok, i'll try

You've got this

Should i force my self to do mentally engaging things even if i dont like it. Is it just the dopamine talking?

Yes absolutely. Sometimes you have to do things for longer than just a little bit to learn what you like about them. That doesn't mean you have to do things that you don't like forever, but remember it's about experimenting to figure out what it is that you like about things.

[lilX]

Hey I was reading about cases similar to this in the book Smarter Better Faster. Maybe your apathy is caused by traumatic brain injury or low atmospheric pressure? 

In the book, the author claims that thinking about what's important to you and making your own decision and choices towards what's important to you can slowly build back motivation. 

I'll have to go back and find the book. 

I'm not a doctor so I could be very far off. 

 

edit: I found the relevant section in the book 

This may be vessel damage in the striatum. The striatum serves as a kind of central dispatch for the brain, relaying commands from areas like the prefrontal cortex, where decisions are made, to an older part of our neurology, the basal ganglia, where movement and emotions emerge. 

 

 

Edited July 14, 2016 by LilChenChen

[Kad]

I found the items that Cam suggested were very helpful esp the gratefulness and exercise part.  Took me longer to get the benefits of meditation though.  The most immediate impact was finding 3 things to be grateful for.  Some days in the beginning I would struggle to find items to be grateful for and had to do things like- I am grateful I have feet so I can walk or hands (which are honestly fairly amazing things). Then it moved to my family and I am not living on the street today.  Now I find so many little treasures everywhere that bring joy its hard to find just 5 things.

[Sarma]

Hey I was reading about cases similar to this in the book Smarter Better Faster. Maybe your apathy is caused by traumatic brain injury or low atmospheric pressure? 

In the book, the author claims that thinking about what's important to you and making your own decision and choices towards what's important to you can slowly build back motivation. 

I'll have to go back and find the book. 

I'm not a doctor so I could be very far off. 

 

edit: I found the relevant section in the book 

This may be vessel damage in the striatum. The striatum serves as a kind of central dispatch for the brain, relaying commands from areas like the prefrontal cortex, where decisions are made, to an older part of our neurology, the basal ganglia, where movement and emotions emerge. 

 

 

I haven't been in a traumatic event as i remember. Why would low atmospheric pressure be a problem. I'm trying to not think about how everything seems to suck and it helps. I'm not trying to change the feeling. I'm just letting it pass by and it feels a lot better.

[Cam Adair]

It will pass Sarma  

[UndRt0w]

Sarma do you eat h ealthy? This sounds a bit like depression to me and often it's influenced by lack of exercise but also by vitamin deficiency. Possibly you're lacking in B-12 or D-3.

When I feel depressed for a couple of weeks I take some vitamins and in a couple of days it's gone. It may be a bit of placebo effect, but stuff like 'winter depression' is real .. if you're sitting a lot inside it may be D-3 deficiency. Many people lack vitamin D3 without even knowing it btw.

Anyway Cam made some great suggestions: exercise, meditate and a gratefullness journal also really help a lot!

[Kad]

I have often wondered if there is an association with gaming and depression and/or anxiety.  It seems a lot of gamers have that issue when they did not before gaming and after the detox it improves quite a bit especially if positive life changes.  Depression can be a significant medical issue and it should not be ignored.  It may be worthwhile to seek treatment especially when trying to do tasks like detox.  Untreated depression could get in the way of your goals and be a significant and possibly more serious health concern.  Others have mentioned that lack of light makes them feel down and lights help.  In the end always best practice to take care of yourself!

[Cam Adair]

I have often wondered if there is an association with gaming and depression and/or anxiety. 

There is. Research supports it. 

[Daniel]

I have often wondered if there is an association with gaming and depression and/or anxiety. 

There is. Research supports it. 

I wonder if depresive people are attracted to videogames or playing videogames develops depression.

[Cam Adair]

I have often wondered if there is an association with gaming and depression and/or anxiety. 

There is. Research supports it. 

I wonder if depresive people are attracted to videogames or playing videogames develops depression.

It is both. Feeling depressed can make you want to escape into video games, and video games can cause your lifestyle to get to a point where you could become depressed. 

To make it even more complicated, video games are also proven scientifically to help people with depression. Lol.

[Daniel]

I have often wondered if there is an association with gaming and depression and/or anxiety. 

There is. Research supports it. 

I wonder if depresive people are attracted to videogames or playing videogames develops depression.

It is both. Feeling depressed can make you want to escape into video games, and video games can cause your lifestyle to get to a point where you could become depressed. 

To make it even more complicated, video games are also proven scientifically to help people with depression. Lol.

The dose makes it poison or the medicine?

[Cam Adair]

The dose makes it poison or the medicine?

Totally depends on the person, yep.

[Sarma]

Sarma do you eat h ealthy? This sounds a bit like depression to me and often it's influenced by lack of exercise but also by vitamin deficiency. Possibly you're lacking in B-12 or D-3.

When I feel depressed for a couple of weeks I take some vitamins and in a couple of days it's gone. It may be a bit of placebo effect, but stuff like 'winter depression' is real .. if you're sitting a lot inside it may be D-3 deficiency. Many people lack vitamin D3 without even knowing it btw.

Anyway Cam made some great suggestions: exercise, meditate and a gratefullness journal also really help a lot!

I have been going out more lately and i think it really helps me relax. I'm gonna take vitamins for a couple of days just in case. Thanks for the suggestion !