Using drugs to escape the boredom of real life.

[AceOvArts]

When I think about it, the only real reason SWIM has ever done drugs is to ..
1. Have a good time while out partying
2. Peer pressure
3. Finally to stave the boredom of life.

Now obviously its easy to say "Get a life" go do something less boring etc. etc. but nowadays SWIM is older, he don't go out much (well not ever really), there is no peer pressure (it was usually his choice anyway) so the only reason left is the boredom of normal life.
SWIM has a great life (from an outsiders point of view), a family with kids doing well in everything. A loving wife..great job, blah blah blahdy blah.
But there is and has always been something in SWIMs head (so he told me) that keeps him from being fulfilled in his life (maybe a lack of natural endorphins).
So this leads him nicely to taking drugs (all sorts, except crack or brown) basically the most fashionable thing at the time I guess.
Now SWIM is doing a fair old bit of cola, not vast amounts but a good eightball a week (sometimes more) and is bored with it, I think he would move onto harder opiates if they were openly available to him.
Does anyone else feel this way ? SWIM thinks this is the reason a lot of level headed people get into drugs, not because they are down and outs or have had a particularly hard life but are missing something that keeps them from feeling so god damn bored with life.

I dunno if this a question, just a statement or what but I would like to hear from anyone in a similar boat.

Thanks for listening to the rubbish that spews from me sometimes.

-=AOA=-

[Nagognog2]

Originally Posted by AceOvArts

Thanks for listening to the rubbish that spews from me sometimes.

-=AOA=-

Sometime people use drugs because they fear they are boring and dull unless they are drunk or high. This is quite common actually. If this is the case, one is using the substance for an unrealistic reason - and this causes the addiction. The real problem can be addressed quickly and effectively. This doesn't mean the drugs/drink must be abandoned entirely and the person must end-up in a 12-step program. It just means one needs to get over thinking they are dull and uninteresting.

[Nicaine]

Boredom is a mood or state of mind, not a lack of interesting things to do. Next time SWIY is bored, think through the situation... likely there are a crapload of things to do, but SWIY doesn't feel like doing anything.

SWIM feels chronic boredom is a form of depression... there's no way to get past it except maybe antidepressants, therapy or something like that. Realizing what it really is can be a first step too.

[Nagognog2]

Originally Posted by Nicaine

SWIM feels chronic boredom is a form of depression... there's no way to get past it except maybe antidepressants, therapy or something like that.

That's got to be the worst thing I've read in the last week - and I read the New York Times! There are, indeed, ways to "get past it" that don't require drugs or psychology - for the majority of people. One may very well be between interests in life. Suddenly a new interest pops up. Could be learning forestry. Collecting stamps. Building cars.

Being bored on occasion is certainly not grounds to jump for Dr. Dippy's jar of pills and replace boredom with yibbling on a couch. One will change the brain-chemistry for a good, long while. The other will replace boredom with lying on a couch and having some dope scribble on a pad of paper how bored you are - ask you how bored you are feeling - reinforce your feeling bored - and he buys himself a ski chalet in Switzerland.

Give yourself a chance.

[Nicaine]

Originally Posted by Nagognog2

That's got to be the worst thing I've read in the last week - and I read the New York Times!

LOL... we all have our opinions. SWIM has had decent luck in the past with antidepressants (shorter course, not years & years). Psychotherapy recomm. was admittedly a bit off the wall, rarely seems to help with depressive symptoms.

There are, indeed, ways to "get past it" that don't require drugs or psychology - for the majority of people. One may very well be between interests in life. Suddenly a new interest pops up. Could be learning forestry. Collecting stamps. Building cars.

Trouble with boredom tho is that the most exciting thing in the world typically sounds boring to do. SWIM would have trouble motivating himself to collect $100,000 lottery money when he's extremely bored with life... just seems BORING to mess around with money. Ya know? Just SWIM's personal experience, YMMV.

[Nagognog2]

You wouldn't motivate to collect a check for $100,000? You don't need a shrink. You need a straight-jacket! Look Nicaine, not everyone (most) are that far down in the rinse-cycle of the mind. In the 40's one goes through hoops and loops. It's part of life. The author is in his 40's, You are. And so am I. It's always a bitch when things change and things that thrilled us become yawnable. We wish for solid ground. This is normal. Get used to it. Why do you think so many conservative nazis are in their 40's?

This is not a reason to reach for the drugs or suck up to the shrink - all a decent shrink would say is: "Sucks, don't it?"

Now try not to join the nazis and stay away from the pills and doctors. Soon enough you'll be trying to catch butterflies on Gilligan's Island. Trust me....there's a Hemioptera Vulvaceas!

[Nicaine]

Originally Posted by Nagognog2

You wouldn't motivate to collect a check for $100,000? You don't need a shrink.

OK, I'd probably collect it, but honest to g_d without much interest. Probably with a feeling of hope that maybe having the $$ to spend would spring me out of the psychological state of boredom.

Look Nicaine, not everyone (most) are that far down in the rinse-cycle of the mind. In the 40's one goes through hoops and loops. It's part of life. The author is in his 40's, You are. And so am I. It's always a bitch when things change and things that thrilled us become yawnable. We wish for solid ground. This is normal. Get used to it. Why do you think so many conservative nazis are in their 40's?

I didn't say I suffer from chronic/severe boredom myself, just that I have in the past. It's quite miserable. One will often do almost anything that seems to offer a chance of salvation from the resulting state of psychological deadness and meaninglessness.

P.S. just chatting with you here, I really don't want to argue. The *only* point I was trying to make is that boredom is a psychological state often unrelated to how much there actually is to do... it's very deceptive. As with many psychological issues, understanding what's really going on in one's head is a major step toward 'recovery'.

[Nagognog2]

Originally Posted by Nicaine

It's quite miserable. One will often do almost anything that seems to offer a chance of salvation from the resulting state of psychological deadness and meaninglessness.

Oh I know some people will do anything to break free of this cycle, and some of their methods don't work but, instead, perpetuate the situation. Why, you wouldn't believe what some people have done to break their cycles of addiction and boredom. I've seen some of the most hideous glimpses of bored people on the internet! Image a man in his 40's dancing...oh - it's too awful to say.

Anyway - there are other ways to get through this without one resorting to drugs from a doctor. Or elsewhere to alleviate boredom.

[Alicia]

Take up Tai Chi or meditate Always works for swia. Swimmings fun too! Interesting thread.

[Nicaine]

Originally Posted by Nagognog2

I've seen some of the most hideous glimpses of bored people on the internet! Image a man in his 40's dancing...oh - it's too awful to say.

In many cases I'd agree, but I did a crapload of clubbing in the 80s and frankly I'm a damn good dancer for a white guy . I can sing too, perfect vocal range for crooning pop love songs... (ladies, one at a time... one at a time now...)

[Paracelsus]

Using opiates to overcome life (on a regular basis) can RUIN it, as it has done with countless people. Imagine SWIM in rehab/prison with his family/job/etc all gone. I don't think that would be a more interesting life.

Getting some interesting activity (growing plants, paint, photographing, writing poetry, etc etc.) can help. Maybe get some counseling?

[Nicaine]

Originally Posted by Paracelsus

Using opiates to overcome life (on a regular basis) can RUIN it, as it has done with countless people.

In SWIM's experience, in the end opiates tend to create precisely those things they originally helped the user escape from -- boredom among them, but also physical pain (from w/d's), difficulty sleeping, anxiety, etc.

Boredom is a major one tho... ISE chronic opiate use, particularly pills and such, encourages the user to just sit around doing nothing (but feeling euphoria) until extreme boredom, depression and feelings of being trapped in an inescapable cycle become a way of life... it's like being in a sort of kinder/gentler hell. SWIM has been there and would not like to go back. Unfortunately, heavy kratom use presents a lightweight but still unpleasant version that he's on the verge of falling back into.

[Sitbcknchill]

Originally Posted by Nicaine

In many cases I'd agree, but I did a crapload of clubbing in the 80s and frankly I'm a damn good dancer for a white guy . I can sing too, perfect vocal range for crooning pop love songs... (ladies, one at a time... one at a time now...)

Next time try and keep your clothes on there, lil man

[AceOvArts]

SWIM is one of those people that goes through depressive states, ups and downs like we all do but his are a little higher and lower. He has been prescribed anti-depressants until he realised that they were sort of like putting a band aid over a wound, it hides it, it doesn't heal it but it can help the healing process. Unfortunately in thinking this he now wont go to the doc unless he is in such a bad state of mind its time to listen to others. I think meditation and/or therapy are possible solutions, He always had an interest in meditation so that's a possible for sure. He always went headlong into things too, went on a health kick (so much so that he did body-building yadyaydyadya). He took a keen interest in growing plants (the therapeutic kind and ended up cross breeding etc. etc. but now he had kids feels its a bit irresponsible to have that stuff around the house stinking up the place).
I dunno, possible mid-life crisis ?...heheh

[motorhead]

Life is but a walking shadow. Drugs can certainly eliviate the boredom of life, but, as already mentioned, can lead to addiction and all the troubles that go with it.

Sounds like you need a good hobby or challenge, maybe a hooker? What was your childhood dream?

Maybe you are bored with the 9-5 life, with the wife, the job, the kids, the blah blah blah, not just life itself. Granted, this a tough life to leave behind in persuit of more endorphins, but maybe you dont have to leave it, just shake it up a whole bunch.

Or set a goal. My wife and I, just the other day, decided that we want to get a sail boat after the kids are gone, and just spend the last of our days getting drunk and sailing around the equator. Will it ever really happen? Who knows, but it is something to look forward to.

Anyways, just remember-Drugs aren't bad, but addiction is, and will fuck you over solid and take everything you have, including all the boring stuff.

cheers

[ojos_de_brujo]

Swim's not a 40-year old man, but she would also advice setting new goals.
In his twenties one has all these dreams: a place to live, a nice job, a family. If you have reached these goals, live tends to get boring. Swim doesn't remember which great writer once wrote: 'the worst thing that could happen to a person is that his dreams come true'. He said it more eloquently of course.
Swim doesn't believe this saying is totally true, but finds it a quite interesting thought.
Setting goals and enjoying your work to achieve them might be the way to go.
Also, ' learning to enjoy the little things' -it's a huge cliché, Swim knows- might help.

And if SWIY really thinks it's a problem of endorphines, jogging or running is good. Maybe Swiy can go bungee-jumping, or basejumping, anything that will give a nice adrenalin rush.

A lot of old clichés in this post, but hell, they work for Swim.

[Nagognog2]

Yeah kid - classic mid-life crisis material. Go buy a red sports-car and tool on down the M1 blasting songs of your youth. Then go home. Park it. Hope the real kids don't steal it. And take up Yoga so you can kick yourself in your arse.

But don't worry - this shit wears off pretty quick once it comes to a head. Soon you'll forget about being bored and go back the things you enjoy. Drugs may help a few things, but growing up isn't one of them. There is only one solution for that. Shall I say it and scare your pants off?

DEATH!

Now relax. You're doing fine.

[darkglobe]

Watch the film "Instinct" (Turteltaub, 1999).

It certainly filled me with a true appreciation for merely existing.

~Dark

[zera]

How anyone can be bored when the Internet exists is beyond me. Get Bittorrent, start downloading a shitload of television shows and movies, install linux on your computer and learn it, find a subject you like on wikipedia and learn everything about it, find a couple of blogs that you enjoy and start reading them, find a porn fetish that you're really into, etc.

[knot]

Sknot has the computer addiction and the other addiction that he indulges in once a week. Sknot is bored and single.

[darkglobe]

"Sknot" should get a partner and a life Only joking.

As zera said, the internet is a fantastic ground-to-boredom missile!

SWIM uses drugs-forum to learn about drugs, as a hobby. SWIM also loves to indulge in Wikipedia world and is currently reading around the topic of polyneuropathy and olney's lesions. He knows it doesn't sound interesting, but it is to him.

Seriously though, watch "Instinct".

~Dark

[izzy31]

SWIM completely understands how SWIY feels about life being boring. Try doing things that give you an adrenaline rush - and I mean panic-adrenaline- rush.


EX. - The feeling SWIY has when they're about to get into a fight - or when they're paranoid and scared, like when a cop is looking at them suspicously and SWIY is carrying something he shouldn't.



Try to overwhelm yourself with adrenaline naturally, but make sure you do it to the point that you go into shock (not literally but yeah BE VERY NERVOUS) . this helps decrease the numb feeling, but you have to make that adrenaline rush your hobby - do it more and more and eventually you'll lower your high tolerance of life, things will seem more appreciated and entertaining because your being able to feel it somewhat now.

[knot]

Originally Posted by dark_globe

"Sknot" should get a partner and a life Only joking.

Sknot feels like a booger on the wall of life. Sknot's dad died so he takes care of his sick elderly mother full time (2 days a week off) Sknot would love to have a girlfriend but she prolly wouldn't understand.

[iamsostrange]

SWIM has tried very addictive drugs, but never got addicted because SWIM knows better.

However, SWIM smokes weed everyday because SWIM gets bored without it. SWIM sort of wishes SWIM never let weed become a daily habit, because SWIM's entire day seems pointless without smoking.

SWIM finds that reading about drugs online are a good alternative to actually doing them. It helps with the boredom, when drugs are all you can think about -- just start reading about them & before you know it, time has passed. Write about your experiences, write fiction about drugs, start your own drug blog, anything. If drugs are all you can think about, then find a hobby that allows you to think about them -- without actually doing them.

SWIM also recommends a good Bret Easton Ellis novel. Reading his books can make you feel like you are on drugs when you're completely sober.

When SWIM goes 30 days without drugs, the boredom tends to go away. But SWIM knows all too well that the first 30 days can be rather dull...

[stroke]

Haha... funny to see someone opposed to prescription psychoactive drugs like anti depressants on a cocaine use forum. )

I dont pretend to be an expert on life or cocaine... but I completely understand where Ace is coming from when he says that boredom is a symptom of depression. Depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain... and I really believe chronic depression to be hereditary and for the most part, out of your control. Sure... you learn how to sort of talk yourself out of it... and you learn how to cope with it... but it's there. It goes away for months at a time, but it always comes back. Depression is very real, and medication can really help.

I get bouts of depression, for no apparent reason sometimes, that are accompanied by this sort of boredom with life. For me, nothing seems worth while anymore. Things that I used to think were fun or important no longer seem to be. Even important things like going to lecture and holding down a job seem meaningless. I sleep 12-14 hours /day because I dont feel like theres any reason to get up in the morning.

SWIM used to self-medicate similar symptoms with drugs, like Cocaine - much as Ace suggested. I became addicted, and this exacerbated my depression - and prevented me from seeking the professional help that I really needed.

I dont know what the point of this post is... but I dont think anyone should be trivializing depression or trying to convince people not to seek professional help...