How Interested in Life are you?

[bsammy]

ive noticed throughout my life that i dont seem to be as interested in many things like most people..i have 1-2 things that i seem to have a shallow interest in but it seems most people have strong passions for quite a few things..when it comes to people, places and things, my overall interest level is around a 3 out of 10 where most people seem to hover around 7-8...where do you stand in this area?

i have found that this may factor into my social problems as if you dont share common interests with other people, conversations wil fail..

 

[MikeyC]

I think the thread title is misleading, because you're talking about specific interests, and not about life in general.

Maybe you just haven't found your passion yet? That's quite possible.

 

[Pacific_Loner]

There is also this habit that people has to overdo or over-express their emotions, that can mislead you to think you don't feel as enthusiastic as you should.

 

[Odo]

It's hard to enjoy anything when you're depressed... but generally I've found that you get out of life what you put into it.

Most of all you need to take responsibility for your own attitudes/thought patterns, etc and not just expect to find something that's going to 'wake you up', because unless you're willing to do it yourself, it might never happen.

 

[FountainandFairfax]

I'm interested in an introvert's life, not so much an extrovert's.

I'd like to travel, but outside of that, the daily grind of a normal person's life would drain me pretty fast. It's okay to be a homebody if you're content.

I think sometimes we with social phobia play a mean trick on ourselves by thinking that if ONLY we didn't have social phobia, we'd be these jet-setting, world-eating, extroverts who grab life by the throat and go-go-go. It only doubles our sadness to think that way, because in reality, we're only giving up about half what we want, and half what we think we want.

In my opinion, the truth is that we'd be shy people no matter what, and even if we weren't phobic, we'd find out pretty fast that the lifestyle of an outgoing person would be an absolute chore for us.

 

[Silatuyok]

i have found that this may factor into my social problems as if you dont share common interests with other people, conversations wil fail..

I think this definitely could be very true.

 

[bsammy]

It's hard to enjoy anything when you're depressed... but generally I've found that you get out of life what you put into it.

Most of all you need to take responsibility for your own attitudes/thought patterns, etc and not just expect to find something that's going to 'wake you up', because unless you're willing to do it yourself, it might never happen.

the problem with this statement is if you dont have the initial interest to begin with, how does one even start up new activities?thats where i differ from most folks, they seem eager to learn and practice new hobbies..my interest isnt there to begin with except for a few different things im into..

even when my mood is lifted, my interest level doesnt increase..

 

[goblin]

Could this possibly be depression? People who are depressed commonly lose interest in things.

For me it's not so much a matter of interest as it is motivation. I love telecommunications, science fiction, creative writing, and cooking, but it's hard to do more than read a Wikipedia article and watch a few episodes of something at times.

 

[Kiwong]

I became very interested in life when I thought I was going to die.

 

[Slytherin88]

I understand your point of view OP. I don't have any real 'hobbies' and when I get asked what I like to do in my free time I get flustered because I don't really have any interests I think or find joy in doing things? I mean I do stuff like read and watch tv but I wouldn't consider those hobbies like people that play sports or have scrabble club etc.
I suppose it comes down to the question that could answer most things on this website, are you happy with it? If you are then who gives a toss, do your own thang.

 

[Livemylife]

I've spent most of my life fighting, never really had time to be interested. When I finally got to college, I still never became interested. This is something I'm actively working on. I really want to do things I enjoy more. What sucks is the fight is never over, Life never goes "you won, now here's your prize." It's always an effort for me.

 

[Graeme1988]

I understand your point of view OP. I don't have any real 'hobbies' and when I get asked what I like to do in my free time I get flustered because I don't really have any interests I think or find joy in doing things? I mean I do stuff like read and watch tv but I wouldn't consider those hobbies like people that play sports or have scrabble club etc.
I suppose it comes down to the question that could answer most things on this website, are you happy with it? If you are then who gives a toss, do your own thang.

I've spent most of my life fighting, never really had time to be interested. When I finally got to college, I still never became interested. This is something I'm actively working on. I really want to do things I enjoy more. What sucks is the fight is never over, Life never goes "you won, now here's your prize." It's always an effort for me.

Aye, pretty much sums up how ah feel about interests as well. But then tae be fair and honest, am pretty _ _ _ kin' borin', maself.

 

[bsammy]

of course if i went to a doctor they would probably tell me im depressed but the problem is, treatments for depression(sunlight, medication, exercise) do not work when it comes to boosting my overall interest..i havent found anything that works in this area besides intoxicants..

i was just curious as to what makes some seem so interested in a wild variety of things and i have very little interest in most things..lol..

livemylife-yep, i just coast by day to day, just getting through the day..

 

[Silatuyok]

of course if i went to a doctor they would probably tell me im depressed but the problem is, treatments for depression(sunlight, medication, exercise) do not work when it comes to boosting my overall interest..i havent found anything that works in this area besides intoxicants..

i was just curious as to what makes some seem so interested in a wild variety of things and i have very little interest in most things..lol..

livemylife-yep, i just coast by day to day, just getting through the day..

I guess the question is: do you dislike being uninterested? Or are you content the way you are? I don't know of any way to make a person be more interested, if the initial spark isn't there. I guess, for me, I tend to get really interested in something when I begin to understand it on a level that is deeper than how most people see it. Of course, then there has to be that initial spark of interest that leads me toward investigating that subject, which you don't seem to have. Maybe you could try picking one random topic and learning everything there is to know about it, and see if it doesn't pique some sort of genuine interest in your soul?

 

[Kiwong]

I coasted along pretty much until I was 40. Years spent counting the days until I could be somewhere else, hoping my life would be over, not expecting to live much past 40. Then I got a wake up call of several years of pain and ill health. Changed my perspective completely.

Even the simple things I took for granted became really important. Like the ability to walk without pain, the ability to be well enough to get outside and go into the sand dunes and feel the wind on my face. I am more interested in life because I am mindful of what I almost lost.

 

[MikeyC]

I became very interested in life when I thought I was going to die.

I suppose once you're flirting with the idea of no longer living, living seems like a pretty good choice. It can take disaster to realise peace.

 

[jaim38]

After going through depression, severe anxiety, suicidal feelings, ptsd, etc, I saw the light at the end of the tunnel and emerged with renewed interest in life. I am seeing the world through new lenses, no longer from rose colored glasses. Hope is what kept me alive. I am interested in what life brings me after falling so low - after reaching the bottom, the only way to go is up! I want to see if I can make my life better by changing my perspective/outlook and attitude towards life. Like Kiwong, I am beginning to notice and enjoy the little things in life that I've taken for granted in the past. It's not too late for a new beginning!

 

[bsammy]

I guess the question is: do you dislike being uninterested? Or are you content the way you are? I don't know of any way to make a person be more interested, if the initial spark isn't there. I guess, for me, I tend to get really interested in something when I begin to understand it on a level that is deeper than how most people see it. Of course, then there has to be that initial spark of interest that leads me toward investigating that subject, which you don't seem to have. Maybe you could try picking one random topic and learning everything there is to know about it, and see if it doesn't pique some sort of genuine interest in your soul?

well id like to feel interested in more things than i am now..im only interested in 2-3 things tops and those arent intense interests..for example, i know guys that can spend all day long building a deck or fishing and they truly enjoy it whereas with me, i can spend an hour on my interest and my enjoyment starts fading fast..ive tried learning new interests if that even makes sense but without a baseline interest level to start with, its not going anywhere..you know how people usually seem quite interested in planning and taking vacations, well im not, at all..thats just one example

 

[Silatuyok]

well id like to feel interested in more things than i am now..im only interested in 2-3 things tops and those arent intense interests..for example, i know guys that can spend all day long building a deck or fishing and they truly enjoy it whereas with me, i can spend an hour on my interest and my enjoyment starts fading fast..ive tried learning new interests if that even makes sense but without a baseline interest level to start with, its not going anywhere..you know how people usually seem quite interested in planning and taking vacations, well im not, at all..thats just one example

I'm wondering if this couldn't be some sort of atypical manifestation of ADD? If you have trouble concentrating or getting deeply involved in any one topic or activity, this might come across as feeling uninterested. I'm certainly no expert on the topic, so I'm just throwing it out there as a possibility. It's really hard for me to imagine not being interested in things, especially since you seem to want to be. It's a conundrum for sure.

 

[Silatuyok]

i dont really have anything that interests me, i have past interests that i no longer pursue because i stopped caring about them. i sometimes go to an art group just to get out, i'm never interested to draw, i pretty much look through the paper or scribble. sometimes i like to draw cats. maybe that is what im interested in.

Cats is a legitimate interest. I've made a living out of my love of cats. It never gets old.