It’s normal to get bored from time to time. When you’re in a meeting at work, watching a TV show that isn’t as good as the summary sounded, having to study for a university exam – it’s normal to feel simultaneously low energy and restless during these moments.
But what about boredom that never quite ebbs away? Or boredom that crops up every single day, even when you’re supposed to be enjoying yourself? It’s these moments that can turn boredom into a dangerous feeling; here’s why.
It Can Lead to Negative Thinking
Whether you turn the negativity inward or toward the world and people around you, boredom can turn your thought patterns into toxic cycles. You might start thinking in a self-derogatory manner, or suddenly have nothing nice to say to anyone else. Both of these things can make you feel withdrawn and sap your motivation out of you.
It Can Lead to Bad Habit Building
Have you ever done something that wasn’t quite good for you because you were bored? Most people have, and that’s one of the main reasons boredom can become a real problem. Excessive drinking, smoking, gambling, and getting into fights with loved ones and strangers can all stem from boredom.
The hardest part of breaking these habits is the fact that society tells us it’s OK to indulge, without any thought for the driving feelings behind them. Seeking out support is made all the harder when you see the same issues in the people around you. However, recognising and breaking your boredom related bad habits is essential to restructuring your reaction to the feeling.
If you’re a smoker and only took it up to give yourself something to do, replacing the need for cigarettes with 20mg nic salts is a good way to combat the compulsion. If you like to have a few glasses of wine in the evening because there’s nothing else to do, picking up a fun hobby can save you a few units every week.
It Can Become ‘Chronic’
If you only know how to be bored, that’s all you’re going to be. This turns what was once a simple, normal, and easily beatable feeling into something chronic and all consuming. When boredom gets to this stage, it can be very hard to change the way you react to it.
To fix this, you might need to step outside of your comfort zone a little. Try new things you never would have considered before, and talk to people you usually wouldn’t seek to make friends with. You might just find your love for life speaking back in.
Of course, chronic boredom can also be a symptom of mental health issues. If it really feels like you’re bored all the time, and you struggle to live well because of it, talk to a doctor. You might be in need of some more serious help right now.
Boredom can be pervasive. Don’t let a normal feeling take over your life.
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