Is boredom a form of mental illness? (handicapped, doctor, treated)

[questioner2]

I know many people who can do just about nothing all day and not get bored. I know people who do the same tedious tasks at work- day after day and they do not get bored. I know people who can sit and stare into space for long periods of time and not get bored. Are these people mentally right?

I have always struggled with boredom. It is not a question of staying busy but the typical activities found in life just do not keep my mind active enough to relieve the boredom. My mind goes thousand miles an hour and I bore easily. Do not tell me to get a new hobby, that is not the issue.

Maybe boredom is more common than I think, or maybe few people are really bored like me and it is more like a mental illness. Tell us about boredom in your life.

[eddiek]

Mental illness?

Probably not

mental laxity- quite possibly

[Greatday]

Originally Posted by questioner2

I know many people who can do just about nothing all day and not get bored. I know people who do the same tedious tasks at work- day after day and they do not get bored. I know people who can sit and stare into space for long periods of time and not get bored. Are these people mentally right?

I have always struggled with boredom. It is not a question of staying busy but the typical activities found in life just do not keep my mind active enough to relieve the boredom. My mind goes thousand miles an hour and I bore easily. Do not tell me to get a new hobby, that is not the issue.

Maybe boredom is more common than I think, or maybe few people are really bored like me and it is more like a mental illness. Tell us about boredom in your life.

Your problem can be treated with medication.

You should discuss this with your Physican

[nicolepsy]

you must be really bored to ask about this. just joking.

i probably get bored way too easily. it has been worse as i age. i cannot stand to wait in dr exam room for too long or i will get bored and then open all the drawers and play with the equipment and even shove pairs of latex gloves into my purse. if i am standing in line too long then i start everyone in a conversation. if i am stuck in a traffic jam for too long i actually seriously consider getting out of my car and walking home. i dont know which is worse: not being able to handle boredom or actually being content with boredom.

[CelticLady1]

Boredom a form of mental illness? Hmm, I don't think so. If I'm still for long periods of time, it's usually when I'm outside, sitting under the tree, watching my horse. I'm not reading a book, I don't have a radio, or a laptop. I'm just sitting there, watching him. I think about him, about things going on in my life, about my husband, my kids, my grandkids, perhaps something I might like to write. Sometimes I'm thinking about absolutely nothing. Just because someone is still, does not mean there is something wrong with them. They could be meditating, they could be praying, they could be wrestling with a problem.

I think I don't get bored often, because not only is my mind usually going, but I'm also perfectly fine with being still at times. Perhaps that's our problem, collectively-speaking, that folks nowadays don't know how to simply be still. We are so used to being constantly stimulated by the world around us. Continous noises all around us, at work, at home. From the time we get up in the morning, 'til we go to bed at night, it is endless noise and motion. Perhaps, we should simply practice "being still", as odd as that may sound.

I will say, though, that if I am in a doctor's office, I always bring a book, magazine, or sometimes a notebook to scribble things in, because anyplace where I have to "hurry up and wait", does bore me to no end. Not to mention that if I'm stuck waiting, I'm less likely to have to strike up a conversation with a complete stranger, unless I'm of a mind to, if I have a book in my hand.

[questioner2]

I use to work at a place that had many jobs that were potentially very boring. We use to work with various social services organizations to bring in people who were developmentally disabled (had low IQ's) to do these jobs. Even though the work was potentially very dull, these people did not mind and had a good time everyday. It made me realize that in many cases people with below average intelligence have a much easier time dealing with inactivity and tedious tasks.

On the other hand people who are extremely intelligent need more stimulation and suffer with boring activities at work and in life. Agree or disagree?

[nicolepsy]

i guess i agree. can i say though that i once had an assembly line type of job (i lasted about 2 days!) and i was forced to do the same thing over and over! i thought it strange that even though it was an extremely simple job (example: putting a bunch of grapes on a plate over and over and over) that there were times when i made a mistake (and missed some plates all together!). so does it mean that i was bored and let my mind wander to more exciting thoughts? or does it mean im an IDIOT! or both?

[cynwldkat]

I get bored easily. Not that I am full of energy--I'm not! But I just don't feel like doing things that don't interest me and often times I don't do them. Even when I need to. I definately need to push myself with boring projects. Yuk!! No, I don't think it's a mental illness we just need more stimulation then some others. Now to find it!!

[jessiegirl_98]

Originally Posted by Greatday

Your problem can be treated with medication.

You should discuss this with your Physican

Really? I hope this was a joke. If you a just "bored" you shouldn't take a pill to try to be "less bored." No, boredom in and of itself is not a form of mental illness (nor is it a part of any mental illness I can possibly think of). I agree that those who are bored are usually not challenging themselves enough. I'm not going to say "get a new hobby," but if you are keeping yourself technically busy, I would ask yourself if you are happy with what you are doing.

[CelticLady1]

Well, if we're talking about an assembly-type job, that would bore me. But, by the same token, if I didn't have to actively think about the task at hand, then I could basically "split" my brain, as it were. Use just enough to keep the job moving along, and use the rest of it to think about other stuff, that was of more interest to me. Just as I am sure most of them do. Does that make sense? Not that I would want an assembly-type of job, (though I certainly would take it, if I needed it), but I hardly think that those folks who have one, are mentally lacking. I believe the situation with the mentally-handicapped folks is different from other people who work on an assembly line.