I’m having some personal issues causing some severe depression and anxiety. I’d like to get past this time as fast as possible, and my days are dragging on. I can’t sleep, which would be a good way to make time go fast. But I also can’t just play video games, I don’t have the motivation to play more than a few minutes and it also just makes me realize how alone I am with no friends or anyone I can connect with emotionally and I spiral into my anxiety and depression.

I can do stuff during the day, run, chores, etc. But as soon as I’m done, especially at night, I start freaking out and it seems like time stands still. Does anyone have any suggestions? Activities I can do that are mindless that will just kill time and get me through the night before I can just go to sleep?

I know this question is stupid but I’m looking for at least somewhat serious answers.

27 points

Podcasts maybe? That’s my most braindead activity. It’s an easy thing to do in bed while trying to sleep too.

Time also goes by faster at night if youre tired so getting some exercise during the day might help.

Good luck, hope things pick up for you soon.

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7 points

Time also goes by faster at night if youre tired so getting some exercise during the day might help.

I do a ton of exercise during the day. You’d think I’d be tired at night and able to sleep, but nope. Doesn’t matter how many miles I run or walk or hike.

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22 points

Getting books from the library to read?

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4 points

Not OP but I personally don’t have enough patience to read entire book. I just can’t. I don’t know how other people read whole book in few days.

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3 points

If I am super interested in a book that I got as a gift, I will tear through it in a few days. That being said, I’ve probably read like 4 adult books since being out of school. Plenty of kids books over the years, (I had mastered Fox in Socks at one point.)

It takes a lot for me to take that much time on a book.

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8 points

Audiobooks. Libby app for local library and countless audiobooks already covered by your library card.

I’ve listened to/read so many books. Short ones that are 4 hours or so to entire series where each book is about 20 hours or so.

Long drive? Audiobook. Yard work? Audiobook.

I find myself looking forward to the mundane chores because it gives me an excuse to get back into whatever story/book I’m enjoying.

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2 points

Start with Short Stories or novellas. A whole story from beginning to end in as short as 3 pages or as many as 30 or so. There are entire books of short stories (anthologies) in every genre you can imagine. You say you don’t have the patience. However, in the time its taken you to read this entire thread, you could have finished a short story. You’ve proven you have the patience.

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4 points

I’m the same. I read super slow, and I just don’t enjoy it really. Audiobooks are hard for me too. I like podcasts sometimes, and I read a lot of articles and stuff like that. But books are just too much for me.

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2 points

Have you ever tried listening to hardcore history by Dan Carlin? I find he’s the right level of captivating to keep me interested, but slow enough that I can still drift off to sleep

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-6 points

It’s not the right choice, but alcohol has been doing well for me for this.

Dad died last year due to what I feel is my fault…

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30 points

Stay the fuck away from alcohol, OP.

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2 points

Alcohol doesn’t help anyway.

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9 points

We all feel like it was our fault. The coulda/shoulda will eat you. Find something else to occupy your brain.

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1 point

We all feel like it was our fault

No. I feel like it was all YOUR fault.

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Removed by mod
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1 point

I heard opioids also make doing jack shit easy.

Opiods and benzos help. That is something that will likely happen this month but I only have so many. And it only helps because it’s a change. If I took them every day I’d just need more and shit. So, those will come and help me sleep when I need it, not an every day thing.

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Hmm seems ur craving somthing different. And u said previously u got money so there is always travel throw a dart at a world map till it lands on land that isnt a warzone.

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5 points

Using alcohol as a self-medicating behavior caused me more pain, ruined relationships, lost me jobs, etc. than anything else. Stay the fuck away.

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4 points

Alcohol will temporarily alleviate anxiety and then make it much much worse. I do not recommend this at all. I’m sorry to hear you’re having a rough time.

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7 points

Do more things, start doing something at home that will take a long time and keep doing it until you’re so tired you can’t keep going.

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2 points

That’s kind of exactly what I’m asking. What kinds of things would fall under that?

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4 points
*

What are you into?

Learn to draw? Build/make something?

Learn to program?

Shoot videos with your phone and learn to edit (davinci resolve is a free editing software). Shoot whatever, little stories/vlogs/clips for friends.

Clean everything in your house, inside the fridge, the whole shower (above/below), dust the walls, go through your closet/drawers/bookshelfs/etc. The places you’d never otherwise pat attention to.

Move furniture in your home and reorganize the layout of your stuff.

Learn to cook, really dig into how to make sauces, properly cook steaks/fish/etc. Practice cutting veggies and perfect your knife skills.

I mean, there’s a million things to do.

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2 points

Paint a wall in a certain pattern, using multiple colors. It needs time for planning, time for buying tools, and time for execution.

Fix something. Replace dying batteries for electronics, take a look around the house, anything you can find parts on ifixit for. It requires focus and skill, gives you a sense of pride and accomplishment, and you benefit from your items longer. Also cheaper in the long run.

Tinker around the house. There’s always something broken or in a bad condition. Repaint stuff, reapply stuff.

Build something with your hands. Try woodworking.

Gardening unfortunately is usually done outside and during the day, but you could try indoors hydroponics or vertical gardening. Try to automatize it.

Learn programming. Learn hobby electronics. Arduino is easy to learn and requires both. Could help with the automatization above. You can find cheap clones and parts. You mainly work with DC under 12V, so it’s relatively safe.

Be curious. Watch Youtube videos about any subject you might find interesting, learn how stuff works, no matter how familiar or not they are. A lot of times I don’t have the patience to watch a show, but I find myself getting into a Youtube / Wikipedia rabbit hole about cryptography, programming, how games are made, how mechanical pinball machines work, lockpicking, painting, large buildings fails, quantum physics, astrophysics, photography.

Watch Cosmos, presented by Neil deGrasse Tyson.

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6 points

Would you consider volunteering at an animal shelter? Doing good for others helps you feel less bad about yourself.

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4 points

I actually occasionally do volunteer at a shelter. It’s a good idea, but I’m mostly asking about things to do once all the available “activities” are over. Let’s say, starting at 9pm or so

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