INTPs and Boredom

[Philosophyking87]

Ever since I was a kid, I was always complaining of boredom. While my siblings could easily relax and enjoy a nice simple movie, or listen to some music, or read, I couldn't. And it seems that I'm still like this. I tend to have a problem sitting down to learn something new, or read a book I've been interested in, or even browse the internet (which has recently lost its appeal and excitement, as it's the same boring websites and people over and over). In fact, I can't even stand to sit down for a few hours to do many of my favorite hobbies. I'm gifted at drawing, but don't derive much satisfaction from it anymore. The passion is lost. The thrill is gone. Poetry? I was never really any good at it, so I slowly become discouraged. Writing? I usually write about my thoughts, but I've simply run out of subjects to think/write about. Thus, I find myself completely bored out of my mind, as was the case my whole life. I always need something stimulating to do. My brain must always be in some process of actively attacking something. If there isn't anything stimulating my brain, I become incredibly fidgety and some sort of mental torment ensues, and it feels like hell.

The greatest form of stimulation has always been video games. I can just sit there for hours and hours (if it's the right game) and just kill things over and over. I derive satisfaction from testing my skills constantly. It highly stimulates my brain. Social engagements also used to stimulate me. I'd enjoy hanging out with friends and cousins and just go out and do something exciting in the real world. Go out and play. When I wasn't doing something fun, I was complaining of boredom.

So I'm still dealing with this problem of always needing stimulation. Always needing some goal. Always needing a sense of progression. Always needing new information. Always needing objectives. Always needing. Does anyone else relate to this? Does your brain feel super wired up and over-active, to the point where simple daily experiences become agonizing and tedious?

 

[snafupants]

maybe you should give yourself a goal instead of making an end out of the means. if that doesnt work, try some coffee, cannabis, or meditation to enliven things a bit. listen to different styles of music, get a girlfriend (they can be fun), go skydiving, or fire a handgun (no pun intended). snafupants refuses to believe that you have exhausted the riches of the internet - partly because novel things crop up everyday.

 

[Adymus]

I feel ya, completely.

That is actually why I like being on this forum, it is a place to exercise my mental agility in a way that is stimulating and somewhat productive.
It's also why I was super politically active in 2000 to 2004.
And why I used to play starcraft 24 hours a day.

Doing really heroic (Ti related) badassery is the only thing that makes me feel alive anymore, music just doesn't do it for me anymore.

 

[bloozie]

I don't believe that you can get bored of the internet so soon. For me, I frequent gadget sites, design sites.. any site that can give me new information.. not because I enjoy it, but because it helps me out in being updated and "in-the-know" for the type of profession that I'm heading into. Also, I derive research and am able to acquire such mental stimulation from said research and have discussions with the few people in my life whom I am able to talk to and who are also in the same field as I am.

Also, I honestly see video games as a waste of time. What kind of stimulation are getting from that?

 

[Spectrum]

Also, I honestly see video games as a waste of time. What kind of stimulation are getting from that?

I'm not able to get into video games all that much either to tell you the truth (glad to know I'm not the only one).....I find nearly anything computer related stimulating, and various readings in science and economics are also stimulating (so is finding new music). I don't converse with others though (probably my strong I), I just daydream constantly and mull it over.

 

[sardonic-tea]

Everything you said described me to the t. I feel a bit depressed about that, because when I think about the rest of my life, I know there's going to be SO many moments where I'm completely bored of my life, and I won't have anything stimulating to do, beause I would have done it all. Quite frightening.

 

[snafupants]

Everything you said described me to the t. I feel a bit depressed about that, because when I think about the rest of my life, I know there's going to be SO many moments where I'm completely bored of my life, and I won't have anything stimulating to do, beause I would have done it all. Quite frightening.

you are completely deluding yourself if you think at any point in your short life you will have discovered near one percent of what there is to discover about this world and its history. you might skim the surface and get smatterings of superficial knowledge in multitudinous areas and think that you have acquired some unique information or craft, but that would be cheating yourself and your potential. the only thing quite frightening is your abiding arrogance.

 

[Methuselah]

So I'm still dealing with this problem of always needing stimulation. Always needing some goal. Always needing a sense of progression. Always needing new information. Always needing objectives. Always needing. Does anyone else relate to this? Does your brain feel super wired up and over-active, to the point where simple daily experiences become agonizing and tedious?

Yes. It gets expensive, too. I have had too many new and interesting pets, and too many "hobbies" that I am into for a few weeks and then forget about.

ADHD medicine has helped somewhat, but I still have serious problems with this.

I hear you about the same boring people on the internet, though. There are still interesting things, but for the most part it is a bunch of archetypes saying the same things over and over. Read any comments section anywhere and my point has been proven.

 

[cheese]

Try going into more depth with things. A lot more depth. You may not find it very stimulating at first, but as with any discipline it takes a while to see fruit. But when you do see it, it'll spur you on to keep going. There is a whole lot more to learn out there, a whole lot more about the world to discover.

 

[bloozie]

the only thing quite frightening is your abiding arrogance.

I really like this quote... even though I took most of the context out of it.

 

[Ermine]

This is why I love college. It gives me much less time to be bored. But outside of that, I find it useful to make speculative to do lists. I seldom ever accomplish everything I write on a to do list in a day, but it gets my mind going on what I could be doing, and gives me some level of obligation to do whatever I wrote down. Just write everything you want to do, from mundane tasks to bucket list material to self improvement aspirations. Anything. Then pick a few and either do them or find out ways to do them.

 

[Philosophyking87]

I feel ya, completely.

That is actually why I like being on this forum, it is a place to exercise my mental agility in a way that is stimulating and somewhat productive.
It's also why I was super politically active in 2000 to 2004.
And why I used to play starcraft 24 hours a day.

Doing really heroic (Ti related) badassery is the only thing that makes me feel alive anymore, music just doesn't do it for me anymore.

Exactly. I enjoy exercising my mental agility. Thus, if I'm not defeating opponents on a video game, I'm debating people on forums, or simply discussing interesting ideas, to use my mind creatively to make sense of things. If doing none of the above, I become very lethargic and bored.

And I'd love being politically active. That would stimulate me to no end! But I've never actually gone out and done that sort of thing. And yeah, anything Ti related is the only way I find true satisfaction in any, as well.

 

[Philosophyking87]

you are completely deluding yourself if you think at any point in your short life you will have discovered near one percent of what there is to discover about this world and its history. you might skim the surface and get smatterings of superficial knowledge in multitudinous areas and think that you have acquired some unique information or craft, but that would be cheating yourself and your potential. the only thing quite frightening is your abiding arrogance.

Not entirely. Of course there will always be new "details" here and there about things which might keep some of us stimulated. But once you reach around the age of 20 - 25, you've already experienced everything to such an extent that you already get the "gist" of things. Once an INTP gets the gist of anything, it's not uncommon for us to simply get bored and lose interest. Hence, life generally can become drudgery if an INTP feels they have experienced everything there is, because we constantly need NEW experiences and information processing through at all times.

So I can understand sardonic's statements, because if you look at everything in terms of generalities, then you can quickly feel that you've already basically done everything there is to do, and will become very bored and unstimulated by anything else.

So, while an INTP can keep busy with all the new details of the world, it will still remain true that you're essentially doing the same thing you've always done, just in a new way. But then, I suppose doing the same thing in a new way suffices to stimulate one moreso than would be the case otherwise, which would be doing the same thing in the same way.

 

[Philosophyking87]

Yes. It gets expensive, too. I have had too many new and interesting pets, and too many "hobbies" that I am into for a few weeks and then forget about.

ADHD medicine has helped somewhat, but I still have serious problems with this.

I hear you about the same boring people on the internet, though. There are still interesting things, but for the most part it is a bunch of archetypes saying the same things over and over. Read any comments section anywhere and my point has been proven.

Exactly. The same archetypes saying "Thinking is awesome" or "Cooking is fun" or "I love animals" or "I love doing things for people" or "I love playing with computers" or "I love philosophy." It's the same people, in essence, doing and saying the same predictable, expected nonsense over and over. It really gets boring after a while.

 

[Philosophyking87]

Try going into more depth with things. A lot more depth. You may not find it very stimulating at first, but as with any discipline it takes a while to see fruit. But when you do see it, it'll spur you on to keep going. There is a whole lot more to learn out there, a whole lot more about the world to discover.

Indeed. This is definitely, and undoubtedly, true. However, there is a problem with this, in my case. I've taken all of my hobbies and passions to a barrier point. A dead end. It seems I've gone as far as I can with most of these things, as I can by myself, in a personal way. I sit down and draw and I'm learning nothing new. I'm making no progress. I'm not refining my skill. And it's like this with everything I do now. So what's a way out? Obviously, take some college courses or something, pick up new techniques and information and continue developing. However, college courses can be expensive and you're limited to a particular field of study. So I can't really develop everything I want to develop. Additionally, I'm anticipating a few philosophy courses I'll be taking soon, but which I haven't begun taking. Thus, I'm in a state of nothingness, where no new meaningful information is coming and nothing is really going out. I'm just stuck in a limbo state.

I suppose I can only find something else to do with my time until those philosophy courses roll in. Then I'll have loads of new things to think about and whatnot. A lot of my hobbies need a lot more DEPTH. Hopefully I can find that depth sometime soon. Lack of depth = lack of development = halted.

Nice response.

 

[Philosophyking87]

This is why I love college. It gives me much less time to be bored. But outside of that, I find it useful to make speculative to do lists. I seldom ever accomplish everything I write on a to do list in a day, but it gets my mind going on what I could be doing, and gives me some level of obligation to do whatever I wrote down. Just write everything you want to do, from mundane tasks to bucket list material to self improvement aspirations. Anything. Then pick a few and either do them or find out ways to do them.

Exactly. College is the perfect form of stimulation for an INTP. Except I'm still doing crappy core courses. I won't start taking philosophy courses for a few more semesters, and the agony is eating me alive!!!!

I suppose I'll just let the video game addiction ensue a little longer to get me through in the meantime. lol

 

[Fukyo]

So I'm still dealing with this problem of always needing stimulation. Always needing some goal. Always needing a sense of progression. Always needing new information. Always needing objectives. Always needing. Does anyone else relate to this? Does your brain feel super wired up and over-active, to the point where simple daily experiences become agonizing and tedious?

I seem to be stuck in a constant state of ennui. Nothing does it for me anymore, everything's so dull and uninspiring. Even things that interest me just don't give me that invigorating kick anymore. People I meet day to day couldn't be any more boring if they tried.

In fact, I'm completely twitchy and restless from boredom right now.

 

[Philosophyking87]

I seem to be stuck in a constant state of ennui. Nothing does it for me anymore, everything's so dull and uninspiring. Even things that interest me just don't give me that invigorating kick anymore. People I meet day to day couldn't be any more boring if they tried.

In fact, I'm completely twitchy and restless from boredom right now.

It sucks doesn't it? haha

 

[EyeSeeCold]

The greatest form of stimulation has always been video games. I can just sit there for hours and hours (if it's the right game) and just kill things over and over. I derive satisfaction from testing my skills constantly. It highly stimulates my brain. Social engagements also used to stimulate me. I'd enjoy hanging out with friends and cousins and just go out and do something exciting in the real world. Go out and play. When I wasn't doing something fun, I was complaining of boredom.

So I'm still dealing with this problem of always needing stimulation. Always needing some goal. Always needing a sense of progression. Always needing new information. Always needing objectives. Always needing. Does anyone else relate to this? Does your brain feel super wired up and over-active, to the point where simple daily experiences become agonizing and tedious?

If I've mastered it - it becomes boring, with the exception of music. I can barely stand video games now. The only permanent solution, imo, is to find yourself an ESTP friend and submit to its spontaneous nature.

 

[citrusbreath95]

This entire summer break has been boring for me. To make matters worse I've gotten my library privileges taken away. I'm hoping that once I return to school I will find some intellectual stimulation or even just some fun, this routine life is getting to be a drag.

 

[kazd362]

Ennui is probably the perfect word to describe this, we get so bored because there is nothing to do. Video games do entertain me and some of school does as well but other than that...

I'm still in high school so I get to hope for university and then hope for a good job.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

Ennui is probably the perfect word to describe this, we get so bored because there is nothing to do. Video games do entertain me and some of school does as well but other than that...

I'm still in high school so I get to hope for university and then hope for a good job.

Step 1. Become well versed with a typology system
Step 2. Manipulate social interations with others
Step 3. ???
Step 4. Profit!

I wish I knew Socionics or at least more of MBTI while I was still in high school. I would enjoyed myself a lot more than I did.

"To [INTPs], life is often characterized by periods of stimulation. True stimulation is often spontaneous, and the intervals between periods of stimulation are often characterized by tedium, inertia, and apathy." - Wikisocion

Kind of makes it pointless to try to enjoy anything knowing we'll only be bored again soon.

 

[Words]

Using my own lens, boredom becomes a signal to prevent against perceived excess of comfortability; It is to point out the time for searching towards the most core values and realize the meanings of my actions. This may lead into fasting and other forms of discomfort. It acts like a reboot and answers the subconscious question of "What do you want?". A push towards a worldview.

 

[₲uardian]

Holy crap. Why so many words for "I get bored easily"?

 

[Beat Mango]

Well, life is boring, until such time as you find something to distract you.

I'm prone to boredom too (ie, don't get distracted/engaged easily), and I imagine that it's caused by my desire to finish things and solve them once and for all, rather than wrestle with them as an ongoing process like an xSTJ might. For example, someone might be non-bored through the process of trying to make as much money as possible. I, though, simply want to make x amount of money, then sit back and relax. It's in this "sit back and relax" mode that boredom seeps in. Other types don't sit back and relax so much because they're constantly engaged with something of perceived importance, so they don't get quite as bored.

 

[Sekzwee]

you are completely deluding yourself if you think at any point in your short life you will have discovered near one percent of what there is to discover about this world and its history. you might skim the surface and get smatterings of superficial knowledge in multitudinous areas and think that you have acquired some unique information or craft, but that would be cheating yourself and your potential. the only thing quite frightening is your abiding arrogance.

I don't believe that you can get bored of the internet so soon. For me, I frequent gadget sites, design sites.. any site that can give me new information.. not because I enjoy it, but because it helps me out in being updated and "in-the-know" for the type of profession that I'm heading into. Also, I derive research and am able to acquire such mental stimulation from said research and have discussions with the few people in my life whom I am able to talk to and who are also in the same field as I am.

Also, I honestly see video games as a waste of time. What kind of stimulation are getting from that?

Just because there is something to go and discover doesnt mean it's going to be interesting. Just because people share a type doesnt mean all our interests are going to align. It's hard to relate to anothers boredom because of this, despite sharing type, you can suggest things to do because they fall into a bracket that keeps you entertained, that doesnt mean it works for someone else. I often get bored with the internet since my intereactions with most of it is mostly observational not interactional and as such there is only a finite amount of information relating to a subject available. New information and discoveries can be interesting but sometimes it's just not interesting Enough. Often we wont have the capabilty to go and do the thing we find interesting at the moment and then finding im unable to change track from "what i WANT to do" to "what i Should or Could be doing".

I often pick up and drop hobbies and activities simply because in most cases, knowing i can do something is enough to cause me to become disinterested in furthering that activity until i find some practical use for it. And i am most definatly bored more often than not, i have 3 motorbikes and a track car i use in these circumstances that generally alleviate the boredom. Because i also get pissed off with myself over-thinking and analyzing everything, sometimes i dont want to be alone with my thoughts even though i'm not craving the company of someone else. Going out for a 150mph blast or heading to track days gives me some blissful moments where i'm not conscious of my thoughts at all, they completely stop and all thats left is a process of info in action out. it's orgasmic in it's simplistic pleasure.