It’s the weekend and you have no plans. All you’ve been doing is watching movies you’ve already seen five times before on TV, and the boredom is starting to creep in. But is boredom really such a bad feeling, after all?
Ian Robertson, a psychology professor at Trinity College Dublin, wrote in "The Conversation" that in today’s society, it can actually be a challenge to become bored because of all the technology we have at our fingertips.
However, boredom can lead to people striving to set and reach new goals that will rid them of their boredom, so it can actually be a trigger for productivity. He suggested that the cure for boredom is curiosity.
“Boredom means feeling your attention is not engaged on something either inside or outside your head,” Robertson said.
“The restlessness which comes with it signifies a search for something – but you don’t know what.”
He added that people who become easily bored tend to be less in tune with their emotional states, and they generally blame their boredom on their environment rather than their lack of curiosity.
He also said that if we do manage to get bored too frequently, sometimes it can lead to risky behaviors like gambling and dropping out of school. It can lead to mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse disorders and binge eating as well.
Ramani Durvasula, a psychology professor at California State University, Los Angeles, said in an email that she defines boredom as “lack of mental engagement.”
“A task that may seem uninteresting may not necessarily be boring (e.g., packing boxes) -- it really depends on the mindset of the person,” she said.
“Sitting and doing nothing may not be boring -- if a person perceives it as boring -- that is more likely to be a negative mood state.”
However, she does believe that it’s generally a negative state of mind because it can lead to negative mental health consequences such as lack of enthusiasm/concern or pleasure in life or activities, and a lack of motivation.
“Boredom is actually quite stressful -- it is identified as a key stressor for people -- so again this contributes to the idea that it is more of a negative mood state,” Durvasula said.
She think sboredom in some cases can lead to inventiveness, and it could be a wake-up call for some people to find new ways of engagement. She offered some suggestions if you’re trying to break free of a cycle of boredom.
“Find activities that bring meaning and purpose,” Durvasula said. “Break out of your routine sometimes, open yourself up to new experiences -- you may not like them but you may not be bored.”
“Surround yourself with other people, even through a class or a club,” she added. “Other people can also draw you down new paths. Exercise. The burst of activity can be a jumpstart for the mind.”
Some mental health conditions can also be associated with boredom. In fact, depression has symptoms that mirror boredom, such as apathy. Other mental health disorders that could be associated with boredom include eating disorders, narcissistic personality disorder and antisocial personality disorder, Durvasula said.
“Some people may be temperamentally more likely to experience boredom is possible -- people who expect life to be chronically exciting, or can't tolerate understimulation or are grandiose and always need things to be on the go,” she said.
Other people might lack options for stimulation in their environment, which could lead to boredom.
Lisa Bahar, a licensed marriage and family therapist, said in an email that she believes boredom is more of a negative state of mind related to “ ‘spiritual’ distress, an experience of not feeling connected to something more meaningful.”
However, boredom can be useful in a sense.
“It serves in the long run as a comparison,” she said. “It can also be the access point to more depressive symptoms, and sometimes an individual needs to experience boredom in order to see how valuable life is when it is not indulged.”
Rosalie Moscoe, a registered nutritional consultant practitioner, said in an email that sometimes boredom can be a positive state of mind if generally you’re always on the go.
But if it’s prolonged boredom it can become a problem, especially if it’s job related or due to a lack of social stimulation. Then it’s a signal to find a new activity, job or social environment that can stimulate and excite you and provide you with enjoyment. She added that she believes depression can be a result of boredom.
Sources:
The Conversation. Robertson, Ian. Bored? Don’t worry, it might be the start of something brilliant. Web. January 22, 2014.
https://theconversation.com/bored-dont-worry-it-might-be-the-start-of-something-brilliant-21987
Durvasula, Ramani. Email interview. January 21, 2014.
http://doctor-ramani.com/
Bahar, Lisa. Email interview. January 22, 2014.
http://lcbahar.wix.com/lisa-bahar
Moscoe, Rosalie. Email interview. January 21, 2014.
http://www.healthinharmony.com
Reviewed January 23, 2014
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith