Unironically, be bored more. If you are so tweaked out by the constant stimulation of modern life that even the deluge of content can’t suffice, your brain has been broken. Meditate. Read. Listen to the sound of your breath. You will want to do something else. Do not do something else. Teach your brain to live at the speed of life.

There is no cure, the treatment is distractions. Reducing the symptoms may cause the issue to resolve temporarily.

Esketamine did a lot to help with the overwhelming anhedonia. For around a year I was more able to enjoy doing things. Not perfect of course, but it definitely helped. ECT helped too, but it didn’t last as long so I don’t recommend it as a first plan. TMS helps some people, just not me.

Meds can help take the edge off too, but they aren’t going to fix it. And in this hellscape of a world, I don’t think there’s any complete cure likely.

It might be worth looking into pursuing a hobby you care about more seriously, if you have one you do or are interested in trying. Having something regular to work on you can enjoy even sometimes gives you something to look forward to and feel kinda good about. For me that’s mostly music, but it could be writing, board games, fencing, whatever.

You’re worth keeping alive. I hope you can find something that helps.

Do something you believe in. Or that you can make yourself believe in. If you are bored, that means you have spare time and energy. Go out, do something with people, preferably with nice ones

Everyone has at some point. Philosophy has answers but it can have the exact opposite effect. Something that helped me is this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jv79l1b-eoI And others from him

I know it’s time to find a new hobby that truly interests me.

Or, reflect on your life and see what’s draining your energy. It’s best to talk to a trusted friend.

Finding purpose.

My cure is to try new hobbies/activities. Especially ones that require your complete focus. Like Motorsports. Personally I have a lot of anxiety when it comes to singing in front of people, resulting in everything else disappearing during the vocal lessons I for some reason signed up for.

It used to make me sad that I couldn’t hold a single hobby, but I guess I’m just not built for it. Trying different ones as often as needed is more up my alley

No. I have effectively defeated boredom.

Never in history has the average person (caveat: I live in a developed nation) had access to so many varied hobbies and forms of entertainment.

A more significant struggle is finding meaning. I have succeeded there too, but it is more of a challenge.

You need hobbies

That’s just ADHD

Drugs and alcohol, and music.

Find hobbies to help get you excited about things and less bored. If nothing appeals to you, you might have clinical depression

Yes, I have felt that way many times. For me personally, the worst ones were caused by other mental health issues.

When I started recovery from alcohol abuse about 15 years ago, I had already blown up my life as I knew it and sobering up meant that I had to deal with it and it was just so fucking tedious. I didn’t see the point in struggling to get better if what was waiting for me was a start from zero. I had to get a shitty job, start exercising again, and find a new career path before I stopped wanting to just drink myself to death.

Then a little over two years ago, an antidepressant (Effexor) that had worked wonders for me for years started doing me dirty. Insomnia , night sweats, crippling anxiety, tachycardia, the works. I cross tapered onto Paxil and I was better for about 2 months then it got bad again in the same way. That’s when shit got truly miserable, because coming off of Paxil is withdrawal hell. I had the same problems but even while I was in pain to the point of suicidal ideation, it was also boring. Like Groundhog Day in hell. I wish I had a remedy for that one, but it was just white knuckling the whole way. The one thing I can say is that if you go through anything like that, you either need a support structure of friends and family, or you need to get yourself into intensive outpatient or inpatient treatment.

I’m okayish now on a different medication regime with Cymbalta, but there are side effects. I’m actually stepping down on it starting today because I’ve been waking up in full panic attack every morning for the past 3 weeks. It sucks, but it’s life and it’s real.

For you, OP, my first suggestions are things you’re not going to want to do because you don’t want to do anything, but it’s super fucking important to get out of this. Exercise. Sleep. Watch your diet. I know others have already mentioned it, but these are the real lynchpins of mental health. So far as the anhedonia is concerned, the thing I keep coming back to is if you think an activity was important to your previous sense of self, you just have to start doing it again. Not jumping back in with two feet, but dipping your toe, consistently, and with regularity. You’d be surprised what does come back with a nudge.

IANAD but you might look into alternative treatments like TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) or Spravato (low dose ketamine). Some people have had success with magic mushrooms and LSD, but besides being illegal and supply purity concerns, people react differently and there’s a risk that it can make things worse.

Finally, you can ask your psychiatrist about GeneSight testing to find out what meds are likely to work for you. It’s not perfect, but it beats the medication merry-go-round that most new patients end up on until they find something that works.

I have ADHD so boredom is like death anyway