Ennui: the impact of emptiness and chronic boredom

We could define boredom as an uncomfortable combination between dissatisfaction, boredom and tiredness. Behind him, there is also the shadow of that chronic boredom that permeates everything and blurs it. Now, from a psychological point of view, this state of mind is more complex than it seems because it has, on average, a great impact on mental health.

We have all felt a certain amount of boredom at some point and we know how suffocating it is. It is much more than losing motivation, it is perceiving that what surrounds us is unpleasant and meaningless. Thus, in the world of literature, figures like Baudelaire made this concept a recurring theme in his works, defining it as that state in which the divine fades and existence becomes a plain.

In this way, perceiving that on our horizon there is nothing more than an expanse saturated with voids undoubtedly leads us to an existential monotony in which anguish, anxiety and even depression soon emerge… It is important to know how to detect these states and act accordingly for our well-being and happiness.. We analyze it.

What’s behind the boredom?

If we had to look for a word that defines the opposite of boredom, it would be enthusiasm. Few emotions are as enriching, vital and inspiring as feeling enthusiastic, with that exalted state of mind with which one feels capable of doing anything. Now, with boredom, an emotional reality is ignited that annihilates everything and goes beyond sadness.

It is striking to perceive how this dimension was, until not long ago, the territory of philosophy rather than psychology. Blas Pascal, for example, already pointed out at the time that boredom was (and was going to be) humanity’s main problem. George Steiner, for his part, stated that We are subject to boredom when life becomes an eternal wait. and, in turn, in that poison that takes us from boredom to despair.

Schopenhauer pointed out that This dimension arises when everything abandons us: love, the pleasure of traveling, reading… It is then when “nothing” arises, that total absence of stimuli and passions that leads us to suffocation because everything that surrounds us is homogeneous, hollow and boring. Thus, it is precisely this last dimension, that of boredom, that psychology also uses to explain the roots of boredom.

Chronic boredom and emotional pain

Indeed, philosophy navigated for decades on the idea of ​​boredom as that breath that emerges from constant boredom, disinterest and emptiness. For psychology, Those who feel bored experience chronic boredom, and beneath that reality there is often a traumatic event.

When someone lives an experience of great emotional hardship, they try hard to silence their fear, anger, sadness… These conflicting psychological states are tried to be silenced in order to continue moving forward through life.

To do this, what is often done is to disconnect from one’s own emotions, thus falling into a state of constant boredom, of emptiness, where the overwhelming pain is hidden. In these cases, boredom is the mask of underlying despair.

How do you know if what you feel right now is boredom?

Most of us know the feeling of being fed up. Howeverthere are times when this type of feeling, far from being something specific, settles in us like a constant fog., like a thorn that penetrates deeply until it alters our way of being. Let’s see what its characteristics are:

Nothing attracts your interest, not even the things you were previously passionate about.Everything seems routine, meaningless. You have no short or long term goals.Nothing excites you, nor awakens laughter and joy in you.You feel dissatisfied with your life, with what surrounds you, including the people around you and the society in which you live. Likewise, you feel physically and psychologically exhausted.

Ennui and depression

We pointed out at the beginning the importance of keep in mind feelings of boredom as they are often a risk factor for psychological health. In this way, we already know that someone who feels continually fed up shows that form of apathy and chronic boredom that hides, in many cases, some traumatic factor.

We are facing a kaleidoscopic mental reality, there are many dimensions to consider and take into account. However, there is something that we must never lose sight of. Studies such as those carried out at Virginia Commonwealth University tell us that Chronic boredom often leads to depression.

Emptiness, apathy, lack of motivation and vital meaning eat away at the spirit and boycott identity.. They make us feel useless in a world invaded (apparently) by nothingness. It is very difficult to emerge unscathed from that inertia of felt fatigue and absence. Detecting these realities and acting as soon as possible is, therefore, decisive. To do this, in addition to requesting specialized help, it is good to keep the following in mind:

Talk to someone about how you feel. Allow others to open new perspectives in you.Change your routines and lifestyle habits. Any variation will be a new stimulus.Try new things. Get started in other projects, hobbies, meet new people. Leave aside everything that bores you. Exercise, take care of yourself, practice self-care.Go to psychological therapy to deal with possible traumas or realities in your life that you should address.

To conclude, the nothingness that accompanies boredom fades as soon as the person finds new meanings and purposes for his or her existence. This is what we should practice daily: renew our goals and feed our enthusiasm.

You might be interested…