Can boredom cause a stroke? Or is this feeling just a temporary bad mood without serious consequences? To find out, you need knowledge about the relationship of boredom and physiological processes in the body. If these relations really exist, then what arises first - a bored mood or changes in physiology? And finally, is it worth doing something about it? If so, what? Answers will be unexpected.
What is boredom
Boredom - this is a negative emotion, a mentally passive state, which is accompanied by a lack of interest in people, activities, and environment in general. A person with such a mood decreases the reaction, both at the physical and mental levels. Related sensations - anxiety, irritability, absent-mindedness, dissatisfaction.
Physiology does not affect boredom. But a negative emotion can cause physiological discomfort. The reason for this is an increase in the level of cortisol, or stress hormone, in the blood. In large doses, with chronic manifestations, it can provoke cardiovascular diseases, stroke or diabetes. Considering the risk, it is still worth fighting with the systematically arising boredom.
How to get rid of boredom
Analyze feelings
For a start, just listen to your body and feelings. Then you can try to change the physical position and observe the reaction of the body. Sometimes a simple, comfortable posture solves a problem, as it relaxes well. Boredom turns into relaxation. This method helps if you need to wait a long time, and nothing interesting is observed around. Long lines, flight delays are vivid examples.
Have the opportunity to do something? Fine. You can use this and follow the changes. Under the occupation means not only work or study, but also a hobby or useful things. Then the situation will develop in one of two scenarios:
- Due to employment, boredom will gradually recede, since only idleness served as the cause of the depressed state.
- A bad mood will remain unchanged or worsen.
The reasons for the second option are completely different problems. One of them is the complete absence of classes. But the energy in this case may be in excess. Not being able to relieve an agitated state in some way, a person starts to get bored. Therefore, the next step will be the best solution.
Calm down and try to relax
Effective relaxation helps reduce emotional arousal. Due to this boredom develops into rest. Perhaps this is precisely what the body lacks. Depletion causes a breakdown, which is falsely mistaken for laziness and boredom. Some simple ways to relax:
- to meditate, preferably with quiet calm music, with dim lights and aroma sticks or candles;
- sleep, ensuring peace and quiet;
- dream about future successes, figure out how to achieve them;
- relax in nature;
- watch aquarium fish - they calm down the nervous system perfectly;
- go for yoga, massage or any relaxing procedure.
If the problem is not overwork, then relaxation will not drive away melancholy and bored mood. In this case, it's time to move on to the third step.
Focus on something
Especially on a particular item or person. In the first step, it was already proposed to find something to do. However, in situations where you just need to wait, it is difficult to find an interesting case. Walking around the airport during a flight delay is quickly annoying, and getting out of the queue without risking your seat is almost impossible. So you can try to keep your attention on some object.
Sneak peek into a neighbor's book or peep through the lines of newspapers around the kiosk, while the owner turned away, not particularly fun. Although detective lovers will do. The rest is better to pay attention to others. You can gently consider a person and ask such questions:
- What's his name?
- How old is he?
- What is he doing in this place, where will he go next?
- Who he is by profession?
- Does he have a couple and children?
- Is this a sincere person or is he hiding something behind smiling masks?
- What does his clothes, accessories, bags, gait, behavior say about him?
Before bored players who are deeply penetrated by such occupation, they are surprised how close to reality their guesses are. In addition, this game is able to push for new acquaintances. And if the object of observation suddenly notices surveillance of itself, then psychologists recommend not just looking away, but just smile.
To analyze the last months
Listed methods do not help? Then, perhaps, the cause of boredom is hidden not in the current situation, but somewhere in the past? If so, then it is advisable to try to remember your life over the past six months. Negative emotion could cause:
- strong emotional shock, severe psychological trauma;
- routine, sheer monotony in the actions;
- lack of a clear understanding of their goals and desires;
- ignoring one's own feelings, taking care of anyone, but not about oneself;
- terribly unloved work or other systematic activity that you absolutely do not want to perform.
It is impossible to be fully happy man, observing someone else's rules. These two stories are proof of that.
Parents want their son to become a lawyer, not a violinist, as he wishes. In order not to upset loved ones and meet their expectations, the guy goes to study at the Law Academy. Receives a diploma, finds a job in the specialty. After a few years, he has the prestige, the money, the respect of his parents. And also boredom, irritation, self-hatred, uncontrollable outbursts of anger. And another bottle of alcohol next to a broken violin.
A young man marries for love. The wife is an angel in the flesh. Her only drawback - she demands that her husband for the sake of her abandoned the weekly games with friends in football. A man loves to drive the ball with his friends, this is his true hobby, but ... Inspired by the sharpness of his feelings, he agrees to his wife's ultimatum.
After half a year, the bored guy makes an attempt to talk to his wife and still go to football. Receives a tantrum that ends only after his abandonment of intent. After a few more months, the devotee begins to blame the spouse for his passivity towards her, domestic affairs. A year later, she finds him in bed with another. Divorce.
Change life according to the results of the analysis
If the two situations described in the previous step, to put it mildly, do not meet expectations, then it’s time to act. What can be done:
- learn more about your desires, ambitions, dreams;
- stop ignoring personal needs, emotions;
- add something new to life or, on the contrary, get rid of something;
- change the way you perform everyday tasks;
- learn new things;
- love yourself, develop self-esteem.
In other cases, the next step will help.
Visit the psychotherapist's office
Sometimes this is the only correct and effective solution. Talking with a specialist is discovering and accepting yourself. Some people are confronted with stereotypes that stop them on the path to professional help.
The doctor will climb into the head.
No, he will not require the story of something against the will of the client. Will not push. Will push? Of course, because, having overcome indecision, a person is able to get rid of a dozen problems. But this is help, not pressure.
A trip to the doctor means that the person is sick.
The patient really needs help. But, first, why is no one afraid to talk about a visit to a therapist, a cardiologist, an ophthalmologist? Although they are exactly the same doctors as the psychotherapist - the treatment area is just different. Secondly, the psychotherapist is not a psychiatrist. In fact, the first solves the problems with which they turn to a psychologist, but he also has a medical education.
Writing in a medical card from a psychotherapist is bad for a career.
Many specialists do not work with medical books at all. Maximum - make notes in your own notebooks to keep everything in your head. The law on medical secrecy does not allow them to tell someone about the problems of clients. Sometimes also conscience.
Rare transient boredom in itself is not dangerous and even useful. But its chronic manifestation can be a wake-up call. Calling this emotion a diagnosis based solely on a medical point of view is difficult. But in psychosomatic terms it is. The psychotherapist can help to overcome the constantly bored mood.
