Five Ways Boredom Affects Your Mental Health

The COVID-19 pandemic forced everyone to stay indoors as they were advised not to step out as much as possible last year. Therefore, it was normal for people to get bored. Neither they could attend social gatherings, nor could they travel and participate in any kind of activity. Restrictions were necessary, but people indeed had nothing to do other than brood over their loneliness. This boredom might not seem to be of a very serious degree. However, it has been revealed that many have been affected by boredom in several ways. This gives rise to a question, can boredom be considered a vice or a virtue? Science says it can be both. A detailed discussion follows.

Impulsiveness

When you fail to find an activity that gives you a feeling of satisfaction, boredom sets in. As a consequence, people become more impulsive. They are not being able to do what they want and that can lead to frustration. So, to keep themselves busy, many get distracted and indulge themselves in snacking or spending time with their mobile phones.

Chronic boredom forces people to take part in drug abuse, reckless driving, or pathological gambling. Considering the pandemic, boredom is a very strong reason why people broke lockdown rules and the rules laid down regarding social distancing.

Deteriorating Mental Health

It is normal for you to enter a state of boredom at some point in time. However, if you feel bored quite frequently and without any concrete reason, then it’s a reason to worry. If you are too prone to boredom, then you might be suffering from mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. People who get bored at the drop of a hat lead a less meaningful life. These are the ones who drop out of their schools or colleges, leave their offices, or face failures in their relationships.

Aggressive Behavior

You would like to think that boredom is a problem for someone who is experiencing it. However, someone else’s boredom might pose a problem for you. It can even make a person aggressive. According to a study conducted in 2020, boredom might lead to sadistic aggression. Bored people look for something exciting and in that quest, they get involved in some activity that can cause problems for others.

Seeking Novelty

Boredom might not be negative all the time. It might have many positive aspects too. There are people who when struck with boredom, seek out various types of challenges to keep themselves active and excited instead of indulging in something that can be quite aggressive. Easily bored people have greater curiosity. They exhibit a stronger preference for photographs that would seem unfamiliar or unpleasant to you.

Finding Life to be Meaningful

Easily bored people fail to find meaning in their lives. They can’t find a purpose. They look for ways that can help them add meaning to their lives again. Boredom makes people hold onto their ideologies stronger than before. People who work on word copying tasks and get bored, tend to have political inclinations. Having extreme political beliefs helps these people find a sense of purpose in their lives.

Bored people also have the habit of reminiscing about the old days. That makes them nostalgic. Nostalgia gives a positive feeling. These memories help people connect to others. People who are more attached to their religion, don’t get bored if they are asked to do menial tasks.

One finding that can surprise you is that boredom for a moment can boost your intention to get involved in charity. Boredom has a significant role to play in psychological functioning. It can move your focus from meaningless activities and push you to do something worthwhile. Having said that, it may also lead to dangerous and destructive behavior.

Boredom is a kind of emotional state that pushes people to change their behavior. The outcome can be positive as well as negative. But that entirely depends on the person and the situation they are in. But it’s not only the negative things that boredom is all about. Being bored can also help an individual to find purpose in life and seek something challenging and exciting. If you are stuck inside your home and you are bored, you can either embrace boredom and think about your life and other things, or you can simply go out and take a walk.