Existing in Your Head but Neurotically Cycling Through the Same Material/Activities

[á´…eparted]

I would say it resonates with junk food (I've long said that I don't have a sweet tooth, I have a salt tooth, and the fast food habits to match), and with the internet, where I also openly confess to being addicted to my phone. The part about using the internet as a distraction to the point where not enough time is dedicated to doing things I would have previously (pre smart phones) spent ample time on (like even just sitting and having a worthwhile and deeply insightful or creative think). I can clearly remember those times and how much more at peace, level, and intelligent/intuitive I was. Bath time was just bath time because I didn't have a phone. I could grocery shop without having to check ads for price comparisons, or comparing something in Target to the Amazon. I am always complaining about how much I hate technology because it really weighs on me in a manner that can sometimes fry my nervous system, but I'm still addicted.

The timing of this discussion is good because I've been making these sorts of connections with more insight and clarity lately, and I've put some effort into Powering Off so that I can update my own software through more dedicated, thorough reflection and thought expansion.

One suggestion I could make if you want to try and disengage from your phone slightly is to set it in black and white mode. The lack of color will make the phone less interesting of an object over time and could lead to freeing up space for other things. I had 2 friends do this for themselves a year or two ago and they found it to be fairly effective.

 

[Peter Deadpan]

One suggestion I could make if you want to try and disengage from your phone slightly is to set it in black and white mode. The lack of color will make the phone less interesting of an object over time and could lead to freeing up space for other things. I had 2 friends do this for themselves a year or two ago and they found it to be fairly effective.

I could try it, but I find black and white pretty appealing, so I'm not sure if it would work.

 

[prplchknz]

I have no answer but I did read the title as eating your hand and that intrigued me

 

[Earl Grey]

It's said that introverts (in the mundane sense) find the mundane world more boring than their internal one. I didn't think it was true until I actually FELT it by the way of being forced to do other than what I usually do, that is to stay in my head. Anything, ANYTHING I see is on some level some kind of weird inspiration or mental stimulation, it sometimes is analogous or tangential to another odd something, or some things. It's like I can't stay alert, in the real world, at all. I'll see a flower and my brain will go here and there and before I know it, I've zoned out. I can force myself to be more 'situationally aware', I find that in small doses it is quite refreshing, but only as a small treat and NOT as a huge meal. eg; I will be fine walking through a garden for 30 minutes, but bring me to a garden for a 4 hour date and you have two choices: deal with me zoning out or deal with me going insane.

I wouldn't say it's one or the other though. I do have moments I process these 'sensory details' or partake in something that is more real-world and requiring live engagement not as a duty, but as a form of enjoyment. It's like the food pyramid- good % doses of each make a healthy diet but for me, anything to do with paying attention is ... I only have to do extremely little of it to feel 'balanced' (occasional walks, admiring 'sensory details' without going into 'what if...' 'oh, where can I take this...') and if I eat too much it's like gorging on something terrible, I think I get the mental equivalent of physical illness, just stir-fry crazy. Oh, the overstimulation. Oh, the exhaustion. Just no, no, no.

I do like certain things to be stable/repeating and there are certain things I can't stand to stay the same, and it's taking me a while to see where exactly the line lies because I'm not strongly in either camp. What I do notice is that usually, for the smaller tasks, I prefer them to have some kind of 'resolution', I need it to go another step, then another step, then finish with something I wanted or needed. Turning every light on and off at certain hours, or opening doors for customers and greeting them are maddening, but stuff like handiwork that provides some kind of result is more relaxing. When things are too repetitive I get that weird sensation like my brain feels sick (stir-fry crazy) and that's when I know my brain is yelling to break away and do something that breaks out of that loop and provides me 1) an end result 2) something new in the end.

 

[Pionart]

It's said that introverts (in the mundane sense) find the mundane world more boring than their internal one. I didn't think it was true until I actually FELT it by the way of being forced to do other than what I usually do; stay in my head. Anything, ANYTHING I see is on some level some kind of weird inspiration or mental stimulation, it sometimes is analogous or tangential to another odd something, or some things. It's like I can't stay alert, in the real world, at all. I'll see a flower and my brain will go here and there and before I know it, I've zoned out. I can force myself to be more 'situationally aware', I find that in small doses it is quite refreshing, but only as a small treat and NOT as a huge meal. eg; I will be fine walking through a garden for 30 minutes, but bring me to a garden for a 4 hour date and you have two choices: deal with me zoning out or deal with me going insane.

I wouldn't say it's one or the other though. I do have moments I process these 'sensory details' or partake in something that is more real-world and requiring live engagement not as a duty, but as a form of enjoyment. It's like the food pyramid- good % doses of each make a healthy diet but for me, anything to do with paying attention is ... I only have to do extremely little of it to feel 'balanced' (occasional walks, admiring 'sensory details' without going into 'what if...' 'oh, where can I take this...') and if I eat too much it's like gorging on something terrible, I think I get the mental equivalent of physical illness, just stir-fry crazy. Oh, the overstimulation. Oh, the exhaustion. Just no, no, no.

I do like certain things to be stable/repeating and there are certain things I can't stand to stay the same, and it's taking me a while to see where exactly the line lies because I'm not strongly in either camp. What I do notice is that usually, for the smaller tasks, I prefer them to have some kind of 'resolution', I need it to go another step, then another step, then finish with something I wanted or needed. Turning every light on and off at certain hours, or opening doors for customers and greeting them are maddening, but stuff like handiwork that provides some kind of result is more relaxing. When things are too repetitive I get that weird sensation like my brain feels sick (stir-fry crazy) and that's when I know my brain is yelling to break away and do something that breaks out of that loop and provides me 1) an end result 2) something new in the end.

You mention that being an introversion thing, but it sounds more like you're describing a preference for Ne over Si.

 

[Earl Grey]

You mention that being an introversion thing, but it sounds more like you're describing a preference for Ne over Si.

No. This is the Introverted Facet in MBTI, and I will explain it by illustrating it via the observed correlation of the I/E facets to the Big 5 Introversion/Extroversion: TLDR; energy level, and where you gain your energy from, and whether you do so by being reflective or engaging. There are things in my post that also suggest a use of N over S, but overall is a general combination of Introversion and Intuitiveness without being specifically Ni or Ne, or Si or Se.

Also, this isn't a type-me thread, or a thread about any typological functions.

 

[á´…eparted]

I could try it, but I find black and white pretty appealing, so I'm not sure if it would work.

You've got nothing to lose by trying. Look at this way: at minimum it will be a new novelty for a while.

 

[RadicalDoubt]

I can relate to this sentiment a lot, outside of maybe the laziness aspect. I think I started out as a very low energy and leisurely person but got restless enough to where I can no longer be described as much. I'm basically in a constant state of boredom and dissatisfaction, throwing the same input at myself over and over again and expecting something new or great to come out of it (which is really dumb, but for some reason I have no energy to get out of the loop). I'm very head driven, basically in a constant state of daydreaming or thinking about one thing or another, which is as much of a gift as it is a curse. I've attempted to get outside of this by throwing myself into sensory activity; I run and walk everywhere everyday, I've taken on a job in retail, I am for the first time in forever indulgent in food and activity, I have taken on more responsibility than I could possibly handle or imagine, and still am nowhere near present in the real world in the slightest. Everything externally is just constantly dulled by the cacophony in my mind running in the background.

I think the only thing that has ever gotten me out of that was a musical experience, which I only had once and I cannot seem to replicate...

What op has written above is disgustingly relatable, though I don't have ADD (to my knowledge). My executive functions in general are sort of shitty though and I do have a tendency to dissociate very quickly, so maybe it's that? I'm also very isolated as a person though natural inclination...

 

[Silverbranches12]

Same. But differently.

 

[Tina&Jane]

I relate to this a lot. Before I threw out my old journals I had pages and pages dedicated to talking about how bored I always felt. It felt like I was constantly cycling through the same thoughts and experiences, but I couldn't break out of my laziness/inhibition to actually do something about it and experience something new. I just felt tired of being myself and wanted to somehow break out of my mind/body. I still struggle with this and I don't think I've found anything yet that helps consistently. I try to be as active as possible by walking, riding my bike, and going to the gym. I push myself to hang out more socially, especially with work-related events that I wouldn't normally attend or hanging out with people who are acquaintances more than close friends. I also think I might try online/app dating since I've been putting it off for awhile.

 

[Pionart]

I do the whole "refresh the screen" thing too. On youtube, refreshing to see any new recommendations. But it's mostly either random trending videos or videos I've already watched. Very rarely is it something new that I actually want to watch, although that does happen occasionally. Generally I need to do the searching myself.

Or I'll be looking at this forum hoping to see new posts in threads that I want to post in, but generally that doesn't happen. Maybe I need more forums to visit.

My thoughts consist to a large degree of conversations (mostly one sided) where I'm explaining to someone things about typology, or I'm arguing with mental health professionals about forced medication.

But I also progress on a spiritual level, and I'm way further than I was a few years ago. I'm growing, I'm understanding. And that links in with a growing understanding of people/the world, that I'm progressing in.

So yeah, I guess things staying the same is quite normal, but there should also be progression in what's important.

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

Nope. Can't relate to this in the slightest.

I lied