A few years ago a friend asked me what I would do if I won billions of dollars and had to spend it on something selfish that I enjoy (I.e. I couldn’t just pay bills or give it to charity)… I couldn’t think of a single thing. There is nowhere I want to go, there is nothing I want to do, no one I want to meet, nothing I want to experience.

I have no hobbies at all. I have no wants or desires and I don’t experience curiosity. All “fun” things feel boring and like a chore to me.

Things people have suggested:
1. Try different things
At first I thought I felt this way because I hadn’t found what I am interested in or enjoy. I started trying everything and anything: baking, painting, playing musical instruments, singing, various crafts, various sports and fitness, cooking, reading, writing, dancing, learning about computers, learning a language, volunteering for various charities, the list goes on.

I gave these a good go usually sticking it out for at least a month. But I didn’t enjoy anything, I wasn’t interested in anything so eventually my willpower just couldn’t keep up and I would quit. Watching a movie or playing a computer game felt the same as doing the dishes - everything is a chore.

2. Take time to acknowledge good things. 
My psychologist suggested to stop when on a walk and just appreciate the flowers or the sun or the breeze. She said hopefully this would become a habit and eventually good feelings would follow when I acknowledged nice things or experiences.

I have tried this and although logically I am able to deduce when something is considered “nice” there is no good/content feeling that comes along with it. Having to remember too “smell the roses” feels like a chore as does the actual experience of “smelling the roses”.

3. Fake it till you make it
I have been doing this for the last 5 years of my life. I will pretend to be into a hobby or pretended that I am enjoying a nice flower but really it’s all surface level. There is no emotion behind it.

My therapist suggested trying to just fake the positive thoughts I.e. Saying to myself that I am excited to to cook and excited to try something new and accomplish something today etc. she said eventually my feelings will follow my thoughts after enough training. But even after years of doing this my feelings won’t back up or mirror my positive thoughts. Everything still feels boring, uninteresting and like a chore.

Though I still try to do things everyday. I refuse to isolate myself again and just waste away in a depression nest. I walk for an hour every day and do at least two social things a week. They still feel like a chore but I acknowledge that it’s important to keep trying.

4. Don’t have self destructive thoughts
I used to struggle with this a lot. I would “try” to enjoy something, like cooking, but my head would just be negative thoughts: “it’s going to burn. You suck at this. No one is even going to taste it but you, so what is the point”. 

But after a few years of CBT I don’t do this at all anymore. I rarely, if ever, put myself down and I am able to cut off “hopeless/pointless” type thoughts rather quickly. So I won’t have negative thoughts about myself or the task but my emotion is that the task (any and all tasks) is boring and like a chore.

5.  See a doctor 
I am 25 and have been this way since I was like 8.  I have been to multiple doctors and done every test they have to make sure it’s not a physical ailment (like anemia). All tests came back normal so it’s not a physical ailment. I see a psychologist every week for an hour and have been doing so for over a year. I will continue to do this but am wondering if anyone can think of a solution I can try.



I don’t want to give up, but it’s really hard to stay alive when no matter how hard I try I can’t find any good emotion or even just contentment.

Has anyone successfully become interested in things after years of being uninterested? And if so, how did you do it?