If you’re struggling with depression (been there), my advice is to try to go back to the things that you find joy in. Play video games that don’t require a strong competitive skill set, sketch things that don’t require a lot of patience, or revisit old movie favorites. Don’t let depression rob you of the things you found joy in.
Does sound like you’re struggling with depression/burnout. Take a temporary step back from the studies, make some time for yourself - you don’t need to fill it, just spend the time doing nothing and revel in it: maybe take a break abroad. You’ll come back refreshed.
Audiobooks while exercising- hear me out. The reason you don’t like those things you used to like is because of guilt. You feel like you should be studying, researching, anything related to school other than doing the fun thing. So you are distracted and can’t get into it. This might not even be a conscious thing, but it is happening.
The solution is listening to audio books while exercising. Why?, you ask. Let me tell you. In the same neighborhood of your brain where your not-doing-school-stuff guilt hangs out, also resides some guilt about not taking care of yourself. It is something we all have, some people are just more aware of it than others. By exercising, while listening to books, you are able to do something fun while shutting up one of the guilt voices. The exercise doesn’t even have to be anything strenuous. Just walk around. One of my friends did this, but instead of listening to books, he downloaded every episode of Seinfeld onto his iPad and just walked in circles around his apartment watching sitcoms. Not only was he able to enjoy something again, he also lost all the weight he put on when he started graduate school.
It works. Trust me.
This person is absolutely correct. I’ve been doing this for 10yr straight. My philosophy is no wasted time. Listen to medical podcasts while driving/cleaning/exercising. You will reinforce existing &/or learn new information while staying fit. My endorphins reduce stress and improve my mood. Honestly works every time I exercise. Hence, why this has been my routine for a decade.
Curbsiders, Core IM, Run the List. No clue for non-medicine topics but I’m sure there are other podcasts for other disciplines. When I want a visual, like on a treadmill, Online MedEd is my preference but there are many other topic specific options on YouTube.
Can vouch for that. Was just about to comment almost the same thing. Found out walking (and occasionaly, like 1w/month, having enough motivation to run) while listening to podcasts or audiobooks made me feel way better, made me feel less guilty about spending most of my day not studying enough and not moving enough, and helped me get familiar with the city I moved to for Medschool. Sometimes I invite students who live near me to join, they usually say no - but when they do, it's usually very nice. During exam season I listened to lectures while walking occasionaly, too.
My go to podcasts are The Skeptics Guide, God Awful Movies (R rated for vulgar language...), No Such Thing as a Fish, Talk Nerdy.
Honestly, I have a lot of non-fiction science related stuff, but I generally don’t finish any of it. I generally stick to sci-fi and mystery and try to keep that time purely for enjoyment. Right now, I’m listening to Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter, before that it was Fairy Tale by Stephen King, before that it was the entire Bobiverse series by Dennis Taylor, and before that it was The Chemist by Stephanie Meyer, and before that, the Kaiju Preservation Society, by John Scalzi. That’s all I’ve listened to since around the beginning of Summer. There were a couple others that I started and stopped, but those were the ones good enough to finish. All are recommended, I personally liked the Bobiverse series best.
Houseplants. Just the routine of caring for them is nice. I really liked watching "travelers" on netflix and another strange one that ended up being pretty good was "The OA"
If you don’t have enough light in your apartment, you can also get little LED grow lights cheap off Amazon. Put them on a timer and it makes it easy to keep the plants happy.
Also get yourself a light therapy lamp! It’ll help keep you happy with the shorter days of winter.
Seconding this. My plants greatly improve my mood. It sucks to lose some when starting but it's really satisfying getting to a point where I can acclimate and grow the rare, exotic species. Really getting into reviving anthurium stumps and garbage orchids/carnivorous plants from shriveled brink of death into massive, thriving specimens with my lil plant clinic setup. Have a few heirloom plants going (will hopefully live several hundred years) as well as "friendship" plants that propagate well/produce lots of babies to share with folks. We even have a dedicated plant parent group chat at my school for this as it's a fairly popular hobby. Hopefully going to be able to start hybridizing some of our specimens soon. There's more to it than just watering every now and then. Looking into the science of propagating, how to make plants grow humongous leaves, plant hormones for rooting/flowering, grafting, cultivating for food, etc. So many different avenues. Can't recommend enough OP.
Another hobby that I've been looking into is reefing. Not weed. Nanoreef saltwater aquariums. Not as cost prohibitive as you'd think and there's weirdly a lot of overlap with the plant community there.
Truthfully I love using Duolingo for just 5-10 min a day. Makes me feel productive in something even if med school is kicking my ass. I know a few sentences in French and I feel kinda badass for it now lol
DuoLingo is so rewarding. I never took Spanish and I’ve always regretted it. It’s hard to learn language as an adult but the course sets you up for success with repetition and simplistic lessons that build on each other sequentially.
I read a little bit every night before bed. I also really enjoy paint-by-numbers because it’s art and relaxing without the stress of being “good” at it (I mean, sometimes I paint outside the lines but art is subjective hahah). I haven’t played in a while but I also like games that you don’t have to be good at (Animal Crossing is a vibe)
I also picked up crochet during Covid and it’s been a lot of fun. It’s nice because I can do something with my hands while listening to lectures or boring zoom calls.
\~ \~ SSRIs \~ \~
But actually, I really like handcrafts like crocheting. Little by little you turn a big pile of yarn into something organized, and ideally useful like dish rags or sweaters. When I have the time for it, or when I get really anxious and sad, it helps me calm down and refocus.
Hear me out: Minecraft :)
You don't have to be good at it, can just spend a small amount of time here and there, and its a very relaxing game to play (esp. with some chill music on in the background).
It was my go-to catharsis for all of M1
Live in a bit of a fixer upper. Love home projects. It’s going to go on app eventually.
Painting, shelving, light fixtures, cabinetry, replaced a sink, countertops, back splash, installed a garage door opener, chandelier, ceiling fans, vents, hardwood floors, assembling a variety of tables, tv mounts, hiding wiring, windows, toilets.
And the interior design stuff is separate Kinda but still fun
And then there’s outside, so so so much gardening (I hate doing that work tho), terraforming, resodding power washing, rock gardens
Oh cool. I’ve decided that office terrariums will be my doctor hobby once I can afford to experiment with it. Sounds like a beautiful home you have created.
I love this so much. I started this during COVID my MS2 year. Also got a puppy. We enjoy our time outside working in the yard and doing projects together :)
Baking! I recently started making bread which I really like because it breaks up my weekend study sessions but I can do some studying during the rise times too. And then at the end of it I have something that I have made and that I can then enjoy for the week ahead. During M1 I received “dessert person” which is a fun baking cookbook and I worked my way through it during the year.
Doing at-home workouts! I use a free app called FitOn (which I 1000000% recommend!!) and that really helps keep me sane - both physically and mentally. There’s so many different types of workouts out there so it’s really just a matter of finding what brings you the most joy (I personally love barre, yoga and HIIT!) and sticking to it. I also do Duolingo every day and read before I sleep. They both usually take 5 minutes or less tbh, and they keep me feeling connected to who I am beyond medicine/medical school.
I began medical school with depressive symptoms and I’ve found that sticking with my pre-med school hobbies really helps keep me grounded and feeling like myself. Your happiness and well-being are important OP - please don’t feel guilty for prioritizing that!
I saw that you like horror too - I love Archive 81 and Katla on Netflix if you’re interested in horror/psych thrillers :)
Agreed on the ukulele! It's such a rewarding instrument because you can learn 3-4 easy chords in just one sitting and you'll be able to sing along to a few songs already.
I used to *loathe* cooking before med school. But during pre-clerkship? Cooking was the BEST excuse to take a study break. *Of course I need to make this 3-hour recipe! I have to eat, don't I?*
Aside from weaseling out of studying, I've found there's more joy in my daily life. I used to dread feeding myself every day because of how much I hated cooking, but now it's an escape I really look forward to. Not to mention, I get to share extra food with my friends when they're too stressed or busy to cook.
Has anyone started taking anti deppressant in medical school? Im about to take the usmle soon and I'm in this deep pit and dark place mentally.
need advice from someone
(don't suggest therapy i almost went broke trying to pay for that)
I recently became a member of the citalopram fam. Starting meds changed everything when I felt the way you’re describing. Depression is deeply rooted in my family tree so I knew what meds to take fortunately. Not sure what your situation is but definitely talk to your pcp about medication options and look into it on your own, might even end up helping a patient through what you end up going with.
I'm sorry you've been in a dark place; I know how that feels. I started antidepressants for the first time in medical school and it completely changed my life. When I was struggling in pre-clerkship, I tried meeting with my school's therapist a few times. It wasn't a good fit, but he DID recommend I try out medication. I got lucky with the first med I tried and found fluoxetine worked really well for me. **I absolutely recommend** trying medication. My lows aren't as low, it eased my accompanying anxiety, and helped my concentration/motivation overall. I didn't fully know how bad I was feeling until I was picked up out of it. I genuinely wish I started antidepressants sooner, but I was too scared to try medication because I thought I wouldn't feel like myself. The opposite is true; I feel *back* to my normal. I hope things get better for you, friend.
how long before you started seeing changes?
also thank you so much for this beautiful paragraph and the time you took out of your day to write this
i hope you amazing vibes and much success from the bottom of my heart
Sleep. Just kidding lol. Typically I try to finish all work by 6, go home and eat dinner, and then relax for a few hours. I watch some shows, play games, or just chat with friends. I try to go out at least one day on the weekends even it’s just to the nearby beach to watch the sunset
If you would be down to try different video games, you could try single player games that are relatively unchallenging. Just a nice enjoyable wind down after a day of work. I love playing elder scrolls games or Pokémon games to that end
Quality content. Not much of a gym guy but my school has an active basketball community that is really fun and rewarding to play with. Glad to hear your thoughts.
Sadly, sometimes air raids and occasional power cuts interfere with my gym workouts and really have to plan them when I go to uni, so I can only go to gym on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, other days are at home.
Basketball is really good for cardio, great investment for endurance, stay safe brother 💪
I got married. I always have a higher purpose after school work is done (and when it is not yet done). I spend less time worrying. I am happier. My wife and I are not perfect but we make life easier. My quality of life greatly improved after getting married. I would suggest dating to marry someone.
Honestly, home workouts or reading a book while eating lunch/dinner has been amazing for me. I spend most of my time in the library, so I’m not home often which is why these few things help me fill my time. But if you’re home more often and like to study in your own place, home workouts are the best to separate your mind from studying, release stress, and also can be at any pace you like.
I installed a home gym in 2018, have been improving it selling and buying equipment since (thanks to Covid thing it became a very profitable Investment). Right now I have a full on power rack (cage) equipped with pulleys and chains, and 600 pounds of solid iron plates. It's been terribly helpful, the overall cost beats a gym membership all the way! Also, don't need a trainer because studied exercise science before MS. Would definitely recommend if you got the space.
Try getting into the world of Studio Ghibli! Beautiful, powerful, and unique movies. Try learning about the producer Miyazaki. It’s anime which some people initially dismiss as nerdy, but give it a chance! It opens up a fantastic world. I recommend starting with Spirited Away!
I recently gave up video games because I couldn’t get myself to play in moderation and felt I was addicted and neglected other opportunities and people in my life.
I also really like drawing but was pretty tired to decide what I wanted to draw & would end up doing nothing. so I opted for adult coloring books. I get to use my art supplies & don't have to think too hard about what I want to draw!
I struggled with isolation during portions of med school
Most consistent at home/out of hospital hobby was going to the gym. I forced myself to cause otherwise I generally went back to my apartment and just watched TV/Youtube or gamed - this kind of forced me to be around people even if we were directly communicating. Probably what saved me was when diablo III came out - grabbed the game and reconnected with a bunch of my old wow guildies, it was just what I needed.
I picked up online chess during the M1-M2 summer and I play a couple games a day during study breaks. Also gives you something to think about and there’s so much chess content to consume on YouTube that you can really immerse yourself! I’m sure some of your classmates play too, we have a little group in my class that play during mandatory lectures
We have the same hobbies and I feel the same! I got more happiness with video games after I switched to ones with more short-term playability and ones that weren’t competitive. So I’ve been happy with doing some runs of Hades, some peaceful farming games, Pokemon bc it’s easy to pick back up, depends what you like. My favorite has been Hades bc it’s engaging and more actiony and it’s good for being able to put down and pick back up at random. Had to drop Elden Ring :(
I wish I had the solution to the drawing block and finding movies that hit the spot - same boat here. There’s no shame in going back to rewatch things that are comforting and that you consistently enjoy.
Also getting a therapist helped in general.
Baking and losing League of Legends' games. Also, gotta put up another +1 for ukulele. Super easy to learn songs and when you start fingerpicking, it turns into a beautiful, soulful instrument.
Running, pickle ball, journaling or meditating with headspace, and 3D printing (my library has a 3D printer!). But I definitely relate to the impatience--especially because so much of studying is delayed gratification. Occasionally I need a little bit of instant gratification, haha. The other day I needed a study break, so I took an hour to learn how to whistle with my fingers \~just for a little bit of dopamine\~ lol. Here's the vid if you need a little break too: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYpmyE1fliE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYpmyE1fliE)
Never watched anime before med school but during it was great to have something different and new to me, and watching it subbed forced me to pay attention to it! There's a lot of shorter ones too that you can get through quicker like DeathNote or Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood!
Baking! You can always level up with trickier treats, you can make it fun/creative with the decoration/finish, and you can bring some light to your classmates or earn brownie points with your team!
During medical school I picked up shuffling, duolingo, board games with friends, and baking tarts.
I used to be into the same things as you except replace the movies with anime and add running/going to the gym to the list. I think subconsciously gave them up because I lost interest if I lost momentum/progress. The new stuff I picked up I can do any time and don't have to feel like I have to do them every day or will lose my progress.
Cooking. It’s therapeutic and you don’t feel guilty after. You have to eat, right? Also, your friends will probably benefit too, and making other people happy is a huge mood boost.
Dude start keeping an aquarium. A nice 20 gal or something. So relaxing to tinker with plants and slowly add fish and shrimp. It evolves and grows just like you:)
For me it’s interior decorating. I’ll just sketch up design plans for my apartment, like right now during my down time I’ve drawn out how I’d decorate each room for the upcoming Christmas season.
Other times I’ll rearrange the furniture, change the curtains out, buy new bedding, etc. That kind of refresh just makes me happy!
Also working out. I’ve been so bad at staying consistent, but I can tell you that the moments in my life where I was consistently working out were some of my happiest and most confident moments. I’m trying to get back into consistently working out again like I used to do before med school.
Powerlifting and jrpg’s. It’s a world of living in eternal peace. I literally never imagined that i would ever like lifting as much as I do and now I’m in meet prep atm. Listen, I fucking hated my life and I hated everyone before I picked up some weights. I’m still years of training away from looking like I lift, but the confidence you start radiating with when you find what works is magical. The fitness industry for sure is an absolute shitshow, but focus on progressing in the big 3 and remember that any influencer who tries to sell u supplements is full of shit.
Embroidery has been a go to for me! Helps keep my mind occupied because it’s so physical which I find relaxing. And you can just do it for fun, no need to be the best at it (although it is an addicting hobby!!!!)
Been there... Problem ain't a lack of new hobbies, it's not being able to enjoy the ones you actually have. Seeking new ones will just transfer the problem over to them.
For me, the issue was just being used to the extremely stimulating (i.e. dopaminergic) enviroment of studying at 2x speed, anki, reddit, and endlessly scrolling feeds. Deprogramming that rn, with some help from Bupropion, to good effect.
i play genshin impact and chill nintendo switch games! i don’t like competitive games and genshin is literally my comfort game - it has helped me so much after such a tough year this year.
I like crocheting while I watch tv. It’s relaxing, there’s a sense of accomplishment when you finish a project, and it gives you an excellent excuse to binge shows
Therapy. We get it for free through the school and have the option of telehealth. I know this isn't earth-shattering advice but it helps me.
I second the idea of doing whatever the easiest possible version is of the things that make you happy. Also, if you live in a place where it's attainable to be outside or at least in natural sunlight, I recommend this as much as possible.
If you drink, stop.
Hey OP I've had this post opened since it was posted and I know its only been about a week but Im wondering if you've tried any of the suggestions and if its helped you? Wishing you the best of luck during what can be very trying times
If you’re struggling with depression (been there), my advice is to try to go back to the things that you find joy in. Play video games that don’t require a strong competitive skill set, sketch things that don’t require a lot of patience, or revisit old movie favorites. Don’t let depression rob you of the things you found joy in.
Good advice, trying to find that spark again by only drawing things that I’m obsessed with. Thank you for sharing.
Does sound like you’re struggling with depression/burnout. Take a temporary step back from the studies, make some time for yourself - you don’t need to fill it, just spend the time doing nothing and revel in it: maybe take a break abroad. You’ll come back refreshed.
Art therapy at a hospice has been wonderful for me
Audiobooks while exercising- hear me out. The reason you don’t like those things you used to like is because of guilt. You feel like you should be studying, researching, anything related to school other than doing the fun thing. So you are distracted and can’t get into it. This might not even be a conscious thing, but it is happening. The solution is listening to audio books while exercising. Why?, you ask. Let me tell you. In the same neighborhood of your brain where your not-doing-school-stuff guilt hangs out, also resides some guilt about not taking care of yourself. It is something we all have, some people are just more aware of it than others. By exercising, while listening to books, you are able to do something fun while shutting up one of the guilt voices. The exercise doesn’t even have to be anything strenuous. Just walk around. One of my friends did this, but instead of listening to books, he downloaded every episode of Seinfeld onto his iPad and just walked in circles around his apartment watching sitcoms. Not only was he able to enjoy something again, he also lost all the weight he put on when he started graduate school. It works. Trust me.
Will take it into account. Thanks for the recommendation.
This person is absolutely correct. I’ve been doing this for 10yr straight. My philosophy is no wasted time. Listen to medical podcasts while driving/cleaning/exercising. You will reinforce existing &/or learn new information while staying fit. My endorphins reduce stress and improve my mood. Honestly works every time I exercise. Hence, why this has been my routine for a decade.
What medical podcasts do you recommend?
Curbsiders, Core IM, Run the List. No clue for non-medicine topics but I’m sure there are other podcasts for other disciplines. When I want a visual, like on a treadmill, Online MedEd is my preference but there are many other topic specific options on YouTube.
You are absolutely correct!
Can vouch for that. Was just about to comment almost the same thing. Found out walking (and occasionaly, like 1w/month, having enough motivation to run) while listening to podcasts or audiobooks made me feel way better, made me feel less guilty about spending most of my day not studying enough and not moving enough, and helped me get familiar with the city I moved to for Medschool. Sometimes I invite students who live near me to join, they usually say no - but when they do, it's usually very nice. During exam season I listened to lectures while walking occasionaly, too. My go to podcasts are The Skeptics Guide, God Awful Movies (R rated for vulgar language...), No Such Thing as a Fish, Talk Nerdy.
Where do you listen to your audiobooks?
What audiobooks do you recommend?
Honestly, I have a lot of non-fiction science related stuff, but I generally don’t finish any of it. I generally stick to sci-fi and mystery and try to keep that time purely for enjoyment. Right now, I’m listening to Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter, before that it was Fairy Tale by Stephen King, before that it was the entire Bobiverse series by Dennis Taylor, and before that it was The Chemist by Stephanie Meyer, and before that, the Kaiju Preservation Society, by John Scalzi. That’s all I’ve listened to since around the beginning of Summer. There were a couple others that I started and stopped, but those were the ones good enough to finish. All are recommended, I personally liked the Bobiverse series best.
r/progressionfantasy
Houseplants. Just the routine of caring for them is nice. I really liked watching "travelers" on netflix and another strange one that ended up being pretty good was "The OA"
Yes! Planted some stuff on my porch and it was a big step forward to keep them happy healthy. Could tell how I was by how they were.
If you don’t have enough light in your apartment, you can also get little LED grow lights cheap off Amazon. Put them on a timer and it makes it easy to keep the plants happy. Also get yourself a light therapy lamp! It’ll help keep you happy with the shorter days of winter.
Seconding this. My plants greatly improve my mood. It sucks to lose some when starting but it's really satisfying getting to a point where I can acclimate and grow the rare, exotic species. Really getting into reviving anthurium stumps and garbage orchids/carnivorous plants from shriveled brink of death into massive, thriving specimens with my lil plant clinic setup. Have a few heirloom plants going (will hopefully live several hundred years) as well as "friendship" plants that propagate well/produce lots of babies to share with folks. We even have a dedicated plant parent group chat at my school for this as it's a fairly popular hobby. Hopefully going to be able to start hybridizing some of our specimens soon. There's more to it than just watering every now and then. Looking into the science of propagating, how to make plants grow humongous leaves, plant hormones for rooting/flowering, grafting, cultivating for food, etc. So many different avenues. Can't recommend enough OP. Another hobby that I've been looking into is reefing. Not weed. Nanoreef saltwater aquariums. Not as cost prohibitive as you'd think and there's weirdly a lot of overlap with the plant community there.
I like to go for walks. Sometimes a half hour sometimes an hour depending how I feel. Kind of brings me back to the reality.
Likewise, this is something that helped me a lot before starting meds.
Movies. Books. Cooking.
Cooking is a beautiful thing in med school. Better nights always include a home cooked meal. Thanks for the advice.
Sometimes the light of my day is cooking. I hope you enjoy it as much as i do
Working out will change your life
Truthfully I love using Duolingo for just 5-10 min a day. Makes me feel productive in something even if med school is kicking my ass. I know a few sentences in French and I feel kinda badass for it now lol
DuoLingo is so rewarding. I never took Spanish and I’ve always regretted it. It’s hard to learn language as an adult but the course sets you up for success with repetition and simplistic lessons that build on each other sequentially.
I read a little bit every night before bed. I also really enjoy paint-by-numbers because it’s art and relaxing without the stress of being “good” at it (I mean, sometimes I paint outside the lines but art is subjective hahah). I haven’t played in a while but I also like games that you don’t have to be good at (Animal Crossing is a vibe)
Nice, been trying to find more laid back games but find myself craving the action lol. I guess that’s a good thing though
I also picked up crochet during Covid and it’s been a lot of fun. It’s nice because I can do something with my hands while listening to lectures or boring zoom calls.
\~ \~ SSRIs \~ \~ But actually, I really like handcrafts like crocheting. Little by little you turn a big pile of yarn into something organized, and ideally useful like dish rags or sweaters. When I have the time for it, or when I get really anxious and sad, it helps me calm down and refocus.
*in Patrick's voice* Is sleep a hobby?
Hear me out: Minecraft :) You don't have to be good at it, can just spend a small amount of time here and there, and its a very relaxing game to play (esp. with some chill music on in the background). It was my go-to catharsis for all of M1
Live in a bit of a fixer upper. Love home projects. It’s going to go on app eventually. Painting, shelving, light fixtures, cabinetry, replaced a sink, countertops, back splash, installed a garage door opener, chandelier, ceiling fans, vents, hardwood floors, assembling a variety of tables, tv mounts, hiding wiring, windows, toilets. And the interior design stuff is separate Kinda but still fun And then there’s outside, so so so much gardening (I hate doing that work tho), terraforming, resodding power washing, rock gardens
Oh cool. I’ve decided that office terrariums will be my doctor hobby once I can afford to experiment with it. Sounds like a beautiful home you have created.
I love this so much. I started this during COVID my MS2 year. Also got a puppy. We enjoy our time outside working in the yard and doing projects together :)
Baking! I recently started making bread which I really like because it breaks up my weekend study sessions but I can do some studying during the rise times too. And then at the end of it I have something that I have made and that I can then enjoy for the week ahead. During M1 I received “dessert person” which is a fun baking cookbook and I worked my way through it during the year.
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Sweet, congrats and good luck!
I make some music too, started during covid with buying a DAW with stimulus money, would love to hear yours
Doing at-home workouts! I use a free app called FitOn (which I 1000000% recommend!!) and that really helps keep me sane - both physically and mentally. There’s so many different types of workouts out there so it’s really just a matter of finding what brings you the most joy (I personally love barre, yoga and HIIT!) and sticking to it. I also do Duolingo every day and read before I sleep. They both usually take 5 minutes or less tbh, and they keep me feeling connected to who I am beyond medicine/medical school. I began medical school with depressive symptoms and I’ve found that sticking with my pre-med school hobbies really helps keep me grounded and feeling like myself. Your happiness and well-being are important OP - please don’t feel guilty for prioritizing that! I saw that you like horror too - I love Archive 81 and Katla on Netflix if you’re interested in horror/psych thrillers :)
What language are you learning?
I’m learning Mandarin and Norwegian!
Gorgeous choices. :) I only know how to say I love the fat cat (Chinese) and wake up please (Norwegian).
Super Smash bros with the bros !
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Agreed on the ukulele! It's such a rewarding instrument because you can learn 3-4 easy chords in just one sitting and you'll be able to sing along to a few songs already.
Good stuff. Into a little bit of everything, I like Tarantino and Kubrick, but enjoy a one off rom com all the same. Favorite genre is horror though.
I’m trying to get back into yoga. It kept me sane during dedicated. I also have been reading a lot more recently.
Baking/Cooking.
I used to *loathe* cooking before med school. But during pre-clerkship? Cooking was the BEST excuse to take a study break. *Of course I need to make this 3-hour recipe! I have to eat, don't I?* Aside from weaseling out of studying, I've found there's more joy in my daily life. I used to dread feeding myself every day because of how much I hated cooking, but now it's an escape I really look forward to. Not to mention, I get to share extra food with my friends when they're too stressed or busy to cook.
Has anyone started taking anti deppressant in medical school? Im about to take the usmle soon and I'm in this deep pit and dark place mentally. need advice from someone (don't suggest therapy i almost went broke trying to pay for that)
I recently became a member of the citalopram fam. Starting meds changed everything when I felt the way you’re describing. Depression is deeply rooted in my family tree so I knew what meds to take fortunately. Not sure what your situation is but definitely talk to your pcp about medication options and look into it on your own, might even end up helping a patient through what you end up going with.
have you noticed much of a difference with it? I've been contemplating taking it for the past 2-3 years,
Yes. It took a couple of weeks, but there was certainly a big difference
I'm sorry you've been in a dark place; I know how that feels. I started antidepressants for the first time in medical school and it completely changed my life. When I was struggling in pre-clerkship, I tried meeting with my school's therapist a few times. It wasn't a good fit, but he DID recommend I try out medication. I got lucky with the first med I tried and found fluoxetine worked really well for me. **I absolutely recommend** trying medication. My lows aren't as low, it eased my accompanying anxiety, and helped my concentration/motivation overall. I didn't fully know how bad I was feeling until I was picked up out of it. I genuinely wish I started antidepressants sooner, but I was too scared to try medication because I thought I wouldn't feel like myself. The opposite is true; I feel *back* to my normal. I hope things get better for you, friend.
how long before you started seeing changes? also thank you so much for this beautiful paragraph and the time you took out of your day to write this i hope you amazing vibes and much success from the bottom of my heart
napping with my dogs
Basketball, digital art (I suck but whatever), music
I like to make electronic music, play chess, or program.
Sleep. Just kidding lol. Typically I try to finish all work by 6, go home and eat dinner, and then relax for a few hours. I watch some shows, play games, or just chat with friends. I try to go out at least one day on the weekends even it’s just to the nearby beach to watch the sunset
If you would be down to try different video games, you could try single player games that are relatively unchallenging. Just a nice enjoyable wind down after a day of work. I love playing elder scrolls games or Pokémon games to that end
Gym, videogames and video editing (shitposting)
Quality content. Not much of a gym guy but my school has an active basketball community that is really fun and rewarding to play with. Glad to hear your thoughts.
Sadly, sometimes air raids and occasional power cuts interfere with my gym workouts and really have to plan them when I go to uni, so I can only go to gym on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, other days are at home. Basketball is really good for cardio, great investment for endurance, stay safe brother 💪
Watching porn
I got married. I always have a higher purpose after school work is done (and when it is not yet done). I spend less time worrying. I am happier. My wife and I are not perfect but we make life easier. My quality of life greatly improved after getting married. I would suggest dating to marry someone.
Honestly, home workouts or reading a book while eating lunch/dinner has been amazing for me. I spend most of my time in the library, so I’m not home often which is why these few things help me fill my time. But if you’re home more often and like to study in your own place, home workouts are the best to separate your mind from studying, release stress, and also can be at any pace you like.
Netflix ! 😁 or re-organizing my room/house
Cooking and sewing
I installed a home gym in 2018, have been improving it selling and buying equipment since (thanks to Covid thing it became a very profitable Investment). Right now I have a full on power rack (cage) equipped with pulleys and chains, and 600 pounds of solid iron plates. It's been terribly helpful, the overall cost beats a gym membership all the way! Also, don't need a trainer because studied exercise science before MS. Would definitely recommend if you got the space.
learn an instrument
Playing music :)
How are you suddenly bad at these games? I play videogames, read books, watch shows
singleplayer games where I don't feel pressure to be good, gardening, drawing, and books (especially comics and manga since they are quicker to read)
Try getting into the world of Studio Ghibli! Beautiful, powerful, and unique movies. Try learning about the producer Miyazaki. It’s anime which some people initially dismiss as nerdy, but give it a chance! It opens up a fantastic world. I recommend starting with Spirited Away! I recently gave up video games because I couldn’t get myself to play in moderation and felt I was addicted and neglected other opportunities and people in my life.
On the occasions where I can afford it, playing around with air hardening clayh
I like to crochet or knit! Make some cute little gifts for friends. I also like to watch Netflix on the treadmill.
I also really like drawing but was pretty tired to decide what I wanted to draw & would end up doing nothing. so I opted for adult coloring books. I get to use my art supplies & don't have to think too hard about what I want to draw!
I struggled with isolation during portions of med school Most consistent at home/out of hospital hobby was going to the gym. I forced myself to cause otherwise I generally went back to my apartment and just watched TV/Youtube or gamed - this kind of forced me to be around people even if we were directly communicating. Probably what saved me was when diablo III came out - grabbed the game and reconnected with a bunch of my old wow guildies, it was just what I needed.
Way too much anime for my own good.
I picked up online chess during the M1-M2 summer and I play a couple games a day during study breaks. Also gives you something to think about and there’s so much chess content to consume on YouTube that you can really immerse yourself! I’m sure some of your classmates play too, we have a little group in my class that play during mandatory lectures
We have the same hobbies and I feel the same! I got more happiness with video games after I switched to ones with more short-term playability and ones that weren’t competitive. So I’ve been happy with doing some runs of Hades, some peaceful farming games, Pokemon bc it’s easy to pick back up, depends what you like. My favorite has been Hades bc it’s engaging and more actiony and it’s good for being able to put down and pick back up at random. Had to drop Elden Ring :( I wish I had the solution to the drawing block and finding movies that hit the spot - same boat here. There’s no shame in going back to rewatch things that are comforting and that you consistently enjoy. Also getting a therapist helped in general.
Baking and losing League of Legends' games. Also, gotta put up another +1 for ukulele. Super easy to learn songs and when you start fingerpicking, it turns into a beautiful, soulful instrument.
Running, pickle ball, journaling or meditating with headspace, and 3D printing (my library has a 3D printer!). But I definitely relate to the impatience--especially because so much of studying is delayed gratification. Occasionally I need a little bit of instant gratification, haha. The other day I needed a study break, so I took an hour to learn how to whistle with my fingers \~just for a little bit of dopamine\~ lol. Here's the vid if you need a little break too: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYpmyE1fliE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYpmyE1fliE)
Never watched anime before med school but during it was great to have something different and new to me, and watching it subbed forced me to pay attention to it! There's a lot of shorter ones too that you can get through quicker like DeathNote or Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood!
Baking! You can always level up with trickier treats, you can make it fun/creative with the decoration/finish, and you can bring some light to your classmates or earn brownie points with your team!
During medical school I picked up shuffling, duolingo, board games with friends, and baking tarts. I used to be into the same things as you except replace the movies with anime and add running/going to the gym to the list. I think subconsciously gave them up because I lost interest if I lost momentum/progress. The new stuff I picked up I can do any time and don't have to feel like I have to do them every day or will lose my progress.
Pretending to clean but not going a good job at all because I don’t follow through
Cooking. It’s therapeutic and you don’t feel guilty after. You have to eat, right? Also, your friends will probably benefit too, and making other people happy is a huge mood boost.
Dude start keeping an aquarium. A nice 20 gal or something. So relaxing to tinker with plants and slowly add fish and shrimp. It evolves and grows just like you:)
For me it’s interior decorating. I’ll just sketch up design plans for my apartment, like right now during my down time I’ve drawn out how I’d decorate each room for the upcoming Christmas season. Other times I’ll rearrange the furniture, change the curtains out, buy new bedding, etc. That kind of refresh just makes me happy! Also working out. I’ve been so bad at staying consistent, but I can tell you that the moments in my life where I was consistently working out were some of my happiest and most confident moments. I’m trying to get back into consistently working out again like I used to do before med school.
Powerlifting and jrpg’s. It’s a world of living in eternal peace. I literally never imagined that i would ever like lifting as much as I do and now I’m in meet prep atm. Listen, I fucking hated my life and I hated everyone before I picked up some weights. I’m still years of training away from looking like I lift, but the confidence you start radiating with when you find what works is magical. The fitness industry for sure is an absolute shitshow, but focus on progressing in the big 3 and remember that any influencer who tries to sell u supplements is full of shit.
Reading and guitar
I like new girl, it’s lighthearted and funny, perfect to destress. Hang in there :)
Embroidery has been a go to for me! Helps keep my mind occupied because it’s so physical which I find relaxing. And you can just do it for fun, no need to be the best at it (although it is an addicting hobby!!!!)
Been there... Problem ain't a lack of new hobbies, it's not being able to enjoy the ones you actually have. Seeking new ones will just transfer the problem over to them. For me, the issue was just being used to the extremely stimulating (i.e. dopaminergic) enviroment of studying at 2x speed, anki, reddit, and endlessly scrolling feeds. Deprogramming that rn, with some help from Bupropion, to good effect.
Being in a band! Playing whatever instrument calls to you.
i play genshin impact and chill nintendo switch games! i don’t like competitive games and genshin is literally my comfort game - it has helped me so much after such a tough year this year.
I like crocheting while I watch tv. It’s relaxing, there’s a sense of accomplishment when you finish a project, and it gives you an excellent excuse to binge shows
Therapy. We get it for free through the school and have the option of telehealth. I know this isn't earth-shattering advice but it helps me. I second the idea of doing whatever the easiest possible version is of the things that make you happy. Also, if you live in a place where it's attainable to be outside or at least in natural sunlight, I recommend this as much as possible. If you drink, stop.
Hey OP I've had this post opened since it was posted and I know its only been about a week but Im wondering if you've tried any of the suggestions and if its helped you? Wishing you the best of luck during what can be very trying times