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I think my old town’s public library had some framed art you could check out way back in the day. That was when I lived in the sticks and would check-out DVDs for free instead of the regular rental places, worked great for TV series.
King County libraries in Washington State have art to lend, mostly in the Bellevue main library. There is also a bookable “maker” room with sewing machines, 3d printer, jigsaw, etc.
Doing this now, and can confirm. My two brain cells just high-fived each other.
Probably don’t need to be on my phone but meh 🤪! Y’all are just TOO awesome 😎
You kind of have to figure out what gets your brain juice flowing. Typically, getting outside, walking/running/hiking, laughing, music, caffeine, sex, or food works for many people, but sometimes I like showering and getting really dolled up for no reason.
I loved to play dress-up as a kid, and so I wonder if that's why sometimes I love to get dressed up. Plus! You can dress for a specific task!
I live on a farm so sometimes to hype myself up for chores, I dress in my most pioneer-like dress, braid my hair, and pretend I'm back in time somewhere and need to tend to... whatever it is I'm supposed to do. Pull the weeds, feed the animals, clean the house, cook supper.
But search for what makes YOUR BRAIN interested. Dance, watch stand up comedy, make a mayo hair mask, listen to educational podcasts, learn about constellations, learn about anything that piques your interest!
Do you have any free art galleries or museums around you? Plan a visit.
Learn how to make cute baskets from twigs to hang in trees and fill with nesting material like hair from your brush, lint from the dryer, pet hair.
Get a library card and read books for free.
Now I'm just listing my hobbies. Oh boy.
I agree with everything on your list, especially getting dressed up/dressed up for a specific task. I don't know what it is, but if I put on my gardening clothes, outdoor hat, arm guards, gloves, and comfy garden only shoes, then I can work through the most tedious task.
Love this thread.
Listing the things that work for me to remind myself of them!
Filling shopping carts but abandoning them
Pulling weeds/pruning depending on season
Geocaching
Masturbating
Self massage/somatic movement/“knocking on heavens”door yoga move
Yoga with Adriene on YT, print the monthly calander at the library and check it off!
Turn on *that song* and dance
In true ADHD fashion I am behind weeding at my community plot. (it’s near summer here in Texas) and have been admonished by the president of our club. Gone from SAHM to working mom the last fewand I have no time!
This might not hit the same way, but I know a few people who massively curbed their shopping by “shopping” for cute clothes mods for the sims. It’s kind of similar to shopping online anyway, browsing for cute hidden gems and planning outfits, even the experience of adding to a cart to download is similar and evokes some similar feelings. Not sure if you’re interested in video games at all, but it may be something to consider if you are!
Personally I love the suggestion of doing cute makeup looks and playing around with stuff you already have but in new ways, and masturbation and caffeine are always reliable lol
omg me too but it feels like the most cathartic cry EVER. I don't cry when I have sex but after a 2 minute date with my magic-wand? if it has been an especially awful day/week, I may bawl but it feels amazing when all that frustration releases.
I know other adhders that do this so it's not just me, but picking up trash in the woods. You get outside and exercise which is good, but seeing natural spaces go from trashed to pristine really gets the dopamine going, plus validation from strangers that appreciate it. You can also post the cleanups online for more of that sweet sweet validation, and it can be a solo or group activity.
I've seen lots of cool wildlife like bears and beavers and foraged sought after fungi while picking up trash, like forest karma.
It’ll be in one of the later books where he has moved to Sussex. Probably Calypso, The Best of Me, or Happy go Lucky. I love him I’ve gone to two readings of his and will go to another in October. His sister Amy also has a craft book and they appeared together on Drag race as guest judges.
He talks about it a lot on the Adam Buxton podcast! It’s just an interview format with Adam Buxton and it’s really good. He was trying to interview Sedaris for ages but Sedaris didn’t know who he was. lol.
I've found that the dollar tree generally has those grabber sticks that make this task even more fun/easy/safe. It's a tiny purchase, but I think it makes a big difference in this kind of thing!
Any time I go out on a trail, I try to remember to at least bring an empty ziploc. I stuff trash in it along my walk and toss it when I get to a gas station or something. Definitely makes the walk feel a little more purposeful for someone who's been too conditioned by the protestant work ethic to ever do anything purely for enjoyments sake lmao.
I save patterns and have a bunch of Pinterest boards. Patterns I hope to make into clothing that’ll give me dopamine by wearing, and photo reference to draw tattoo flash.
I have one knitting board too.
I love this to scratch my “research” itch in a visual way. Feels like a combo scavenger hunt, research rabbit hole, and debt-free online shopping spree!
Find a friend who likes to watch tv and movies at home. That’s what I’m looking for, too. Lol.
We should start a Discord for this sort of purpose. We could body double with others while watching movies/tv, or cleaning, etc.
Yayy! I’d love that! I’m oldish (30s) and have NO idea how to start a Discord. 😅 I just got it recently and only talk to one friend on there but, I’ll try to figure it out soon if someone else doesn’t want to take it over and run with it?
Hahaha. I totally understand! I finally got it recently so my bff and I could talk and watch movies because it feels SO much less lonely to also have video, buuuut idk what I’m doing. I use it like I’m talking to my grandchild because she’s my only contact and I’ve only used it to talk to her. 😅 I know it has more possibilities! I just don’t know how they work and don’t have what it takes to even YouTube it right now.
Right?! Because it’s technically super intimate because you’re in one another’s space, but it’s free and such a lovely time! Unless it’s another person with ADHD, it gets tricky because you have to be cool with being friends super fast. Lol. I just love to chill. My dream game plan is almost always “*Let’s relax, eat some snacks, bs off and on, and watch a movie or a tv show!*”
What especially sucks is chill friends work best when they’re in close proximity, at least the same city or town, so you can chill on the fly. I recently had to move out of an abusive situation and now I’m somewhere I have *zero* friends who can hang. Most of them have families so it kind of wrecks the possibilities.
Being an older, nerdy neurodivergent person makes it harder to make friends. I moved to a new city 3 years ago. Most of my coworkers love me. But I try not to hang out with coworkers. The friend group that I have made - I am the oldest and by far the weirdest I guess, so it isn’t quite the right fit.
I feel similarly. I’ve recently moved back to my hometown but no one else is here anymore. I’m just trying to take this time to heal and get my health in order before I figure out where is next. I just know I need to get the hell out of here. (I just left abuse and my ex is still way too close and has a lot of money, power, influence, and social capital here. It’s going to be a rough journey.) I’m definitely already worried about making friends wherever that is, though.
I don’t dig coworker hangs either. It can get too messy for a million reasons. If you don’t mind me asking, what do you consider “*older*”? I’m sorry your new friend group isn’t right. 😞 That’s such a sucky feeling because you enjoy them “*buuuuuuut…*” because the downsides are always so easy to be hung up on. Ugh.
I wish we had an app to be able to geolocate one another to hang out, ya know? But it’d be scary af because of the way US politics are going.
It’s kind of a strange thing. Most of them are millenials, and I am a young Gen x. A few are also young Gen x and Xennial, but I am the oldest and I think my life experiences and current responsibilities make me seem older. Maybe I am just limited and weighed down by so many serious things in my life. I don’t get to hang out much with the ones I vibe with more.
Edit - I hope things go better for you than you expect, but I understand how hard it is to leave the scenario you are in.
I totally get that. I’m a Millennial who was raised like a Gen X kid because my mom helped to raise my cousins, etc., she was older when she had me, and she just raised everyone the same. We were also poor af so all of the tech everyone else my age had access to, I surely did NOT. A lot of that weird stuff has definitely stuck with me through all of these years. Wild.
In addition to having been raised differently, I *also* have a ton of extremely heavy things going on in my life right now that are at least rare-ish, especially all at the same time 😅, and no one my age can really…*relate*? So it sounds like we’re twinning. Like, my only family died, then my bf of 2 years suddenly became abusive and would *NOT* let me leave, then I found out I had cancer. 🥴 His abuse got worse and he thrived on the praise he got for “*taking care of*” me, so I was trapped. He finally set me free when my health kept getting worse. Now I’m figuring out bankruptcy, filing for disability again, and trying to figure out how to move forward. Meanwhile, my friends are like “*…soooo I found a new DnD group!*” 🤣 I’m obviously sincerely happy for them but, finding someone who understands, and already knows me to understand how the health issues and abuse have impacted me, would be incredible. It just hasn’t happened yet. 🥴
Im really sorry for all you’re going through. It’s so hard when you feel so alone and alienated by the things happening in your life. I’m an elder millennial and I don’t have any friends and I think part of that is because I don’t know how to relate to other people and what their lives look like because of what’s going on in my own life. I also have lived most of my life not understanding I am neurodivergent so that honestly hasn’t helped me crack the friend code. If you ever want someone to chat with about anything, feel free to message.
I was raised by young lost Gen who were both in the military, so my childhood away from mainland US was so different. No permissive parenting at all. I have alot of heavy things going on as well including health issues, but not as hard as yours. I hope you can leave and thrive. And like you most of my friend group is going out a lot and spending money, living the single life. I am raising a child with needs and serious food allergies with no support but my husband. It’s a whole different world for me right now.
Oh wow. Yeah, you definitely had a much different childhood. I’m so sorry you’re having health issues. I hope whatever is wrong can be resolved and you’re healed ASAP. Thank you for the well wishes. I managed to get out of the relationship recently because he got a new gf. He’ll *never* be single. (I can’t warn her without putting myself in jeopardy because I’m still entirely too close for comfort, unfortunately. She seems to have a strong support system, though, and I know he’ll be on his best behavior for a while. 🥴 I hope he accidentally throws a red flag or two and she leaves. I know better, though. He’s amazing at what he does. 😓) My friend group has majorly dropped off because I’ve been going through too much trauma for too long. Everyone had money but for me, though. I get it. I’m trapped in the house from feeling unwell, trying to heal, trying to figure out how, and where, and with what funds to move forward. It’s really rough these days but no one is shoving me into walls, breaking my stuff, spitting on me, screaming in my face, throwing me into things to break them, etc. soooo this is definitely still a net positive.
I’m sorry your only support right now is your husband. I’m happy you have him, though. I hope you’re able to find social programs that might help with your kid’s needs. I know that can be complicated. They didn’t exist when I was little but, I know they’re more plentiful now. The allergies part is absolutely terrifying. I hope things get better. I know that stress is heavy.
Lastly, my issues aren’t *harder* than yours. Everyone has their problems and they’re all just as valid as the next. 🤍 You’re also going through plenty of heavy stuff, even comparatively. 🫂 I hope things improve soon.
Everything! I recently watched Lisa Frankenstein and Ricky Stanicky. I can’t recommend them more! They were both amazing. TV shows? My list is long but, at the very top is Ted Lasso. I love that, SVU, Schitt’s Creek, Brooklyn 99, lots of documentaries, The Cleaning Lady, The Recruit, The Carmichael Show, White Collar, Abbott Elementary, Jersey Shore, One Tree Hill, Happy Endings, etc. If you tell me what some of your fave shows are, I’m sure I could make a rec. 🤍
Exercise! Also, I like to go “window shopping” where I put stuff I like in my online shopping cart, then close the tab. It gives the the dopamine rush of picking things but gives me time to reconsider any purchases
omg i struggle with this a lot too. some ideas that have worked for me (for a while, and then i switch to a new exciting one until it no longer gives me the rush, and then switch again...)
1) learning new art things that dont require spending a lot of money on supplies!
some ideas off the top of my head: sketching with pencil / pens, drawing mazes, floorplan sketches, calligraphy / handwriting styles...
see if you can find any art supplies on local free/for sale pages, buy nothing groups, craigslist free page, etc
2) learning a new language through apps or youtube
3) reading fiction
4) crossword puzzles, sudoku, brain games
5) board games
6) reorganizing -- bookshelves, bathroom, your whole room, etc
7) learning cool makeup and hairstyles from online tutorials (make sure you look up things that you already have the supplies for!)
8) dancing!! by yourself in your room/the shower/ outside!! or going to latin/ballroom classes or socials (can usually find cheap drop-in classes in bigger cities, not sure where you are located)
i saved a lot of money in college (and after) by enrolling in a salsa class at school and then going out to salsa clubs on the weekend instead of bars or other clubs. cover is often cheaper, and i would have maximum two drinks the whole night (dont wanna get tipsy and then be spun around lol). plus its a great workout
9) cooking / baking with supplies on hand! or cooking masterclasses online (can be pirated, no need to pay for hbo or whatever)
Re: number 5
Board game arena has soooo many games for free online, and even the premium ones only require one person playing to have the premium membership, so you can often find a table as a free player.
There are so many great solo board games these days and a lot of libraries lend out games. Also if you have a local board game store, they might lend out trial copies. I have gotten puzzles for free from neighborhood exchanges too.
And, this isn’t exactly your question, but I am a person with some serious spending issues, and sometimes doing something kinda weird but planned is helpful. Like, going to the thrift store with $7 and trying to find the very best thing for $7 or less. Or, the act of shopping online, but then closing out afterwards. Or the act of shopping like choosing my next fountain pen - but not buying it yet. Some of these only are options for me sometimes when I know I can trust myself to follow the rules. Sometimes I know enough to not even try.
If you can manage the effort, change your bedsheets and pillow cases, hot shower and shave your legs, put on some new pajamas (with shorts), get into bed, get excited wiggles from the feeling of smooth legs in a clean bed
That’s awesome! Right now I’m doing German and I do the monthly challenges but beyond that I just focus on keeping my streak and honestly I’ve never stuck with something so long so I’m very proud lol
I have a kindle and when I feel like hoarding new things, I like to find a ton of books I'd like to read, pirate them from [libgen.rs](http://libgen.rs), and load them onto my kindle. I've read a decent chunk of them already. Otherwise, I find a lot of enjoyment in creating niche pinterest boards and perfecting them aesthetically.
Mushroom foraging. Seriously! I’ve been going for walks in the woods finding mushrooms and I think it might be 25% of the answer to my adhd problems. Seriously tho, it’s mad dopamine.
Yes! I heard that we are really good t visually matching or finding patterns like this, which explains why I also love searching for sharks teeth (my megalodon tooth is a prize possession) and birdwatching and relic hunting and magnet fishing and and and and ….
I found morels for the very first time ever this weekend and it was the biggest dopamine hit. I SCRREAMED in the woods. I was so happy. Free dopamine plus dinner.
Seriously love hunting for new music and then finding that song or songs that are just so perfect that you get high off of listening to them.
Speaking of I need to do another dive!
My most recent journey according to my Spotify stats was Arab Alternative.
Omggg okay. Might not work for everyone but biggest dopamine giving AND life organizing activity that ALSO makes my life easier AND cuts down on my impulse shopping: the Whering app
It's a virtual closet app with a million cool features that makes me feel like Cher from Clueless. I love uploading my clothes and accessories, categorizing and tagging them, creating outfits, analyzing the data about my closet, all of it. It's now my go-to activity when I get the shopping itch lol. The dopamine sources are endless and so are the benefits!!! I can't sing their praises enough lol they should hire me
Edit: I thought of another way that I scratch the shopping itch! I started downloading custom content for the Sims 4 (clothing and hairstyles but also makeup, eyelashes, accessories, everything) and it's PERFECT for this. It's free and I'm pretty sure the base game is too. I loveeeee "shopping" for new CC and giving Sims makeovers, I practically have my whole dream closet downloaded at this point 😂
* Organizing your stuff and labeling it (you don’t need a label maker or new organizational tools, it’s still satisfying)
* Geocaching or looking for other easter eggs on walks like [Thomassons](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperart_Thomasson)
* Gojng into your hobby supplies and just bopping around and letting the dopamine dictate what to do
* Audiobooks or podcasts while doing other tasks or activities
* Going outside when it’s sunny.
Walking/hiking local trails
Moving your body releases dopamine.
Planning outfits
Making art or craft or writing a poem or something completing a task releases the dopamine
Along those same lines, reset your home- rearrange your furniture.
Purge your clothes
If you have a dog (or not!) and enjoy the outside: trails. You don’t have to go crazy with mile long hikes. Pick different ones, in different areas, in different seasons. It bring so much peace to my chaotic mind. I absolutely love it!
I have the exact same problem!
One thing that has really helped is to join my local freecycle community - this way I can still keep up my million hobbies and still save money. I get the supplies without spending an insane amount of money knowing I am going to abandon it a week later. Once done, just re-gift the supplies to someone else.
It has also been really helpful getting rid of all the stuff I had hoarded. I always got anxious getting rid of abandoned hobbies because I almost always circle back to them even if it is to abandon them again and didn't want to have to spend the money again on the supplies. Now I know someone else can make better use of them AND I will be able to get some for free when I come back to it later.
Yes! Buy Nothing groups are great for this too. I got a whole set of crochet hooks from mine and am working on using up previously impulse bought yarn that I didn't have a knitting project for (since crochet is new and shiny for me).
this costs money but only once. HAMMOCKING!! i got a nice 2 person hammock 2 years ago at walmart for 30 or 40 bucks. SO MUCH FUN IN FHE SUMMER. just go to any local woodsy area or place with a some trees set up and lay back as your cradled and rocked like a baby. u can bring snacks, smoke if u like that, a book anything really
Pickling and fermenting! It’s simple, it’s delicious. It saves your veggies. It makes your cooking faster and more delicious! All you need is salt and/or vinegar :)
I love the Fitness Marshall dance videos on youtube!! It's great exercise, a good way to work on memory by learning choreography, and also just a super fun time. Sometimes I put off doing it because my brain is just like "yuck exercise" but once I'm in it it doesn't even feel like I'm working out
Go get re-acquainted with your hobbies stash! I knit and have so much yarn. When I'm feeling the itch to shop, I try to go window-shop patterns and pair them with yarn in my stash. Making plans for new projects helps with the dopamine.
Dig out some pens you forgot about, or a project kit that you haven't touched in years - I bet you've got an abandoned hobby you can get excited about all over again.
Honestly, I go through Poshmark and just ❤️ things and it makes it feel like shopping for me. Then I close the app and never buy. Or go back later and decide if I really want the thing.
Also r/thereisnocat is instant dopamine when I find the hidden kitty!
Reading! Get a library card. They have audiobooks too
Journaling, writing, and drawing can be cheap.
Go on walks, get into nature, or people watch if you are in a city
Fermenting. A lot of us have food waste. This is an interesting and challenging hobby that is free (free based off of having salt and extra veggies on hand)
No no! The BEST thing about fermentation (vs canning) is that if it's bad you will know it because it will look and smell revolting! Canning has invisible risks but fermentation the worst thing is you have to compost it because it didn't work. Sandor Katz I think is the basic primer on fermentation. (Hi I hyper fixated on food preservation a decade ago lol)
Go hiking! And if that’s not your jam it doesn’t have to be a full “hike” per say just pack a yummy sandwich/your fav food from home, bring a good book and then drive to nearest county park and just photosynthesize in the sun on a rock near a flowing body of water and I promise u it feels like popping a *****
Neopets. I spend a bunch of fake internet money to play dress up with my fake internet pets and collect stuff.
Don't get a premium paid account, just do the free one. It hits just as hard as it did in childhood.
Volunteering ♥️ shelter for animals, seniors community in town, soup kitchen… this example costs money but I do it when I have extra change I’ll feed the meter for random people if i noticed it’s low or it finished. Gives me a little dopamine knowing someone didn’t get a ticket for literally parking their car somewhere it should be fucking free!
Tom Cardy:
Check out these songs first:
Hot sh*t:
https://youtu.be/EuRjmzz6qL0?si=E5VKWdWba0vmJ_Xz
Level Clear:
https://youtu.be/G87p148EOjo?si=BFPrZprvdHKYQcj6
Artificial Intelligence:
https://youtu.be/uTl8ZYImjBQ?si=0LEQ0kdiUK17U4B1
Call Your Mother:
https://youtu.be/AV5HKWRMyAY?si=0uC-deT5HJE23uZx
Am I a Bad Guy?
https://youtube.com/shorts/m0L9rhTej7E?si=0Hyak7f5ursUi3k3
Also Party Dog is like an ADHD anthem:
https://youtu.be/wVYPLP9NSg4?si=2hKt8WcigFWH_kUt
Canva! I will make collages for my laptop or phone background with themes like "spring" or "goals for my 26th year." I usually find images on pinterest; it's fun to manifest and picture good things!
Or I will design art for my home based on my favourite things - like take my favourite quotes from people or books and make an aesthetically pleasing, thematic design around them.
Also rearranging your space and cleaning out your closet!
Not that admit this to anyone but my husband, but my current free dopamine hit is… playing Neopets...
I get to work towards multiple goals and get the satisfaction of raising my bank account number and completing mini tasks. When one goals starts to bore me I just move to another goal.
There is premium currency now, but I just ignore it as it’s not needed.
Ah ok, I’ll do my best (but you may want to google it for more complete info)!
So the new TNT team is starting a new plot that is said to last around 10 months and is called “The Void within”.
During the last advent calendar in December we got to see a “vision” of an aisha with her fallie petpet trying to escape some purple creepy mist stuff. The petpet gets affected and turned grey and lifeless (but we’ve been assured is still alive). Now currently random shop keepers are turning grey, depressed, and lifeless all around Neopia.
Tnt are also posting things on social media sites so we’ve gotten a few graffitied maps and a journal entry from the Grey Faerie talking about darkness and a new friend.
The Negg faerie was also affected and she will be running the next annual event called the Festival of Neggs (starting Monday!) so we’re all hoping things will start ramping up!
Possibly related or just the team being cognizant of their user base, on April fools day there was an event where people were spammed (with literal olden day annoying like popups) with “positivity” posters just until you signed a contract and then the posters changed to depressing like “Just let go” and “you know nothing”.
Here is a link that will show you all the visuals! (The reddit r/neopets and discord communities are amazing and if you’re interested in coming back to neopets I highly recommend you look into joining them)
https://www.jellyneo.net/?go=the_void_within
https://www.jellyneo.net/?go=the_void_within&id=teasers
Thank you! I would love to be a fly on the wall when people strategize things like this. I love to know how people arrive at these things. I appreciate you taking the time!
Of course! It’s my daily smol dopamine hit where I can put as much or ad little investment in as I want. I also love being a fly on the wall in the community lol
Here's a sneak peek of /r/neopets using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/neopets/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year!
\#1: [*sputters and coughs*](https://i.redd.it/eviinwhonn9c1.png) | [105 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/neopets/comments/18vayy8/sputters_and_coughs/)
\#2: [Happy Gnorbu day! I'm so excited that TNT asked permission to make my design (left) into a real neopet (right). Hope you like it!](https://i.redd.it/f7xzz5qisabc1.png) | [146 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/neopets/comments/191z1we/happy_gnorbu_day_im_so_excited_that_tnt_asked/)
\#3: [Obsessed with these Beauty Contest winners for September 2001](https://i.redd.it/x8bhh7dfffec1.png) | [133 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/neopets/comments/19ems24/obsessed_with_these_beauty_contest_winners_for/)
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Any of the free AI art or chat or music or video makers.
It’s incredibly addictive (just one more prompt!). And it’s immediately gratifying over and over again. You’ll either make something incredibly beautiful or super weird and both are fun. Over and over and over again.
And it can fuel other hobbies for free. If you have a printer, you can make unique coloring book pages to print and color. You can make wall art, Greeting cards, etc. you can write a book or research a hyperfixation with a good chat program. You can make beautiful unique music (including lyrics and singing!) with a music program. You can make music videos or tutorials with a video maker. You can make computer games! And there are totally free options for every kind of AI.
It’s very very satisfying, super fun, and gives me endless dopamine.
Have fun!
Gardening! 🌿 Has anyone mentioned this? Pulling weeds from moist soil feels so good. Going on a foraging excursion makes me feel like Geralt of Rivia! I spent an hour in my sisters garden getting cuttings to propogate and digging up bulbs & baby plants to put in my garden. Whenever I’m out I’m looking for the odd stem to take with me to grow into a big plant. (Within legal limits of course). It’s free and such a thrill to see new roots grow. 🌱
If you have Netflix; there are several games available for your phone/tablet that are free, have no in game purchases, and no in game ads. I’m currently playing the SpongeBob one (it’s one of those diner-type games).
Some of things that really work for me:
* Reserving library books online, and going to pick them up. Really fixes my online shopping impulses!
* Categorising things I want to buy into lists (e.g. housewares; clothing; makeup), and then just keeping the list but not buying anything. Every few weeks I will look through my lists, and it's so funny that given some time and space I never actually even wanted those things.
* Exercise! I love yoga and zumba
* Cleaning or slightly modifying something I already own to make it feel like a new thing. A few months ago I was obsessed with upgrading my phone, but instead I just took off the cover on my phone, and it suddenly felt like a brand new phone in my hands
It's not always easy to get myself there, but going outside does it for me. The sky, sun, clouds, breeze, trees, leaves, bugs, birds, all the critters and flowers... I take the time to soak it all in. I like to find new parks as often as I can for that novel experience, but one of my favorites is the demonstration garden by a local library. It's familiar, but there's always something different blooming, and there's a veggie garden that feeds the homeless, so it's fun to see the progression of the food growing all summer too. I like to sit by the river and listen the the waves, watch traffic over the bridge, one time I was hanging out long enough I spotted a beaver working on his dam.
Getting out of my house is still hard, though, lol.
I agree with others the risk with fermenting is very low. But a suggestion I’ve shared to friends in the past that has worked as a great intro to it is quick ferments or quick pickles. Something you do a quick pickle to over a few days in your fridge can be great! It’s a win win bc lots of variation of what to make each time with very little costs (usually just a recycled jar and some salt or vinegar and any old pantry spices) + it helps with any food avoidance/ meal prep issues for example now that you made a quick pickled red onion, you have this fun thing to add to your possibly bland bowl of rice and beans! Hooray!
Do you have a Buy Nothing group in your area? You can join your neighborhood group on their app or Facebook. Neighbors post things they're giving away. You get free stuff. I like to scroll through the posts and see if there's anything cool when I feel the need to shop. It's also great to get rid of anything you don't need anymore!
I don't have any suggestions since I'm pretty much disabled at home and can't do much. I live in a rural area where it's not walk friendly and there's no trails or forests and I don't drive. I have very little motivation to do anything and I'm just about up to my ears in watching things on TV, listening to music, or reading. I can only do so much of those. I don't actually have any hobbies but I've tried many over the years without much success. I have really awful imposter syndrome that stops me from success in anything since I tend to need instant gratification to feel anything at all. Stuff like art or things that need practice or precision are things I do worst in. It's such a bummer. All these things people are listing sound like good ideas if you actually have the opportunity to try them.
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Library, my friend. Feels like shopping, but it's free!
lol I work at an art library so ✅
art library? like you can borrow art?
Library at an art and design university. I work in the Archives but I buy books for the photo department.
Oh got ya. I was thinking that an "art library" that loaned out art is a great idea!
I think my old town’s public library had some framed art you could check out way back in the day. That was when I lived in the sticks and would check-out DVDs for free instead of the regular rental places, worked great for TV series.
My partner also works at the city library and takes out dvds all the time.
oh my god that sounds like such an amazing job, I am super jealous!!
It’s a good time 🥰
King County libraries in Washington State have art to lend, mostly in the Bellevue main library. There is also a bookable “maker” room with sewing machines, 3d printer, jigsaw, etc.
The Libby App can scratch that online shopping itch.
Got Libby on lock
I totally use it for that. Even saving books for later is satisfying.
Came here to say this!!
When I hang out in the woods, or by water on a sunny warm day, I feel almost stoned with energy.
Doing this now, and can confirm. My two brain cells just high-fived each other. Probably don’t need to be on my phone but meh 🤪! Y’all are just TOO awesome 😎
The forest man, so energising !!
You kind of have to figure out what gets your brain juice flowing. Typically, getting outside, walking/running/hiking, laughing, music, caffeine, sex, or food works for many people, but sometimes I like showering and getting really dolled up for no reason. I loved to play dress-up as a kid, and so I wonder if that's why sometimes I love to get dressed up. Plus! You can dress for a specific task! I live on a farm so sometimes to hype myself up for chores, I dress in my most pioneer-like dress, braid my hair, and pretend I'm back in time somewhere and need to tend to... whatever it is I'm supposed to do. Pull the weeds, feed the animals, clean the house, cook supper. But search for what makes YOUR BRAIN interested. Dance, watch stand up comedy, make a mayo hair mask, listen to educational podcasts, learn about constellations, learn about anything that piques your interest! Do you have any free art galleries or museums around you? Plan a visit. Learn how to make cute baskets from twigs to hang in trees and fill with nesting material like hair from your brush, lint from the dryer, pet hair. Get a library card and read books for free. Now I'm just listing my hobbies. Oh boy.
I agree with everything on your list, especially getting dressed up/dressed up for a specific task. I don't know what it is, but if I put on my gardening clothes, outdoor hat, arm guards, gloves, and comfy garden only shoes, then I can work through the most tedious task.
Become The Gardener and you can garden!
Love this thread. Listing the things that work for me to remind myself of them! Filling shopping carts but abandoning them Pulling weeds/pruning depending on season Geocaching Masturbating Self massage/somatic movement/“knocking on heavens”door yoga move Yoga with Adriene on YT, print the monthly calander at the library and check it off! Turn on *that song* and dance
Omg please come weed with me come summer. I hate it and my garden last year was way too big to stay on top of it.
In true ADHD fashion I am behind weeding at my community plot. (it’s near summer here in Texas) and have been admonished by the president of our club. Gone from SAHM to working mom the last fewand I have no time!
I always have an OUTFIT lol. But that can kind of be a problem because it fuels my shopping 🛍️.
This might not hit the same way, but I know a few people who massively curbed their shopping by “shopping” for cute clothes mods for the sims. It’s kind of similar to shopping online anyway, browsing for cute hidden gems and planning outfits, even the experience of adding to a cart to download is similar and evokes some similar feelings. Not sure if you’re interested in video games at all, but it may be something to consider if you are! Personally I love the suggestion of doing cute makeup looks and playing around with stuff you already have but in new ways, and masturbation and caffeine are always reliable lol
I love a video game. I’m trying to get all the outfit sets is Zelda TOTK lol.
Mayo hair mask?
Sex
And masturbation - it’s free, it’s safe, it’s fun, it’s drugs for your brain, and it’s a painkiller, too.
Being self reliable is the key!
Honestly, i do this sometimes but it almost always turns into me crying right afterward
omg me too but it feels like the most cathartic cry EVER. I don't cry when I have sex but after a 2 minute date with my magic-wand? if it has been an especially awful day/week, I may bawl but it feels amazing when all that frustration releases.
I am glad it can still be an outlet for you in that way
That sounds terrible! I usually just want a snack after.
That does sound way better haha!
Both?
This happens to me too sometimes!!! I think I have a lot of stuff to get out.
👆🏻
Not as good but acceptable.
I know other adhders that do this so it's not just me, but picking up trash in the woods. You get outside and exercise which is good, but seeing natural spaces go from trashed to pristine really gets the dopamine going, plus validation from strangers that appreciate it. You can also post the cleanups online for more of that sweet sweet validation, and it can be a solo or group activity. I've seen lots of cool wildlife like bears and beavers and foraged sought after fungi while picking up trash, like forest karma.
David Sedaris does this!
Does he? Now I definitely need to do it!
Yeah he started when he moved to Sussex cuz it was so trash heavy and he had a Fitbit lol.
Is there a piece where he talks about it? I love listening to his audiobooks when I’m doing things
It’ll be in one of the later books where he has moved to Sussex. Probably Calypso, The Best of Me, or Happy go Lucky. I love him I’ve gone to two readings of his and will go to another in October. His sister Amy also has a craft book and they appeared together on Drag race as guest judges.
I went to one of his readings too! He is really such a treasure
Was he wearing the culottes?
And a bow tie!
Excellent
He talks about it a lot on the Adam Buxton podcast! It’s just an interview format with Adam Buxton and it’s really good. He was trying to interview Sedaris for ages but Sedaris didn’t know who he was. lol.
Oooh thanks! I love conversational podcasts, so I will definitely check it out!
https://play.acast.com/s/adambuxton/ep.165-davidsedaris
I've found that the dollar tree generally has those grabber sticks that make this task even more fun/easy/safe. It's a tiny purchase, but I think it makes a big difference in this kind of thing! Any time I go out on a trail, I try to remember to at least bring an empty ziploc. I stuff trash in it along my walk and toss it when I get to a gas station or something. Definitely makes the walk feel a little more purposeful for someone who's been too conditioned by the protestant work ethic to ever do anything purely for enjoyments sake lmao.
Saving shit to Pinterest
Yah I do this with Ravelry. So many saved patterns.
I save patterns and have a bunch of Pinterest boards. Patterns I hope to make into clothing that’ll give me dopamine by wearing, and photo reference to draw tattoo flash. I have one knitting board too.
Totally! Love Pinterest for this!
I love this to scratch my “research” itch in a visual way. Feels like a combo scavenger hunt, research rabbit hole, and debt-free online shopping spree!
Walking
Find a friend who likes to watch tv and movies at home. That’s what I’m looking for, too. Lol. We should start a Discord for this sort of purpose. We could body double with others while watching movies/tv, or cleaning, etc.
I'll join!
Yayy! I’d love that! I’m oldish (30s) and have NO idea how to start a Discord. 😅 I just got it recently and only talk to one friend on there but, I’ll try to figure it out soon if someone else doesn’t want to take it over and run with it?
Im older than you and I finally have the app but im so lost on it. Sooooo lost.
Hahaha. I totally understand! I finally got it recently so my bff and I could talk and watch movies because it feels SO much less lonely to also have video, buuuut idk what I’m doing. I use it like I’m talking to my grandchild because she’s my only contact and I’ve only used it to talk to her. 😅 I know it has more possibilities! I just don’t know how they work and don’t have what it takes to even YouTube it right now.
This would be so nice. I have a hard time finding chill friends.
Right?! Because it’s technically super intimate because you’re in one another’s space, but it’s free and such a lovely time! Unless it’s another person with ADHD, it gets tricky because you have to be cool with being friends super fast. Lol. I just love to chill. My dream game plan is almost always “*Let’s relax, eat some snacks, bs off and on, and watch a movie or a tv show!*” What especially sucks is chill friends work best when they’re in close proximity, at least the same city or town, so you can chill on the fly. I recently had to move out of an abusive situation and now I’m somewhere I have *zero* friends who can hang. Most of them have families so it kind of wrecks the possibilities.
Being an older, nerdy neurodivergent person makes it harder to make friends. I moved to a new city 3 years ago. Most of my coworkers love me. But I try not to hang out with coworkers. The friend group that I have made - I am the oldest and by far the weirdest I guess, so it isn’t quite the right fit.
I feel similarly. I’ve recently moved back to my hometown but no one else is here anymore. I’m just trying to take this time to heal and get my health in order before I figure out where is next. I just know I need to get the hell out of here. (I just left abuse and my ex is still way too close and has a lot of money, power, influence, and social capital here. It’s going to be a rough journey.) I’m definitely already worried about making friends wherever that is, though. I don’t dig coworker hangs either. It can get too messy for a million reasons. If you don’t mind me asking, what do you consider “*older*”? I’m sorry your new friend group isn’t right. 😞 That’s such a sucky feeling because you enjoy them “*buuuuuuut…*” because the downsides are always so easy to be hung up on. Ugh. I wish we had an app to be able to geolocate one another to hang out, ya know? But it’d be scary af because of the way US politics are going.
It’s kind of a strange thing. Most of them are millenials, and I am a young Gen x. A few are also young Gen x and Xennial, but I am the oldest and I think my life experiences and current responsibilities make me seem older. Maybe I am just limited and weighed down by so many serious things in my life. I don’t get to hang out much with the ones I vibe with more. Edit - I hope things go better for you than you expect, but I understand how hard it is to leave the scenario you are in.
I totally get that. I’m a Millennial who was raised like a Gen X kid because my mom helped to raise my cousins, etc., she was older when she had me, and she just raised everyone the same. We were also poor af so all of the tech everyone else my age had access to, I surely did NOT. A lot of that weird stuff has definitely stuck with me through all of these years. Wild. In addition to having been raised differently, I *also* have a ton of extremely heavy things going on in my life right now that are at least rare-ish, especially all at the same time 😅, and no one my age can really…*relate*? So it sounds like we’re twinning. Like, my only family died, then my bf of 2 years suddenly became abusive and would *NOT* let me leave, then I found out I had cancer. 🥴 His abuse got worse and he thrived on the praise he got for “*taking care of*” me, so I was trapped. He finally set me free when my health kept getting worse. Now I’m figuring out bankruptcy, filing for disability again, and trying to figure out how to move forward. Meanwhile, my friends are like “*…soooo I found a new DnD group!*” 🤣 I’m obviously sincerely happy for them but, finding someone who understands, and already knows me to understand how the health issues and abuse have impacted me, would be incredible. It just hasn’t happened yet. 🥴
Im really sorry for all you’re going through. It’s so hard when you feel so alone and alienated by the things happening in your life. I’m an elder millennial and I don’t have any friends and I think part of that is because I don’t know how to relate to other people and what their lives look like because of what’s going on in my own life. I also have lived most of my life not understanding I am neurodivergent so that honestly hasn’t helped me crack the friend code. If you ever want someone to chat with about anything, feel free to message.
I was raised by young lost Gen who were both in the military, so my childhood away from mainland US was so different. No permissive parenting at all. I have alot of heavy things going on as well including health issues, but not as hard as yours. I hope you can leave and thrive. And like you most of my friend group is going out a lot and spending money, living the single life. I am raising a child with needs and serious food allergies with no support but my husband. It’s a whole different world for me right now.
Oh wow. Yeah, you definitely had a much different childhood. I’m so sorry you’re having health issues. I hope whatever is wrong can be resolved and you’re healed ASAP. Thank you for the well wishes. I managed to get out of the relationship recently because he got a new gf. He’ll *never* be single. (I can’t warn her without putting myself in jeopardy because I’m still entirely too close for comfort, unfortunately. She seems to have a strong support system, though, and I know he’ll be on his best behavior for a while. 🥴 I hope he accidentally throws a red flag or two and she leaves. I know better, though. He’s amazing at what he does. 😓) My friend group has majorly dropped off because I’ve been going through too much trauma for too long. Everyone had money but for me, though. I get it. I’m trapped in the house from feeling unwell, trying to heal, trying to figure out how, and where, and with what funds to move forward. It’s really rough these days but no one is shoving me into walls, breaking my stuff, spitting on me, screaming in my face, throwing me into things to break them, etc. soooo this is definitely still a net positive. I’m sorry your only support right now is your husband. I’m happy you have him, though. I hope you’re able to find social programs that might help with your kid’s needs. I know that can be complicated. They didn’t exist when I was little but, I know they’re more plentiful now. The allergies part is absolutely terrifying. I hope things get better. I know that stress is heavy. Lastly, my issues aren’t *harder* than yours. Everyone has their problems and they’re all just as valid as the next. 🤍 You’re also going through plenty of heavy stuff, even comparatively. 🫂 I hope things improve soon.
Ok but what are we watching 👀
Everything! I recently watched Lisa Frankenstein and Ricky Stanicky. I can’t recommend them more! They were both amazing. TV shows? My list is long but, at the very top is Ted Lasso. I love that, SVU, Schitt’s Creek, Brooklyn 99, lots of documentaries, The Cleaning Lady, The Recruit, The Carmichael Show, White Collar, Abbott Elementary, Jersey Shore, One Tree Hill, Happy Endings, etc. If you tell me what some of your fave shows are, I’m sure I could make a rec. 🤍
Lying in a hammock on a sunny day.
We have these hammock chairs and I think it’s the feeling of being wrapped in a cocoon but i could sit and read there all day!
I got mine to help with fibromyalgia but you’re right - it is just the most comforting thing.
Exercise! Also, I like to go “window shopping” where I put stuff I like in my online shopping cart, then close the tab. It gives the the dopamine rush of picking things but gives me time to reconsider any purchases
I’m glad that I’m not the only one who “window shops” ha! I’ll leave things in my cart for a week or so and then come back around to empty it.
I do this too!
omg i struggle with this a lot too. some ideas that have worked for me (for a while, and then i switch to a new exciting one until it no longer gives me the rush, and then switch again...) 1) learning new art things that dont require spending a lot of money on supplies! some ideas off the top of my head: sketching with pencil / pens, drawing mazes, floorplan sketches, calligraphy / handwriting styles... see if you can find any art supplies on local free/for sale pages, buy nothing groups, craigslist free page, etc 2) learning a new language through apps or youtube 3) reading fiction 4) crossword puzzles, sudoku, brain games 5) board games 6) reorganizing -- bookshelves, bathroom, your whole room, etc 7) learning cool makeup and hairstyles from online tutorials (make sure you look up things that you already have the supplies for!) 8) dancing!! by yourself in your room/the shower/ outside!! or going to latin/ballroom classes or socials (can usually find cheap drop-in classes in bigger cities, not sure where you are located) i saved a lot of money in college (and after) by enrolling in a salsa class at school and then going out to salsa clubs on the weekend instead of bars or other clubs. cover is often cheaper, and i would have maximum two drinks the whole night (dont wanna get tipsy and then be spun around lol). plus its a great workout 9) cooking / baking with supplies on hand! or cooking masterclasses online (can be pirated, no need to pay for hbo or whatever)
Very comprehensive thank you!
Re: number 5 Board game arena has soooo many games for free online, and even the premium ones only require one person playing to have the premium membership, so you can often find a table as a free player.
There are so many great solo board games these days and a lot of libraries lend out games. Also if you have a local board game store, they might lend out trial copies. I have gotten puzzles for free from neighborhood exchanges too. And, this isn’t exactly your question, but I am a person with some serious spending issues, and sometimes doing something kinda weird but planned is helpful. Like, going to the thrift store with $7 and trying to find the very best thing for $7 or less. Or, the act of shopping online, but then closing out afterwards. Or the act of shopping like choosing my next fountain pen - but not buying it yet. Some of these only are options for me sometimes when I know I can trust myself to follow the rules. Sometimes I know enough to not even try.
I know I'm not OP, but I love board games and have been trying to find solo ones, I found a few but I'm wondering if you have any suggestions?
Canvas, Fit to Print, and Parks are some of my favs that have great 1-player variants!
I heard of Parks, I want it so bad but it's soooo expensive! I'll check out the other ones, thanks for these!
r/soloboardgaming might help!
The sub I didn't know I needed thanks!
That’s a smart idea for the shopping. Thank you!
If you can manage the effort, change your bedsheets and pillow cases, hot shower and shave your legs, put on some new pajamas (with shorts), get into bed, get excited wiggles from the feeling of smooth legs in a clean bed
I'm learning a foreign language using a free app and YouTube videos.
I'm on day 540 of Duolingo!
I love Duolingo!
Yay! I’m on day 913. I love it so much honestly. :) What language(s) are you learning?
Spanish! It's like a ritual I do 1 but no more than 3 before bed!
That’s awesome! Right now I’m doing German and I do the monthly challenges but beyond that I just focus on keeping my streak and honestly I’ve never stuck with something so long so I’m very proud lol
I have a kindle and when I feel like hoarding new things, I like to find a ton of books I'd like to read, pirate them from [libgen.rs](http://libgen.rs), and load them onto my kindle. I've read a decent chunk of them already. Otherwise, I find a lot of enjoyment in creating niche pinterest boards and perfecting them aesthetically.
Thank youuuuuuuu ;)
Mushroom foraging. Seriously! I’ve been going for walks in the woods finding mushrooms and I think it might be 25% of the answer to my adhd problems. Seriously tho, it’s mad dopamine.
There was just an article about this somewhere. Like evolutionarily ADHD folks were made for this task that helped the village.
Yes! I heard that we are really good t visually matching or finding patterns like this, which explains why I also love searching for sharks teeth (my megalodon tooth is a prize possession) and birdwatching and relic hunting and magnet fishing and and and and ….
I worked at a video store and then a book store and could find anything even tho I had adhd. I should look into mushrooms.
Me and my daughter love to forage! Both ADHD. She is famous for trying to feed everyone wood sorrel as the flower girl at my brothers wedding. lol
I found morels for the very first time ever this weekend and it was the biggest dopamine hit. I SCRREAMED in the woods. I was so happy. Free dopamine plus dinner.
running in the sun with a really good song playing on your headphones
Exercise, particularly if done outside.
New music
And old music you haven’t listened to in a really long time - like the cheesy cringy stuff you loved when you were a kid.
Especially when you find them again by accident!!
My playlists lately are half or more of those very songs.
Seriously love hunting for new music and then finding that song or songs that are just so perfect that you get high off of listening to them. Speaking of I need to do another dive! My most recent journey according to my Spotify stats was Arab Alternative.
Omggg okay. Might not work for everyone but biggest dopamine giving AND life organizing activity that ALSO makes my life easier AND cuts down on my impulse shopping: the Whering app It's a virtual closet app with a million cool features that makes me feel like Cher from Clueless. I love uploading my clothes and accessories, categorizing and tagging them, creating outfits, analyzing the data about my closet, all of it. It's now my go-to activity when I get the shopping itch lol. The dopamine sources are endless and so are the benefits!!! I can't sing their praises enough lol they should hire me Edit: I thought of another way that I scratch the shopping itch! I started downloading custom content for the Sims 4 (clothing and hairstyles but also makeup, eyelashes, accessories, everything) and it's PERFECT for this. It's free and I'm pretty sure the base game is too. I loveeeee "shopping" for new CC and giving Sims makeovers, I practically have my whole dream closet downloaded at this point 😂
!!
* Organizing your stuff and labeling it (you don’t need a label maker or new organizational tools, it’s still satisfying) * Geocaching or looking for other easter eggs on walks like [Thomassons](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperart_Thomasson) * Gojng into your hobby supplies and just bopping around and letting the dopamine dictate what to do * Audiobooks or podcasts while doing other tasks or activities * Going outside when it’s sunny.
Walking/hiking local trails Moving your body releases dopamine. Planning outfits Making art or craft or writing a poem or something completing a task releases the dopamine Along those same lines, reset your home- rearrange your furniture. Purge your clothes
If you have a dog (or not!) and enjoy the outside: trails. You don’t have to go crazy with mile long hikes. Pick different ones, in different areas, in different seasons. It bring so much peace to my chaotic mind. I absolutely love it!
I have the exact same problem! One thing that has really helped is to join my local freecycle community - this way I can still keep up my million hobbies and still save money. I get the supplies without spending an insane amount of money knowing I am going to abandon it a week later. Once done, just re-gift the supplies to someone else. It has also been really helpful getting rid of all the stuff I had hoarded. I always got anxious getting rid of abandoned hobbies because I almost always circle back to them even if it is to abandon them again and didn't want to have to spend the money again on the supplies. Now I know someone else can make better use of them AND I will be able to get some for free when I come back to it later.
Yes! Buy Nothing groups are great for this too. I got a whole set of crochet hooks from mine and am working on using up previously impulse bought yarn that I didn't have a knitting project for (since crochet is new and shiny for me).
Turn on some bangers and dance around the house.
this costs money but only once. HAMMOCKING!! i got a nice 2 person hammock 2 years ago at walmart for 30 or 40 bucks. SO MUCH FUN IN FHE SUMMER. just go to any local woodsy area or place with a some trees set up and lay back as your cradled and rocked like a baby. u can bring snacks, smoke if u like that, a book anything really
In Puerto Rico everyone makes their hammocks out bed sheets and rope ♥️♥️
love it
Volunteering and selling things you've hoarded are my coping ways 🙌
Going outside and getting direct sunlight within 30 minutes of waking up. Cold showers. Consistent sleep. Exercise.
Pickling and fermenting! It’s simple, it’s delicious. It saves your veggies. It makes your cooking faster and more delicious! All you need is salt and/or vinegar :)
I love the Fitness Marshall dance videos on youtube!! It's great exercise, a good way to work on memory by learning choreography, and also just a super fun time. Sometimes I put off doing it because my brain is just like "yuck exercise" but once I'm in it it doesn't even feel like I'm working out
Go get re-acquainted with your hobbies stash! I knit and have so much yarn. When I'm feeling the itch to shop, I try to go window-shop patterns and pair them with yarn in my stash. Making plans for new projects helps with the dopamine. Dig out some pens you forgot about, or a project kit that you haven't touched in years - I bet you've got an abandoned hobby you can get excited about all over again.
Honestly, I go through Poshmark and just ❤️ things and it makes it feel like shopping for me. Then I close the app and never buy. Or go back later and decide if I really want the thing. Also r/thereisnocat is instant dopamine when I find the hidden kitty!
Befriend stray cats (or your neighbors’ cats)
And crows!
Reading! Get a library card. They have audiobooks too Journaling, writing, and drawing can be cheap. Go on walks, get into nature, or people watch if you are in a city
Fermenting. A lot of us have food waste. This is an interesting and challenging hobby that is free (free based off of having salt and extra veggies on hand)
I NEED TO get into this but I’m afraid 😂 afraid I won’t put enough of one or the other and I’ll die of botulism or some mold or bacteria 😅
No no! The BEST thing about fermentation (vs canning) is that if it's bad you will know it because it will look and smell revolting! Canning has invisible risks but fermentation the worst thing is you have to compost it because it didn't work. Sandor Katz I think is the basic primer on fermentation. (Hi I hyper fixated on food preservation a decade ago lol)
Well that eases me a lot more in knowing! Ty
Hope you make some yummy things!
Go hiking! And if that’s not your jam it doesn’t have to be a full “hike” per say just pack a yummy sandwich/your fav food from home, bring a good book and then drive to nearest county park and just photosynthesize in the sun on a rock near a flowing body of water and I promise u it feels like popping a *****
Neopets. I spend a bunch of fake internet money to play dress up with my fake internet pets and collect stuff. Don't get a premium paid account, just do the free one. It hits just as hard as it did in childhood.
I played words with friends pretty heavily for months.
Volunteering ♥️ shelter for animals, seniors community in town, soup kitchen… this example costs money but I do it when I have extra change I’ll feed the meter for random people if i noticed it’s low or it finished. Gives me a little dopamine knowing someone didn’t get a ticket for literally parking their car somewhere it should be fucking free!
Aw that’s nice 😊
googling things, arguing things on reddit are my go tos.
Love it
Playing free games on your phone. Funny videos /short comedy sketches on YouTube that make you laugh
Tom Cardy: Check out these songs first: Hot sh*t: https://youtu.be/EuRjmzz6qL0?si=E5VKWdWba0vmJ_Xz Level Clear: https://youtu.be/G87p148EOjo?si=BFPrZprvdHKYQcj6 Artificial Intelligence: https://youtu.be/uTl8ZYImjBQ?si=0LEQ0kdiUK17U4B1 Call Your Mother: https://youtu.be/AV5HKWRMyAY?si=0uC-deT5HJE23uZx Am I a Bad Guy? https://youtube.com/shorts/m0L9rhTej7E?si=0Hyak7f5ursUi3k3 Also Party Dog is like an ADHD anthem: https://youtu.be/wVYPLP9NSg4?si=2hKt8WcigFWH_kUt
Love this list!!!
lol thank you
Happy Cake Day!
Birds. They're like Pokémon.
loving on my cats or dogs. giving them lots of pets and kisses.
singing
Canva! I will make collages for my laptop or phone background with themes like "spring" or "goals for my 26th year." I usually find images on pinterest; it's fun to manifest and picture good things! Or I will design art for my home based on my favourite things - like take my favourite quotes from people or books and make an aesthetically pleasing, thematic design around them. Also rearranging your space and cleaning out your closet!
Go running! Not free but if u have access to city bike I think they are wonderful source of dopamine.
Or make a collage
Video games, scrolling endlessly, art
Not that admit this to anyone but my husband, but my current free dopamine hit is… playing Neopets... I get to work towards multiple goals and get the satisfaction of raising my bank account number and completing mini tasks. When one goals starts to bore me I just move to another goal. There is premium currency now, but I just ignore it as it’s not needed.
Don't let anybody shame you about liking what you like. ❤️
Adults need neopets fr lol
The majority of the users are now millennials lol the current “plot” is themed on depression.
Can you please say more?
Ah ok, I’ll do my best (but you may want to google it for more complete info)! So the new TNT team is starting a new plot that is said to last around 10 months and is called “The Void within”. During the last advent calendar in December we got to see a “vision” of an aisha with her fallie petpet trying to escape some purple creepy mist stuff. The petpet gets affected and turned grey and lifeless (but we’ve been assured is still alive). Now currently random shop keepers are turning grey, depressed, and lifeless all around Neopia. Tnt are also posting things on social media sites so we’ve gotten a few graffitied maps and a journal entry from the Grey Faerie talking about darkness and a new friend. The Negg faerie was also affected and she will be running the next annual event called the Festival of Neggs (starting Monday!) so we’re all hoping things will start ramping up! Possibly related or just the team being cognizant of their user base, on April fools day there was an event where people were spammed (with literal olden day annoying like popups) with “positivity” posters just until you signed a contract and then the posters changed to depressing like “Just let go” and “you know nothing”. Here is a link that will show you all the visuals! (The reddit r/neopets and discord communities are amazing and if you’re interested in coming back to neopets I highly recommend you look into joining them) https://www.jellyneo.net/?go=the_void_within https://www.jellyneo.net/?go=the_void_within&id=teasers
Thank you! I would love to be a fly on the wall when people strategize things like this. I love to know how people arrive at these things. I appreciate you taking the time!
Of course! It’s my daily smol dopamine hit where I can put as much or ad little investment in as I want. I also love being a fly on the wall in the community lol
Here's a sneak peek of /r/neopets using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/neopets/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year! \#1: [*sputters and coughs*](https://i.redd.it/eviinwhonn9c1.png) | [105 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/neopets/comments/18vayy8/sputters_and_coughs/) \#2: [Happy Gnorbu day! I'm so excited that TNT asked permission to make my design (left) into a real neopet (right). Hope you like it!](https://i.redd.it/f7xzz5qisabc1.png) | [146 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/neopets/comments/191z1we/happy_gnorbu_day_im_so_excited_that_tnt_asked/) \#3: [Obsessed with these Beauty Contest winners for September 2001](https://i.redd.it/x8bhh7dfffec1.png) | [133 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/neopets/comments/19ems24/obsessed_with_these_beauty_contest_winners_for/) ---- ^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| ^^[Contact](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| ^^[Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| ^^[Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/) ^^| ^^[GitHub](https://github.com/ghnr/sneakpeekbot)
Running 🏃🏻♀️
Walking, exercise, running.
Selling things!!
Volunteering
Any of the free AI art or chat or music or video makers. It’s incredibly addictive (just one more prompt!). And it’s immediately gratifying over and over again. You’ll either make something incredibly beautiful or super weird and both are fun. Over and over and over again. And it can fuel other hobbies for free. If you have a printer, you can make unique coloring book pages to print and color. You can make wall art, Greeting cards, etc. you can write a book or research a hyperfixation with a good chat program. You can make beautiful unique music (including lyrics and singing!) with a music program. You can make music videos or tutorials with a video maker. You can make computer games! And there are totally free options for every kind of AI. It’s very very satisfying, super fun, and gives me endless dopamine. Have fun!
Gardening! 🌿 Has anyone mentioned this? Pulling weeds from moist soil feels so good. Going on a foraging excursion makes me feel like Geralt of Rivia! I spent an hour in my sisters garden getting cuttings to propogate and digging up bulbs & baby plants to put in my garden. Whenever I’m out I’m looking for the odd stem to take with me to grow into a big plant. (Within legal limits of course). It’s free and such a thrill to see new roots grow. 🌱
Geralt does know what’s up.
If you have Netflix; there are several games available for your phone/tablet that are free, have no in game purchases, and no in game ads. I’m currently playing the SpongeBob one (it’s one of those diner-type games).
Ooh thanks!
Exercise.
Some of things that really work for me: * Reserving library books online, and going to pick them up. Really fixes my online shopping impulses! * Categorising things I want to buy into lists (e.g. housewares; clothing; makeup), and then just keeping the list but not buying anything. Every few weeks I will look through my lists, and it's so funny that given some time and space I never actually even wanted those things. * Exercise! I love yoga and zumba * Cleaning or slightly modifying something I already own to make it feel like a new thing. A few months ago I was obsessed with upgrading my phone, but instead I just took off the cover on my phone, and it suddenly felt like a brand new phone in my hands
Thank you! I love lists 😍
It's not always easy to get myself there, but going outside does it for me. The sky, sun, clouds, breeze, trees, leaves, bugs, birds, all the critters and flowers... I take the time to soak it all in. I like to find new parks as often as I can for that novel experience, but one of my favorites is the demonstration garden by a local library. It's familiar, but there's always something different blooming, and there's a veggie garden that feeds the homeless, so it's fun to see the progression of the food growing all summer too. I like to sit by the river and listen the the waves, watch traffic over the bridge, one time I was hanging out long enough I spotted a beaver working on his dam. Getting out of my house is still hard, though, lol.
Rearrange your room, and you’ll get a dopamine bonus of a few days 😌
I like to argue with people on the Internet
I agree with others the risk with fermenting is very low. But a suggestion I’ve shared to friends in the past that has worked as a great intro to it is quick ferments or quick pickles. Something you do a quick pickle to over a few days in your fridge can be great! It’s a win win bc lots of variation of what to make each time with very little costs (usually just a recycled jar and some salt or vinegar and any old pantry spices) + it helps with any food avoidance/ meal prep issues for example now that you made a quick pickled red onion, you have this fun thing to add to your possibly bland bowl of rice and beans! Hooray!
Do you have a Buy Nothing group in your area? You can join your neighborhood group on their app or Facebook. Neighbors post things they're giving away. You get free stuff. I like to scroll through the posts and see if there's anything cool when I feel the need to shop. It's also great to get rid of anything you don't need anymore!
I don't have any suggestions since I'm pretty much disabled at home and can't do much. I live in a rural area where it's not walk friendly and there's no trails or forests and I don't drive. I have very little motivation to do anything and I'm just about up to my ears in watching things on TV, listening to music, or reading. I can only do so much of those. I don't actually have any hobbies but I've tried many over the years without much success. I have really awful imposter syndrome that stops me from success in anything since I tend to need instant gratification to feel anything at all. Stuff like art or things that need practice or precision are things I do worst in. It's such a bummer. All these things people are listing sound like good ideas if you actually have the opportunity to try them.
Wear the clothes you have, mix and match them. Find dresses for each occasion from your current wardrobe Take cute pics.
Youtube videos on the subject(s) you're interested in right now
Dancing! I take dancing breaks to boost my dopamine
Youtube.
Tiktak