What is a good hobby for a depressed person?

Hiking.

I cannot stress this enough.

One of the biggest loops of depression is feeling anhedonic and drained of energy, which keeps you from doing stuff, which keeps you anhedonic and drained of energy.

Go for a hike literally every single day for a whole month. Rate your depression on a scale of 1-10 every day a week before you start, every single day during, and then every day for a week after. You'll see the trend, and hiking will be your new antidepressant.

It's easy. It's walking. It's not competitive, you can go hilariously slowly and still accomplish your goal. You can add hobbies to this hobby, like photography or bird watching. You're probably not getting enough exercise, and being depressed all the time blows.

If you're nerdy and depressed, you may have heard about EMDR, where you sway your eyes back and forth rhythmically while you think about trauma. The doctor who came up with the treatment (that's showing crazy good results) went down the rabbit hole they went down because they noticed walking in the woods helping their depression. They currently think the mechanism has something to do with bilateral stimulation (walking) and constant reframing of your perspective (tree on my right, tree on my left, rock on my right, rock on my left).

Other physical activities are great too, but hiking seems literally taylor made for the depressed.

Do you struggle with anxiety and destructive ruminative thought patterns? Guess what you won't have the energy to do when you're panting for air?

Hiking is a legit way to maintain depression indefinitely. Don't get cozy, though. take a break and your brain will find its way back to it's old antics.

Start playing a musical instrument. Works for me

Exercise is the best cure for depression. Get a bicycle and start exploring new places around you. Endurance exercise is most useful for balancing metabolism and hormones. Do it every day, and only for your well being. You may find it is life altering. It only takes around 2 months of pushing yourself when the routine seems difficult. After the initial startup, it becomes harder and harder to stop the routine over time.

A lot of my advanced curiosities and interests all started from needing to fix stuff like my first car, or putting together junk PC parts to get something to play Doom back in the day when Doom was barely on the trailing edge of gaming. Learn to use FOSS tools on a computer. There is a free way to do everything. If you learn these tools well, it will pay off substantially in life. The entire digital underworld runs on open source software.

Running!

I was clinically depressed from 2002 to 2017. In 2017 I lost coverage and was forced to stop taking my medication.

The medication was wellbutrin. It really helped. I hated that I couldn’t get access to it, but I had to face life without it.

After having ramped down off the stuff, I was okay for a couple of weeks then the darkness started to come in.

In my research I found that exercise does the same thing as my medication (it increases hippocampal volume). So I switched from running about 1 mile per week to about 25 miles per week.

And my depression was gone. The medication managed it, allowed me to live my life. The running destroyed my depression.

IMO depression is caused by brain atrophy, which is caused by lack of moving one’s body. We evolved to be moving so much more, and just like your muscles will atrophy if you’re bedridden, your brain will atrophy if you don’t exert your body. Shrinking brain means life sucks hard.

You have lots of good answers posted but here is the trick...You have to START.

You don't need to sign up at the gym today and build a schedule to work out. That's way too much commitment. Instead just go outside.

That's it. Just put down the phone and go outside. Spend 5 or 10 mins out there. You didn't run a marathon, but you've done something today. Maybe later today you can go outside again. Tomorrow so the same thing. Put the phone down and go outside for a short time.

You gotta start somewhere, so make it easy and start small. Eventually you'll spend more time outside and less time doing nothing. Maybe you see cool plants and start getting into gardening. Maybe you find that walking isn't so bad and you find a park with a nice trail and work into jogging? Maybe the kid down the street wrecks his minibike in front of your house while you're outside and you stop to help and think the tiny motorcycle is cool and get inspired to start riding.

tldr- Don't just pick someone else's hobby. Put down the phone and go experience life outside your home. The hobby will likely find you when you start paying attention instead of distracting yourself.

First and foremost I want to second anyone who brought up cooking. Learning to cook a meal perfectly to your tasted is both accomplishing and sharable.

For the geekier stuff, I have taken up Gundam model kits in the last year. You can start off with simply building them straight from the box. There are also a ton of ways to customize them such as repainting, adding decals, create "weathering" effects and "kit bashing" (mixing models together to make your own new model). It has been a very nice outlet whenever I want to be crafty.

I had a conversation with a coworker recently and we got to the topic of working out, and he told he's working out two times a day. He goes to the gym before and after work.

I asked him why the hell he would go twice, like that's just ridiculous and he said well he was depressed, and started working out. Everyone said it'd help with the depression, but it helped only a bit. So he figured well maybe he has to go even more.

It's absolutely ridiculous imo, but.. whatever helps one I guess

Knitting, crocheting, embroidery, cross stitch, etc. The work is meditative, and you get in a groove waiting to see what the next row or stitches will look like. Producing an object feels productive, and gives a feeling of accomplishment.

Choose bright colors and fun patterns, and it's a lot of fun. There are patterns for all interests, so don't think this is the realm of only little old ladies. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

I describe it as "playfighting for adults". It's a ground-based, grappling combat sport where your aim is to submit your opponent via joint locks and chokes.

It sounds simple enough, but there is a surprising amount of skill to it. A black belt takes roughly ten years to get, and unlike martial arts where you see 12 year old black belts, all black belts are adults, and you'll almost never see a black belt that doesn't have the skill to back it up.

A lot of people find that it really helps them with depression and socialising. While it's absolutely NOT a replacement for therapy, you hear countless stories of people in a bad place mentally and physically, finding solace and meaning in BJJ.

Making food, either baking or cooking. They focus you on the here and now and you eat well to boot.

A hobby that has helped me a lot is knitting. It’s simple to learn and it’s another truly mindful thing to do for you.

For me getting back into LEGO really helped, it's a nice and relaxing activity. Also depending on your interests a hobby like flying FPV quadcopters can be a lot of fun. Forces you to go outside too which is always good :-)

Hiking. It costs nothing and you can create your own meaning from it. You can do the same trail over and over and know the place intimately, or you can make it a goal to do as many as possible and keep track of them all with souvenirs or art or whatever you want. The benchmark for success is what you define. And it's got a bonus of being good for your body.

I'd also suggest traditional music, but maybe keep it simple and cheap... ukulele, didgeridoo, or tin whistle. It's a low bar for entry and it's inherently social, all about jamming and being inclusive. Didgeridoo is more solitary, if that's what you prefer. These instruments have almost no ongoing costs and are great for learning the basics of music.

Instruments arr both humbling and also affirming. You can make noticeable progress and, again, define your own success. All my best friendships came through playing music. It's an endless source of joy for me. I generally tend toward depression but music keeps The Big Sad at bay

Anything where you get to be physically active or mentally creative.

Passively consuming content is extremely unhealthy in large doses: TV, youtube, even reading is not healthy after a certain point. Humans were meant to be physically active creatures above all, not meant to stare at screens for long periods of time like many of us are doing now.

The best de-stressers are things like playing a musical instrument, painting, knitting / crocheting, hiking / going for walks / runs, exercising, meditating. I would go completely bonkers if I didn't have piano and weight-lifting.

Oh also, maintaining a regular cardio / activity regimen with something like PAI, will also help you live a lot longer too. With a cheap smartwatch that supports it, you can kind of game-ify your cardio health.

Photography.

You can set up a little studio area in your house and start with still life pictures. Search for Danish Still Life Paintings for some ideas - I'm sure there's plenty of YouTube rabbit holes for more ideas. Or, just take up painting!

Photography is also a great excuse to get out of the house and walk around. Whether it's street photography or landscape or close up nature photography, there's always something to take pictures of. Give yourself little assignments - just circles today, just signs, just shadows, etc.

Either way, this is a creative outlet that you can share with others as you progress and get better. Who knows, you might start printing your images and have a gallery showing at a cafe!

Model railway...

Build your own buildings...

This one, i made myself. https://japix.schuerz.at/p/jakob/402735537014407232

Did not know before, that i can do this... 😊

Made me really happy and proud.

Go exploring. On whatever mode of transportation you prefer, in whatever area you like. Set small goals for each trip (this is important to keep you from just wandering completely aimlessly). Maybe try to find a new restaurant of a cuisine you've never tried. Maybe find a street or alleyway you've never visited and see what's there. Maybe go find the biggest tree in the park. Basically just go see what's out there.

If you struggle coming up with your own fun goals, try geocaching instead.

Frisbee golf. It's cheap, fun but challenging, and outdoors. Worst case scenario, you go on a long walk and bump into some interesting people. If you're in a medium sized city or larger, there is probably a course and league near you.

The culture is generally very polite and fun to be around. Lots of harmless stoners and 30yo bearded people with beers in hand. In the south there is starting to be some influence from megachurches using it as an enticement, so I'm not sure if it's "cleaned up" a little more down there.

I see a lot of physical activities around here, and I strongly agree. Find something that gets you outside and makes you move around. Hiking, biking, running, team sports, climbing - all great. Find whatever suits you and is within your area.

I recently got into disc golf. It's something i look forward to play, and it makes me go outside often and I meet a lot of new people while playing.

Adding to all of the other comments, I have to add to the music suggestions: You DO NOT even have to learn an instrument. Learn how to make electronic music (you don't have to make techno or other such electronic electronic music. Just lay down a drum track and add a little sound here and another there. YouTube is full of tutorials for full blown DAW's/workstations and the simplest apps. Get Koala Sampler or some other app for your phone or better yet, tablet.

Even simpler, try an app called Keylimba, the default sound is a soothing thumb piano/marimba, and for just a couple euros/bucks you can get a range of instruments, but the marimba is very well enough for a long ass time. With it you can just have the thing loop whatever base you put in and just, pluck a sound here and there. I'm a half-pro musician and I still often find myself just relaxing with it. Making a simple chord structure and just chilljamming away. Music isn't hard and difficult, people/society just approaches it in a really backwards way. Anyone can do music. Sequencers and loopers are such an underrated tool for learning and creativity. You don't have to mind any theory at all, just do what feels good.

I also have to add - meditation. Get a calm album or find one on YouTube that has music you enjoy, or even look up a guided meditation on YouTube, there's tons. Meditation is great if you can find even a moment to focus/unfocus on it.

@QuietStorm I find gardening a great help. Watching something grow, taking care of flowers and veggies is rewarding.

I was in a similar boat and I really can’t overstate how much working your way into an exercise routine will help. It feels impossible to start at first, but if you just commit to 30 minutes daily of walking/stretching/yoga, you’ll be amazed how quickly it goes from being an awful chore that takes tons of willpower, to a regular part of your routine that feels weird to skip.

Exercise is like a weird super power that genuinely makes you more confident, gives you more energy for mental tasks, and makes the rest of your life better. When I think back on my adult life, my mental health has always tended to go down when I would stop exercising, and it’s only when I would start again that things started getting better

Many people have suggested walking and creative outlets. I think painting rocks is a good way to merge the two together. Go on a walk with the intention of finding a rock you like. It can be big, small, smooth, rough, maybe the shape of the rock reminds you of something or maybe it’s just a rock. Then at home just paint it however. It’s low stakes cause it’s just a rock, it has a clear finish point, it can be as high or low effort as you want. Big, small, plain, intricate, concrete, abstract. Just get a rock and put some paint on it and then you can feel accomplished cause you did something good for yourself.

Working out. Either biking, walking, lifting weights, doing martial arts, etc. It doesn't matter. In some of my lowest points if my life I started working out and it helped. It didn't fix it but it really helped my mood improve. It also raises your self-esteem. I did a couple of years of BJJ and it really made me feel better about myself. Now I go to the gym and lift weights. Looking better and seeing the weights I can lift become heavier do a lot of me.

Music. Pick up a guitar. Thomann sells really cheap guitars that are great for beginners. Learn some songs you love and play along with them. Just look up tabs online and go from there. Eventually, you'll realize that you can use the instrument as a constructive channel to your emotions.

Both (or even most) suggestions you're going to hear about this topic take discipline. There is a reason for that. These things are rewarding proportional to the effort you put in. Seeing yourself improve at whatever you choose ultimately will only happen when you make the time and put in the effort. Do not be discouraged. The first few weeks are always hard but you can build good habits in a short time.

Taking care of pets might help with your mood and help you meet other people as well.

Depressed people make the best bread.

Climbing / bouldering

I concur with most other people in this thread. Any exercise will do wonders. This is coming from a guy who's been into nerdy stuff my entire life - getting into a rhythm of actually wanting to do exercise is alfa omega.

I'm throwing bouldering into the pool of options. I've heard people with ADHD often get really into it because it is easy to get into, and does not demand a lot of prep work.

It can be expensive some places, but if the thing makes me work out without me even "knowing it" then it's worth the money for me.

One that you spend time on. They call it "behavioral activation", basically just keep pushing.

programming. you can do cool stuff on your own

factorio

Mountain biking.

Roller skating or roller blading can be an alternative to hiking, walking, and running that is loads of fun. This option can cost a bit more upfront for skates and protective gear but that can be minimized if you try to buy second hand.

I like this option since it can invoke more of a childlike fun and still get you out of the house. It's also arguably a cool hobby. Skating and blading works well if you live in a place that's more urban/suburban. You're not competing with anyone (except the you of yesterday). It's great to feel the wind and road fly by once you get good enough.

If anyone decides to try it, I recommend finding a flat, smooth spot and wearing a helmet and pads to start. Watch videos to improve your skills. Connect with other skaters online and in person if/when you feel comfortable doing so.

Going on random long walks.

I started doing diamond art. Here is a cheap set with honestly 100+ hours of content. AMAZON LINK

I would put on a TV show and sit at my desk and Diamond art for a few hours before bed. Each picture takes 10-15 hours in my experience. When I was done I would find someone to give the picture to.

So not only have you accomplished something and you can SEE THE PROGRESS, you don't need a big shift in your life of watching youtube, and at the end you get to make some else happy by giving them a gift. And for a hobby it's fairly inexpensive.

Not sure if they count as hobbies since they're ones that didn't wholly develop consciously, but photography and cryptography are the two that get me by.

Exercise. Not kidding, it will help.

And cooking. Healthy food will also help. Make sure you get liver in there.

Lego are hella fun

Gardening is great and forces you to care for a thing.

Already mentioned. But hiking or uust going for a walk. Even light exercise (such as walking) have been proven to improve mood (and bodily health)

Bring a camera and take some pictures.

Take new random routes

Say hi to random people and/or animals

Me and my wife do a daily little walk. We meet neighbourhood cats etc all the time. Its nice and fun

Cycling did wonders for my mental health. It's something I can do solo but I also do it socially (I represent a local advocacy club). Being outside, feeling the wind, exploring your surrounding in a new light, etc. For working out, I believe than in the beginning it requires more discipline than motivation. Set yourself a goal, like riding/running/lifting/whatever for x amount of time (say 30min everyday o 2-3x a week) and just. do. it. Do it even if you don't feel like it, make a routine out of it to create anticipation. In time you'll notice that it gets less and less hard to get up and do the activity and then comes the movitation (like wanting to go farther, faster, lift heavier weights, etc).

If you're not feeling like going outside and since you mention wanting to make something, I'd recommend crochet or knitting. With crochet you can make amigurumi (stuffed toys) and with knitting you can make small items to gift (beanies, hats, cowls, scarves, etc). I recently discovered this craft myself and after noticing a positive effect I looked it up and turns out repetitive hand motions actually increase serotonine release. Plus the feeling of achievement after completing an item after some/lots of effort (and cursing) is very rewarding.

As someone with self-diagnosed mild depression and probably adhd, I've struggled with this.

Lots of people have suggested running or walking, can confirm, that does help. I would also add music to that. Throw on headphones, start your favorite playlist, crank it up good and loud, and go for a walk/jog/run. No one is watching you, no one is judging you. Silently lip sync sing with the songs as expressively awesome as you can (or sing out loud for real if you can, but I know this would be hard for me, for whatever reason I'm much less self conscious about my ridiculous facial gymnastics as long as I'm quiet about it). Like for real, pretend this is your song, and you're performing it live at your band's concert. Entertain the shit out of your imaginary audience. Belt it out like there's no tomorrow. To quote Straylight Run's "Existentialism on Prom Night," sing like you think no one's listening. Combined with the physical activity, you'll feel great when you get back home. For even better effect, find a bunch of songs where the tempo matches your walking speed. Then you can really get into a groove with it.

I also go on walks with my wife most evenings now, no music/headphones, just kinda small talk and enjoying each other's company, and it's helped get some things back on track with our marriage too. Better communication. Not both of us sitting on the couch silently doomscrolling and ignoring each other.

I can also suggest 3d printing as another good hobby, though this one will cost you, so it comes with the caveat that you'll probably want to have at least a bit of discretionary income if you want to pick this one up. There are tons of free, ready-made models on sites like thingiverse.com, thangs.com, or printables.com. Public libraries sometimes have 3d printers available for public use, and any makerspace worth their salt will have some too, if you're in an area that has something like that. So you can piddle around with it a bit before you really start laying out cash, see if it's something you'll like.

Start small, find a dinky little trinket or toy or something that can be printed quickly, and watch that mfer come into existence layer by layer. It's addicting. When the print bed slides out at the end with a physical object that didn't exist an hour ago, it's kind of fantastic.

Once you decide that you like it, you'll want to get a printer of your very own. You can find very hands-on tinkery printers (creality ender 3 series) for $100 and up, if you're good getting your hands dirty and buying more parts to "fix" some of the entry-level shortcomings. Good, ready-made "as good as your gonna get" options from Prusa or Bambu are higher priced initially ($500+) but won't require nearly as much extra money for upgrades and tweaks. Filament usually costs about $20-30/roll depending on how fancy you want. You can do toys. You can do lithophanes (cool 3d printed photographs). You can print replacement parts for random shit in your house that breaks. Guns. Action figures. You can print an entire fucking life sized Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton (Reddit link, warning to anyone who's avoiding the old site). And all the while, you'll need to read and research and tweak and change and do all kinds of little mental tasks to engage yourself and pull out of your funk.

Your thing will fail sometimes. You'll run out of filament. Your settings will be wrong. You'll end up with a big blob of plastic spaghetti. But that gives you incentive to find and fix what went wrong and try again. It'll come out right eventually, and it feels great when it does.

Once you've gotten your feet wet with models from the Internet, you can get into starting to learn modeling yourself, with Blender or FreeCAD or any number of other apps. And if you thought it felt good when your cheesy little boat or octopus from the Internet finished, let me tell you... When your own model, that you created from absolutely nothing, comes off the printer as a real honest-to-god physical object, looking exactly like it did in your head, it's sublime!

Anyway. Good luck to you. Good on you for reaching out and looking for ways to improve yourself. I hope you find something that works for you.

I was in a similar situation an year ago. I'm still not where I want to be, but I'm getting there.

Ideally, a routine which incorporates enough physical exercise, challenge and rest will get you to a much better state of mind.

There's a reason why many of the comments on this post are about physical activities. It just works.

exercise

Some form of exercise, I like weight lifting (bodyweight fitness is also fantastic)

Be disciplined and go even when you don't want to because when you're there you're glad you are. If you progressively overload every workout you aim for a new best, something to strive for. Then at the end you get the happy chemicals. Working out is amazing for improving mental health, and you get good visual and physical health benefits too.

Could try 3D printing. I recently picked up an Ender 3 printer and have been having a lot of fun. I'm in a pretty good spot with a few figures printed and I'm ready to start doing the clean up and polishing type stuff. After I feel like I have a good process I'll start figuring out the best ways to paint.

It's been a fun hobby with a seemingly endless amount of depth, so there's always something to learn or just improve your current process.

The printer I got, plus the filament was around $195 to get started. Budget permitting I think its a fun creative outlet.

It may have been suggested but a friend of mine who suffers with depression really enjoys jigsaws and lego?

Try writing anything. It doesn't matter what. It doesn't matter how much. Just try. Whenever you have the impulse, just write something. Don't worry about what it is, just let it out. Do it for as long as you like: 30 seconds or 30 minutes.

You never have to show any of it to anyone... until you suddenly decide one day that you'd like to. Until then, it's just for you.

Peace.

Singing. It literally bumps up your dopamine level.

Photography - added benefit is that you will usually go out for this

Music - an instrument is good

Drawing/Painting

Programming (hit or miss, I found learning unity was fun)

Video making - recording video games playthroughs, cooking, and so on.

Finally, one that usually everyone probably also may mention - Therapy - not a hobby but having to be able to talk about it is often good

This is of course not an exhaustive list - but it depends on what your interests are. Hope this is a good pointer to what you're looking for.

I recently started watching videos of people mowing lawns and it's been making me feel great.

Exercise is a definite one. This is actually coming from a medical side, not just a personal one. There's a lot of data there.

However I think hobbies that are 'measurable' are also really good. Ones where you can feel like you accomplished something. So things like painting, drawing, learning something, reading, where you can feel like youve finished something I feel really helps.

So a good idea might be combining the two. Maybe an exercise with a goal in mind. Or maybe take a few karate classes, with the goal of working towards your first belt. Or biking a certain distance every day to reach a total amount for a month. I personally find when i can see that my hobby has some measurable accomplishment, I personally feel more satisfied with that

Also for me social things help a lot. Im a very social person, but can get such in a rut. Finding more ways to be social can help expand and open you up to other things

If you live somewhere rural...birdwatching.

Gaming! There's so many amazing games out there in all sorts of genres.

Pick up whittling. This what I did when I was struggling in early covid. The start up cost is low and u can get as creative as u want. Im not very creative so make spoons and give them to family and friends but also make little figures like gnomes, wizards, rabbits, fish.

If u got wood and a semi decent knife, u can start right now

Echoing others, outdoor exercise is definitely the most restorative activity for me.

To add to this though, I also have taken up Photography as a way to add to or enhance my hobbies and activities.

I usually bring a camera with me on hikes, trips, walks, bike rides, nearly anytime I leave the house. It helps me see the world with my creative switch “on” but without the pressure of having to take an amazing photo - something I feel when I only bring out a camera for special occasions.

I also want to stress the importance of taking photos for yourself as the primary goal, and if only sharing photos that you personally like, not photos that you think others will like.

Hiking, biking, walking, and jogging are all solid options.

Find what you want from a hobby.

After trial and error for a few years, I realized I wanted my hobby to create something useful in the end. That helped me really narrow down my options.

Now, my favorite things to do include cooking (then get to eat it), crochet (then get to wear it/sell it/give it away), and playing RPGs (then get to beat it, etc.).

Hope this helps!

D&D and tabletop gaming in general has helped a lot with my social anxiety and mental health.

As I don't see it already mentioned - needle felting. It's really fun, simple to learn yet hard to master and can be a great creative outlet. I'm still a beginner myself, but have already managed to make some okay looking things, and as you get better the things you make can be great small gifts for friends and family.

I believe there are some fairly inexpensive beginner's kits you could get that contain everything to get you started, and youtube has some really nice tutorials. There are also several ebooks with needle felting ideas and templates. What I like to do, to not feel too bad when my thing looks nothing like the thing in the picture, is to look up a tutorial to get a basic idea and then amend according to my ability and colors I have available.

In any case and whatever you end up actually doing, I really hope you find something you enjoy.

A really simple creative hobby could be drawing mandalas.
You can completely freehand it, or use a circle tool like a compass to make guides to make it more symmetrical. Search for "mandala shapes" if you want some ideas for basic shapes to use.

As Heliumfart said, music works well. Even if you're not musically inclined you can get a small midi keyboard and bash at it using some free software, is very accessible nowadays! (Plenty of YouTube tutorials, I use reaper but plenty of other free tools to try). As far as working out goes, I lacked the motivation too, but then got a couple of dumbbells and would do some small movements while watching movies or shows at home. It's slow progress but eventually gets to the point that you enjoy it. You're already sat there watching TV, so this is just adding one small thing into that. I do feel more motivated after moving a little, so maybe that would work for you.

I’d recommend an in-person game of Pathfinder or DnD. The great thing about the game for me is getting rid of the electronics for a while and trying to be as creative as possible. If you can think it up, and convince the DM, you can do it be anything you want. Be as creative as you want. Come up with a character and their backstory and have fun.

Once you’ve played for a bit and have a good handle on things trying DMing. I was more afraid than I should have been and found that it is a ton of fun. Between getting to come up with and run the games I like to add my own twists and turns, bring things from previous sessions in as a surprise and most of all I love to see the creativity from the players and seeing how they fuck up all my carefully laid plans come up with amazing ideas and surprise me.

It can be an amazing outlet and a place to make some new friends. If you find a group that doesn’t work with you don’t be afraid to find a different one though, and remember that it’s meant to be fun.

Exercise is what helped me. I tried kayaking, found it to be nice but a lot of overhead. So cycling became a passion. Cover a lot of ground, see nature, get a lot of perspective, release endorphins in a healthy way. I did both road cycling and mountain biking.

It basically saved me from some dark times. I have a young child now, so on a hiatus, but will be back to it once she is old enough to go on rides.

I know music has already been stated, but learning an instrument during my episodes greatly helped me. It's not super interesting at first, but if your symptoms are like mine and others, sometimes just having the boring distraction of practicing a scale pattern can be that helpful. Learning the patterns of the major scale and doing that repeatedly can just be a nice way to productively occupy your mind and hands long enough for the episodes to pass when they get bad. And once you get to a point where you passively start hearing different ways to play that scale, you begin to improvise and it can actually go from boredom to fun. Another cool trick is that if you're used to typical 12 note scale stuff and associate Major sounds with "happy" sounds, it can give your brain just a little cognitive dissonance and help jolt you out of some moods if you're in a lighter episode.

Again: it's something that has worked for me. I don't think there's anything wrong with you if it doesn't work for you. But maybe it could be worth trying if you have access to an instrument.

What kinds of stuff are you interested in?
What do you like?

Music, art, working out, programming, biking, gardening, modding cars, woodworking, cooking... Any hobby can be a great thing for knocking out depression. You just have to be honest with yourself about things that you like, your current level of skills, what kinds of projects it makes sense to tackle on your own, and so on.

If you are lacking motivation, find something where you can start small, or work on in your bedroom. Make it as easy as possible to work on your hobby. Some examples include gaming (switch or laptop right next to the bed), or maille (start small with bracelets and move up to bags and belts before doing anything big).

Backyard birdwatching? Collect recipes like on Pinterest that look good and if you feel like it later you'll have some good recipes to try making?

try programming. starting to learn python is easy and then if you like it keep on learning.

For times when you want to do nothing but watch youtube, learn to knit or crochet so you can feel a little better about doing something.

Working out

Go to a pet shelter and volunteer to walk the dogs.

I picked up plants when I got depressed. Not only are they cool, but it is nice seeing something grow and nurtured. Plus, I learned that there isn't enough sunlight in my home which contributed to my depression.

The only thing I recommend is not to get a hard starter plant like calathea/goeppertia but like a spider plant. Really cool seeing them explode with growth!

Firstly know you are not alone, lots of people feel like this. I suggest a hobby which includes exercise and meeting people. Exercise releases endorphins and generally energises you. Meeting people helps bring you out of yourself and focus on something else. I do gym classes as it means I am around people but don’t have to interact too much. It’s the same people so I say hi and maybe chit chat a little. A gym buddy is good if you can find one, we never liked to bail on each other so used to go quite regularly. Swimming always makes me happy and my cat! (She likes to paddle but not really what I meant!)

Any kind of exercise, and social interaction. A combination is best, ie a team sports like basketball, soccer, etc. Check for local leagues, and so forth. It's a really good way to meet new friends as well.

Therapy is the best hobby.

Making music is a great outlet for any kind of emotion. But it's a long journey so you should manage your expectations. You won't be writing the most sophisticated songs at first, but as long as it's from your heart, it's good nonetheless.

I can't relate to your depression, though, so I don't know if this would be too overwhelming. If you manage to stick with it, the sense of fulfillment is amazing though.

Ultimate Frisbee

Go swimming in the sea

How do you feel about finding things difficult and failure? Because that's really important to consider when thinking of suggestions. It also depends how dedicated or how hard you are on yourself.

@QuietStorm
Group activities. People who are depressed should endeavor to be around people even if it is not what they want. Loneliness in a depressed person will turn to self loathing. Playing card games and board games with friends is a great activity because it forces you to be socially active and think about something other than what is depressing you.

If you're looking for something you can do while watching YouTube, origami. It lets you ease into a hobby, without completely taking away your vice.

Here's some i made yesterday while watching schadenfreude vids about the Netflix Cowboy Bebop disaster...

Kernel mainlining

Uninstall/disable the YouTube app. Trust me you will be a happier person

For me its gardening. If you don't have a an outdoor space, get yourself a couple of pots and plant some veggies and place them by the window.

Knitting. The basics are really easy to pick up and you get something out of it surprisingly fast. As an added bonus knitting supplies can be gotten for around $10 at walmart all in

Reading books. I enjoy it so much because it distracts me from depression, but depending on the book, it also can be enlightening in some ways and doesn‘t require me to really do much or go anywhere.

Meditation.

It's been shown to be a very effective remedy for depression. It's also a useful tool for getting in control of your mind. If you meditate regularly, you'll find more enjoyment in the things you're already doing.

Also, since it's just you and your thoughts, you may discover something you're interested in and find a hobby that way.

Physical hobbies like sports are very good, I went to a "martial arts club" for 2 years to train boxing. They shut down the boxing part of the gym during COVID and never started back up. So naturally I started singing. I had been singing in my car to and from work for almost 2 years at the time, so when COVID hit I started singing much more. Now Im in a choir and Ive been part of 2 concerts. You always have your voice with you so its easy to just put on some music and practise. I was still quite depressed so I got a dog, even though Im allergic, and have just gotten into university to get a degree in something completely different from my previous job. I feel amazing these days.

Since you mentioned that you want to create something to share, then art of any kind, including music, is what I'd suggest too. Pour yourself into whatever art or music you are creating and it will turn out well. The key word there is "creating." Art and music, when you are creating it, forces you into the present. There's no room for you to wonder out into the past or the future, which don't exist except in your head. Art forces you into the present and the present moment is the only place you will find peace, joy, creativity, and love.

Right now I’m trying chess. I absolutely suck at it, but I can play it on demand at any time online and getting better at it. Don’t really play against live opponents often, but rather play bots or solve puzzles mostly. It helps get the mind to think about something else and makes me want to learn due to how bad I was initially. Still bad, just less so.

Try martial arts.

Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy.

I say martial arts because it sounds like you're having trouble being self-directed and finding motivation. I also have trouble being self-directed. I don't go to the gym because I get there and I'm overwhelmed by the options and don't know how to use the machines and get really self-conscious about everything. I don't like outside sports because I live where it's hot. Martial arts classes are set up to teach you in structured lessons, with instructors to plan what you're gonna do and keep you motivated.

Plus, you get to hit stuff.

I play a video game (usually a retro one) on a low difficulty level. Then beat the computer over and over again. Bonus points if it’s a game I usually avoid because it’s too hard.

Gives a constant feeling of satisfaction at beating the computer over and over.

Sports outdoors with other people

Learn programming?

Dancing. There were dark times in my life where the dance practice was the highlight of the week. You get to know people too and when you choose a style of music you like it's almost impossible to feel bad. I know of people I met there who need it as well to stay positive.

Also it's physical and mental exercise in one. Perfect.

Making something. I'm taking lessons on metalworking, and it's really satisfying to have something that I made which can be useful in my daily life.

Honestly winemaking and brewing are great for depression. Can't find the willpower to take care of it for two weeks? That's fine! It's just aging, you can do the next step whenever you feel like it. And then you get to share and everyone is pressured to say nice things, it's great.

Anything creative, as a lot of people have suggested. It's highly satisfying to see a finished product you crafted yourself. And they really make you get in the zone and hyperfocus.

Scrapbooking is a good one. Sift through your photos, find some that bring back good memories and get them printed. Invest in a small spiral bound scrapbook, some acid-free coloured paper and decorations (you can get these from poundshops/dollar stores). Look at other people's scrapbooks online and shamelessly copy their designs until you can come up with your own.

Maybe you could even make some for the people you care about. Added bonus of being able to go over good memories with them. Maybe you can bring a smile to both of your faces.

Another cute one is making models out of greyboard (the grey cardboard on the back of refill pads).

Best of luck, I hope you feel better soon!

I have started to knit. I usually will watch TV or listen to a podcast and as I become better, I try more complex projects that force me to put more thought in what I'm doing.

I started out not doing anything specific, basically different lengths of squares and rectangles, because I also struggle with motivation to do anything. It was really just so I would have something to do and keep myself busy with. Then I started to include more simple techniques and then motifs and now patterns. If it's something that interests you, I think it's a great way to get distracted and at the end of it, you get a "reward" (being whatever you knit).

I hope you find something that helps you and that eventually you overcome depression.

Whenever I feel this way, which is often, I tinker with my homelab or play music. Oftentimes I don't feel to motivation to, but I know once I start I'll get sucked right in.

but im probably dreaming too big

No you're not. You underestimate yourself. There is not "too big" when it comes to having a hobby. You don't need to prove anything, just do something you enjoy and that makes you feel good about yourself. The difficult part is getting out of the house, not the actual activity. I won't recommend anything specific here because lots of people in this thread have already, and also the activity does not really matter, only that you do something that engages you.

My hobbies change with the seasons. Woodworking, tinkering with electronics, amd gaming in the colder months. Biking in the summer months. Anything that requires your undivided attention helps forget about depression.

Wow, you're being bombarded with good suggestions. Although I'd like to add an ingredient that helped me with my constant boredom; if you are going to go exploring or hiking, I found going outside to be incredibly dull personally unless I kept my mind occupied.

For me, that was creative writing brainstorming (plot, character development, etc) almost like organized daydreaming. I'd write it all down when I got home. Although I never did make the game given time constants, I had fun thinking of worlds of my own design.

Whittling is also a good one, low investment and relatively simple.

A cat? It forces you to do something useful everyday, which will make you feel good. Maybe a dog is even better, since you'd have to walk it, but a dog is a harsher commitment than a cat. You can't skip a walk with a dog, just because you re having a bad day. A cat however, will be fine for a day of neglect as long as you keep it's bowl full. A cat also enjoys playing outside though, so you could try that as well.

I had a kid, which didn't cure my depression, but it took away all my time. I didn't have time to think about depression anymore, so I kinda forgot about it. Though I wouldn't recommend having a kid for anything besides just wanting to have a kid.

Juggle. You must have 3 similar ball shaped items around the house. There's lots of tutorials online. You get your blood feeling, body moving. Such a nice rush when you finally get that new pattern or trick you were working on.

Drawing of course 😁! I think it would help to get your emotions out.

I’ve thrown myself into competitive powerlifting and my bipolar disorder has been stable for like three years. The exercise can be tough but it really levels me out.

For me, it was running and reducing alcohol to very moderate levels. I'm at the point now that I crave a run to clear my mind and lower my stress. I rarely ever feel depressed anymore. Total game changer for me.

Turn the passive watching into something a bit active if you can. I like watching TV, and I sometimes try to analyze the data from them. Similarly, if you like watching youtube videos, maybe examine what it is that excites you about them, if any, analyze and introspect.

I'm positively surprised that I've not seen gym suggestion within 10 comments.

Aquariums

Go for a bike ride.

If you can afford it, I highly recommend getting an ebike. It can open up a larger range where you can travel if you aren't in the best of shape.

Fishing. It’s outside, you get to meet interesting persons, there is a collection side in it and you can reach modest goals which is doing a lot of good.

Ride a bike. You get exercise, sunlight, cheap transportation, thrills/adventure, and good feelings, it's a win win

And if possible, find a local social bicycling group near you. Adds even more benefits when you are riding with a group

What sucks about exercise tips is that I live in Florida where there is nowhere to hike.

Stroads everywhere so I can’t bike.

Gyms? Not unless I pay $150 a month.

Walking? Oh right, stroads.

It’s fucking built to be depressing here. I hate Florida.

Rollerskating. I started rollerskating last year. Not only is it fun... But it's also great cardio. I was overweight and lost 50 pounds. I don't snore anymore. I don't have high blood pressure anymore. And it's stimulating mentally every time you learn a new move. Not to mention you meet some great people with cool vibes.

Buy an older house. Attempt to maintain said house to keep a roof over your head.