Hard time enjoying things

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In the summer of 97 I went to Hawaii and Japan with my brother and sister n law for about a month. I went to museums, temples, parks, the mall, etc. I just couldn't help going to these places thinking, "am I really having a good time". I pretended to be interessted, but I really wasn't. I knew there was something wrong with me. The best word to describe me in that month was "rigid". I could not force myself to enjoy this trip. I didn't go to Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. I just wasn't interested. I live in Florida now and have not been to Disney once. The only enjoyment I get is being with other family members when we go, but to go by myself? Forget about it. I would get lost and just not enjoy it. I find that I don't have enthusiasm for travel, theater, art, and other things normal people enjoy. Do you experience this dullness for life?

I feel that way a lot. I have a really fun time when doing one of the few things that interests me, but anywhere else... boring, no matter how "fun" it is supposed to be. I would have a great time at the Museum of Natural History and Science, but the amusement park? Bah. In the end, I decided that it was better for me to only go to the places that I knew I would find enjoyable.

The major exception was when people I enjoyed being around were going somewhere. Then I would sometimes tag along, because I knew that even if the place itself did nothing for me I would enjoy my companions' company.

I spent more time in the gift shop at Great Adventure than I did on the rides. Amusement parks aren't. Yeah, I think that's an Aspie thing.

I think I know what you mean. My wife and I are planning to go to Disney in FL next year, and I'm not expecting to enjoy that in and of itself, but I know she'll love the experience, and I'll enjoy her enjoying it, if you know what I mean.

That's me! Totally!

I didn't even really treasure the experience of going to France & Switzerland with the military (oh man was I an outcast in the military!! !!) I only liked playing in the band.

I have more treasured moments of computer stores and video arcades than overseas travel. (A little embarassing, eh?)

I think I understand, a lack of interest in things sounds like anhedonia, almost depression, but when you use the word rigid it reminds me of me, I just don't enjoy things not because they are not enjoyable but because I am sooo tense/rigid, this is not anxiety as such just tension which hampers my interest in anything cos the energy is utilised up by stress. Its impossible to get absorbed in something if you feel very anxious, overloaded or tense.

normal people have to be doing something outside there own reality, (job) to have a good time. sounds like you know the truth though

everything is meaningless

"I think I understand, a lack of interest in things sounds like anhedonia, almost depression, but when you use the word rigid it reminds me of me, I just don't enjoy things not because they are not enjoyable but because I am sooo tense/rigid, this is not anxiety as such just tension which hampers my interest in anything cos the energy is utilised up by stress. Its impossible to get absorbed in something if you feel very anxious, overloaded or tense."

I don't know if that's what we're talking about here, I think the previous poster had it more when he said he enjoyed arcades and such more than the touristy stuff. It's not a lack of pleasure as much as different interests than the mainstream.

I always think I'm going to enjoy things like museums and the such, but when I go with people they ruin it. Maybe if I had the museum all to myself, It'd be great. And it had to be a museum of stuff I liked, like a computer museum would be cool.

Sorry I think i went off topic

I wish I enjoyed people and places, but I don't.

I think I'm actually the opposite, I don't find it hard actually enjoying myself unless I feel really depressed though but it doesn't happen very often, especially nowadays.

I'm quite interested in things.

But.

On actual trips to go sightsee and stuff, I rarely have a lot of fun, because I am so thoroughly stressed and overloaded that I just don't have it in me to be interested the way I would be if I was normal at the time. Of course, just leaving my house is plenty stressful and overloading, let alone going on vacation.

I find it so hard to escape my issues with change / new experiences / generally being out of my routine (which unfortunately is my weekday work routine) that anything that is meant to be "enjoyable" feels mostly just enormously heavy to me.

I find that I enjoy things very easily. Just not the same things others do.

I'm the kind of person who can go to the zoo and spend the entire time looking at the capybaras, while everyone else is fascinated with the spectacle of an elephant giving birth. Or who can visit New York City and find more fascination with watching the flow of the crowds, than the sights people usually cite as memorable.

It's rare to go someplace which is absolutely uninteresting to me.