To ask how you 'have fun'?

[1Child1PetNoClue]

Hope for starters I'm not being too U posting this in AIBU for the traffic!

I've suffered with anxiety and depression for years and am really trying to get some sort of a hold on it, but one thing I've lost seems to be the ability to enjoy myself - I used to have hobbies, be able to relax in front of the tv etc but don't seem to enjoy any of that now and think if I found small things I could enjoy doing it would help my mental health no end. So AIBU to ask what you do for 'fun'?

We're struggling for money atm so things like going to a gym or out for the day or starting an expensive hobby are out, but easy (cheap) small things would be great, especially if I can do them with pre-teen dd (and possibly DH) as I don't feel I spend much quality time with her through tiredness/low mood. We live too out of the way to have museums etc nearby (£12 bus journey to any), only have a library, but not rurally enough to have nice fields/hills to walk in etc so a bit stuck there too.

So far all I can think of is sticking on some music and having an (embarrassing) dance session with dd, doing some drawing/colouring in or going out for a walk (but not sure where!). Any ideas much appreciated.

I also like watching youtube tutorials on make-up and hairstyles and then trying them out.

Ooh and recently decided to work my way through every Tom Hardy movie. That one is particularly pleasing

Op, when i went to the doc's with severe depression (think suicidal), the best thing she ever told me to do was go and experience nature outside. Also exercise can be the best thing, so combining the two makes sense!

Eventually i bought my own horse (been with horses for most of my life)so being outside at least twice a day, and caring for an animal was brilliant for me. Not suggesting you buy a horse, mind!

Thanks for all the ideas, definitely going to try and take up as many as possible - feeling more positive about getting going as find it very hard to think of these things on my own but will be referring to the thread a lot now . Playstation would be great, it's dd's birthday soon so if I could interest her it could double as a birthday present - she wanted a Wii but we haven't got the 'swinging around' space but singing/rock band etc would be good (I'm tone deaf but have given up caring).

NoIsNot - photo wall sounds lovely, I love looking at photos but have barely any up - can I ask how you put them up? We're renting so can't put many nails up, do you think I could blu-tack them or something?

DD is now in secondary and I would actually like to volunteer at school but wonder if I've missed the boat, do parents still get involved at secondary?

I find being in or near water does wonders for my mood. Could you take the kids swimming? Picnic by a lake or riverbank?

I also find gardering very relaxing and my kids have always enjoyed helping dig and plant things.

Yes, I blue tacked mine as they are just cardboard mounts, I couldn't afford frames but bought Kenro Strut (if you google they have different colours and sizes, I used grey 6 x 4s as the wall is pink) and used blu tack and "sticky dots" which just peel off. Check with the type of paint you have though, some blu tack leaves "greasy" marks.

I bought 50 mounts for about £20 and used an app called "free prints" to print from my phone. It was very satisfying when it was done and people always comment on it - in a positive way

Oh and if your DD is pre teen, do it now - quickly!

Mine used to love posing for photos, now if I try to get a photo of them, I get met with "do you have to? Oh my days Mum you're so like sad, stop embarrassing me" can't work this out as they always seem to be on Instagram but there you go...

I like water too, dd hates swimming (sensory processing) but think there's a decent river near here, would be really nice.

Thanks NoIsNot - those mounts sound brill, sorry to keep asking details but do you just tape the photos onto the mounts? Will get onto it, dd is already moving into 'happy to pose but going to give you a withering expression' phase.

I'm another crafter, specifically I love making jewellery. You can get everything online and you don't need too much to start. The earring posts / bracelet cord / metal clasps etc are called findings. I often browse charity shop jewellery offerings to recycle the beads. You will need a couple of tools, but I have found these to be ludicrously cheap in places like What! or Home Bargains.

Another thing I like doing - making home made pamper stuff. There are instructions online on how to make face masks, exfoliating stuff, hair masks, bath bombs etc etc from natural products (although you do need citric acid for bath bombs so not exactly something you pick up in the corner shop).

How old is your DD? Would she still be into something like a local treasure hunt? quite why this is age-specific I'm not sure, because I would still love something like this and I'm 42

I enjoy being outdoors and active so like walking, cycling and running.

If inside, I try to read rather than watch TV as I find I feel more relaxed. I also like going to the pub with friends, or often we will meet straight from work (we all work in the city centre) and go for a walk together, just around the streets, along the canal etc, chatting and catching up. It's free and we all feel better for it rather than drinking and spending money.

I hate craft so can't help you there!

This would only be for you but the open university do free online courses. I'm doing a creative writing one at the moment that I'm really enjoying but there are loads of them .

If you like the idea of a nice walk geocaching might add an extra fun element. It's basically a worldwide treasure hunt, and takes you to cool wee places you never new existed. DS loves to come with me and it's a great opportunity to take some lovely photos too.

Have a wee look on the website. There is bound to be a few close to you (because they are everywhere!)

Yy to geocaching. There's probably a geocaching facebook group covering your area, it's a good way of asking for local recommended caches/series etc.

Are you crafty? What about browsing pinterest then go charity shop foraging for materials. Last year me and my girls made Fairy Gardens from all kinds of random tat After another thread today I'm now pondering making a rag rug.

Charity shops are also good for cheap dvd's of trashy movies, have a girly film night, complete with home made cake?

Also, walking in the rain is great. If you can work up to getting a reasonable waterproof jacket and good boots, it's feels like an amazing achievement when you get home from a 'bracing' walk.

Oh yes, I meant to say, is an allotment a possibility? Working outside for an hour or two is a good mood lifter.

The mounts are sort of like an envelope, you can just slide the photo in, you can get a spray adhesive to put on the back of your photos but I didn't bother tbh, and they've been fine.

I don't think you can set out to have fun...fun is spontaneous IMO. Concentrate on things you enjoy.

There is a product called 3m command strips that you can use to hang pictures. It's stronger than blutac and is easily removable from lots of different surfaces so it's good for rentals. B&Q sell it.

Scrapbooking is fun and you can do that with your dd. Hobbycraft sell scrapbooks that are cheap and are often on offer (£5 for a big 12 x 12 recently). You can get papers and craft supplies in the poundshop and other scheap shops.

Also second running, I started recently and love it, my ds who is 13 will come with me sometimes too. Also have an allotment which is hard work but rewarding and enjoy down time reading and watching documentaries.

Combine the lot.

Find a walk, take a picture, draw/paint/sew it... paint an iced cake with it.

Seriously, library and charity shops can be your best friends. Lots of kid and adult crafts...

... oh, youtube arm knittinng - it's fun and charity shops often carry really cheap wool. You can make a whole new past time out of knotting together short lengths of wool

This is a lovely thread. Here are my suggestions:
Jigsaws
Colouring in
Reading gardening books (from charity shop) and catalogues
A tiny bit of gardening, if you have a garden, or even a pot or two
Listening to the birds and trying to spot/identify them, also learning to identify plants
Netflix - fun series like Kimmy Schmidt
For about £12 a month you can join a fab website called yogaglo and do yoga classes and meditation at home (Sports Direct sell v cheap mats and blocks)
Walking, as everyone has said
Podcasts - Stuff You Should Know is fun and very interesting
Ironing (I know, I'm weird, but I find it calming).

Give it time, don't force yourself, do something small just to try it each day. And I agree, look outside, just at any old tree or plant or bird, and start to really see them. It's transformative. Anxiety can get better, look after yourself

Hi OP, I suffer with anxiety/depression and I find walking helps, even just walking around the local area if you can't get into the hills/countryside. Gardening is another good one, I think it's because you have to concentrate enough to do a decent job but can also let your mind go blank at the same time, I find it tunes out the negative thoughts.l would imagine a craft would have a similar effect.

Combining the lot isn't so silly actually! I used to run (well, stagger) a bit, I was also into foraging wild food and used to use my runs to recce particular areas and see if there was anything worth picking. Walks can also be combined with bird watching, wildlife spotting or photography. I enjoy nosing around country churches so often plan a walk which takes in a couple of geocaches and a church.

Would you be at all interested in learning a new language? They have the relevant books in my local library so it needn't cost much, or anything.

If you don't much like speaking aloud or to other people much as that is really the point of speaking languages, but personally I don't you could even try something with a different alphabet like Chinese, Russian, Greek or Arabic; you can just "workbook" by yourself and learn how to read it. Though obviously it doesn't have to be another alphabet. If it's something you're into, it can be very rewarding and satisfying and give you a sense of achievement.