Mine gradually came back after some time (I think maybe a week or two before it fully recovered?)

Some things that helped me in the meantime while my taste buds were dead was orange juice. That's was probably the only thing I could taste and kept my sanity up throughout the ordeal.

Huh. Never occurred to me to try out modded ftl. Didn't even know it had a modding scene. Will definitely check out this multiverse mod you mentioned

I like to play any type of horde clearing game where I can shut my brain off and just swing/shoot my way through a bunch of enemies. Some examples of this are deep rock galactic and vermintide 2. One scratches the shooty itch and the other scratches the swingy itch

If I ain't shooting or swinging I like to play roguelites. Slay the spire and faster than light are classics I keep returning to. Interested in trying out cobalt core soon which looks like a mix of STS and FTL

I absolutely love Chopin. His pieces are so chopiny. I find his piano pieces are so incredibly fun to play and a great listen too. Sometimes when I try to play them it makes no sense to me, but eventually something clicks and somehow I'm playing one of the most beautiful pieces I've ever played.

Don't really get the drive to play games much nowadays, but when I do I usually hop onto deep rock galactic or vermintide 2.

Its just so satisfying to shut off the brain and cleave through hordes of enemies with a nuke or a big sword

I agree with the sentiment of the other posts - you're over thinking it.

All martial arts come with an inherent risk of injury, some more than others but once you start, one of the fundamental things you learn is restraint and control. General sparring/training won't be too rough on you unless you get an asshole partner or you're still not prepared enough. If you're afraid of taking blows to the head then look for one that's less heavy on the head like grappling for example.

Try to find a physical hobby that you enjoy and improve yourself through that. Try out a couple different stuff and stick with one that resonates with you the most. Make some friends, expand your worldview, learn new things - you'll get further in terms of strength and skill if you're actually into whatever you're doing.

Also, it doesn't have to be a fighting sport. Any sport or physical activity will make you stronger. If fighting ability is what you're after then go for it, but it's not the only option.

My advice is that fighting isn't the only thing when it comes to protecting your family. Physical/mental health, knowledge, finances, reliability, sociability; a lot of other things are important as well and deserve the time to be worked on.

Source : Programmer who gets hit in the head, wrist, and body multiple times three times a week for the past 5 years

Progress.

If I'm improving in any way shape or form then I'm a step out of the dark. This can be from anything like going to the gym, improving on my hobbies, or even learning something new.

For long drives/commutes I love listening to podcasts, banter/discussion-heavy streams, or audio books. Also love a bit of karaoke in the car.

If I'm at home, I'd often get into something for bit. Maybe try a new game for a week or two before I grow bored or maybe try out a niche hobby for a while like figurine painting.

I'm not the type to do much productive things at home so my main hobbies are usually outside. Golf, kendo, gym, bouldering - anything that I can sink time into and gradually get better and meet new people is my jam. I also spend the idle time at work or at home learning or researching more on the hobbies I enjoy.

I'd recommend giving audio books a try. There's so much to choose from and you can find whatever book to match your mood at the time.

I'd love to be able to play the Mongolian Morin Khuur just for the sole reason of making that horse noise

Saxophone or trumpet as well would be fun to bust out funky solos

Though Malaysian headphones are usually labelled L and R too

I was a sickly child, so I'd spend a lot of my time at my grandma's house. Every evening she would make me a hot cup of milo for me to dip some biscuits in. One sip and I feel relaxed, safe, warm, and loved. I love her milo so much that if anyone else made it, even with the same recipe, it was never the same. I love my grandma