If nothing else, it starts to chip away at any notion you might have that you’re unworthy. I’ve included this separate from hobbies because I don’t believe that journaling is a hobby. I found myself planning little outings when I got sober because I needed to figure out what it meant to have fun again. If you have a willing friend or family member, take them along. Plus, you might meet some cool people, and that’s always a double win.
- It’s really common to attribute all ennui in sobriety to missing booze and thinking that the main way you (and everyone else) enjoy yourself is by getting wasted.
- By engaging in a new hobby or passion, you not only fill your spare time with meaningful activity but also boost your self-esteem and gain a sense of accomplishment.
- Who knows, the friends you think might push back the hardest may actually begin to question themselves and eventually join you.
- In response, some people seek outlets that are detrimental to their well-being.
- As someone who existed in this headspace for years, I completely sympathize with how hard it is to break out of this rut, which is why this next part is so important.
Regularly consuming alcohol when you’re bored has both short-term and long-term effects on your health, even if it doesn’t lead to a drinking disorder. In her time here, Karlie trained as a clinical supervisor and an Acudetox therapist. She has a passion for working with clients to help them develop a more profound sense of identity to navigate depressive and anxious symptoms. She’s passionate about working with clients to work through trauma and improve mental stability.
When you’re triggered by experiences like boredom or isolation, the accessibility of alcohol makes it that much harder to refrain from drinking to cope with these difficult feelings. If you’re ready to break free from this habit and reclaim control of your life, the Stop Drinking Expert is here to help. With resources, articles, and support, you can learn how to live a healthier, more fulfilling life without alcohol.
A Supportive Sober Community: 8 free alcohol support groups
Acute anxiety and depression from the withdrawal process can ease within a few days to a week. But for many people, lingering feelings of anxiety, depression, and general malaise can last weeks, months, or even longer. When you use alcohol (or any substance) to artificially boost serotonin and dopamine levels in your brain, you create an imbalance in the brain. Swapping our routines and habits that are damaging you for ones that can strengthen how to stop drinking out of boredom your body and soul will give you a really clear reason why you want to stop drinking out of boredom.
Regardless of the intent, there are significant health implications that arguably make alcohol the most dangerous substance on the market. Self-medicating can drastically impact overall health and well-being. It’s also a common reason many become dependent on substances. Not only this, self-medicating can lead to and exacerbate mental health conditions leading to a dual diagnosis condition. According to Medical News Today, the average adult in the United States experiences around 131 days of boredom per year. How we react to the state of boredom is critical to our ongoing mental health, experts state.
If you’re a casual drinker, you should understand the ramifications of regular drinking. It’s hard to quit drinking when you only see yourself as a person who normally drinks but is taking a break. Whether your goal is long-term or short-term sobriety, this is the wrong mindset. A smart recovery strategy is to completely embrace a new identity as a person that does not drink. By becoming more involved in your community, you can effectively replace boredom drinking with meaningful connections and activities that improve your overall mental health and well-being.
- If you start noticing these side effects, it’s time to re-evaluate how you deal with boredom.
- Eating well, staying hydrated, getting physical activity, and not stocking up on alcohol for the winter are other helpful strategies to stop drinking out of boredom.
- If you have stopped drinking, and you leave your days up to chance, it can be detrimental.
Short-Term Effects
If you believe these advertisements, alcohol can make you come across as a more interesting, fun, and exciting person. Drinking alone regularly and excessively could be an early sign of alcohol use disorder (AUD). If you are aware that you have a problem with alcohol, there are several available treatment options and methods to help you.
Sometimes being sober is boring because your life revolves around alcohol.
They give you alternatives to drinking to fill gaps in your life. If you want to get better control of your drinking, you need to think about what your future drink-free life will look like. Try and find ways to build other people into your daily patterns.
Consider hobbies you’ve always wanted to try or interests you set aside. By engaging in healthy activities such as exercise and connecting with other people in recovery, you can begin to build a new and more meaningful life without alcohol or drugs. This means you may experience feelings of boredom, apathy, and low motivation for some time in early sobriety. Boredom may cause unsatisfactory feelings of anxiety and stuttering. It takes up a lot of brain space, which makes it easier to feel boredom when mental obsessions fade. It can be difficult to quit drinking or pull out alcohol from your life when you think about your everyday stresses and pressures.
Are there certain days where boredom is more likely to sneak in? At the beginning of those days, plan to work on a hobby or some other activity when nothing else is scheduled. You’ll find it easier to settle into the activity should boredom strike. If you do manage to meet your friends, the added drinks from socializing might affect your ability to get home, placing a burden on your friends.
Instead, it’s the moderately engaging activities, like showering or taking a walk, that actually lead to inspiration. The shower or the walk is neither so engrossing or boring as to distract your thoughts from churning — that’s the sweet spot you should be aiming for. If someone expects that every Friday night they should be out on the town with friends, but they’re alone on a couch, it may be easier to justify boredom and self-pity, followed by booze. Managing our expectations can relieve boredom as well as the unhealthy compulsions to relieve it. The practice of mindfulness involves being present in the moment and paying attention to your thoughts and feelings without judgment.
Treat your health like your business — non-negotiable and strategic
It might make them (unintentionally) feel worse about themselves if they deep down feel they drink too much and want to cut back, but aren’t ready. Of course, you don’t have to explain yourself if you don’t want to. But it might be helpful when you’re just starting to turn down drinks. Once you understand the dynamic of it all, you can take a step back, because it’s not really about you.
KARLIE ROSHONG – Clinical Manager
Different activities will in turn create different thoughts and even the smallest change can start to make a big difference. If you are filling voids in your life with alcohol, then you need to decide what else can fill you up instead. If you want to reduce the amount of alcohol you drink, it makes sense to avoid busy bars and thirsty friends. But many of us should because millions of us resort to drinking out of boredom whilst relaxing at home. I see leaders determined to protect their energy, optimize their decisions and lead by example. Plenty of leaders that you wouldn’t expect have a “health team” in some capacity.
Bored Drinking: How to Defend Against the Sneakiest Trigger
Someone experiencing an alcohol overdose can faint and may choke on their vomit. It can be especially dangerous when drinking alone because no one is around to help them. However, if you find yourself drinking alone regularly or excessively, it could signify a more serious problem. NIAAA’s website is full of practical research and science-based methods to help you stop drinking. The NIAAA tells you the mathematical difference between drinking in moderation, binge drinking, and heavy alcohol use. We’re a ticking time bomb, and with each passing hour and sip of alcohol, the timer gets closer to zero.
Warren is a Licensed Master Social Worker, who specializes in substance abuse and mental health treatment. Clinically, Warren has developed a therapeutic skillset that utilizes a strengths-based perspective, Twelve Step philosophies, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Interviewing. In drug rehab centers in South Carolina, a wide range of substance addictions are addressed. These facilities are equipped to treat addictions to various drugs, including but not limited to, alcohol, opioids, stimulants, etc.
One of the biggest impediments to my sobriety during my relapse days was my inability to avoid getting consumed by emotions. Not on its own, but maybe it starts a conversation and a friend comes over just to sit with you and make sure you’re good. Remember, it’s not that sobriety is terrible, but that your brain is trying to grapple with the sudden loss of dopamine. Depending on the severity of the symptoms, your doctor may even recommend medication to help treat depression and anxiety.