How To Break the Boredom-Alcohol Loop

Staying busy is a great way to stave off boredom and create space for healing the parts of your brain that took a walloping from drinking. It’s particularly therapeutic to find something to do with your hands. So many people quit drinking drinking out of boredom and end up walking around in a dopamine deficit state, struggling to find joy in anything. Now that you know the chemical reason for your boredom, let’s explore additional factors that might be contributing to these feelings.

Tips For Overcoming Boredom in Sobriety

Many scientific studies have proved a positive relationship between boredom/loneliness and excessive alcohol use. We understand that early sobriety is a difficult time full of a range of emotions. We work with guests to create a whole-health action management plan, allowing them to discover and explore many opportunities in recovery. We work with guests to create a meaningful https://ecosoberhouse.com/ and sustainable aftercare plan that includes healthy habits and routines that are meaningful to them. When you come to Herren Wellness, you become part of a vibrant and thriving community that doesn’t end when your stay ends. AspenRidge Recovery offers online treatment programs that make it possible to receive recovery care while still maintaining a flexible schedule.

Benefits of Sobriety

Just imagining the next few hours slowly creeping by – with nothing but my thoughts to occupy me – really makes me crave that drink. Another study published in JAMA Network Open in October found that Americans increased the frequency of their alcohol consumption by 14 percent compared to a year earlier. But the same study found a 41 percent increase in the number of days on which women drank heavily, defined as having four or more drinks in a couple of hours. In coaching Ria Health members through the early stages of recovery, many have shared that they feel a sense of boredom—as in having nothing to do—which has led them to drink to pass the time.

Signs of Becoming an Almost Alcoholic

• Are you tired of drinking out of boredom and ready to embrace a sober life in 2024?
• Make a commitment to allocate alcohol-free days and stick to them, keep alcohol and substances out of your home, make a schedule to structure your day, and connect with a supportive group regularly.
• This may help you recognize a concerning pattern or give you the push you need to cut back on drinking.
• Take control of the aspects of your life that you have some influence over and watch the world change around you.
• That being said, drinking FOMO is real and must be dealt with.
• The best way to stop drinking may look different for many people – it is not easy, and it may take several attempts.

But if you end up drinking anyway, mindfulness also means forgiving yourself and learning from the experience. 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. A sure sign of problematic bored drinking is failing to achieve hobby-related goals. Hobbies give you goals, and if you especially enjoy them, you’ll be motivated to reach these goals.

I have gone to bars with people I genuinely like as a sober person, and I don’t stay for longer than an hour or two if nothing is happening. It’s hard to fill that time, especially when dealing with alcohol cravings and triggers. If you want to change something, you first need to understand what it is. This might be a bit uncomfortable, as we often drink to reduce the noise of our own thoughts. But if you can spend time with those thoughts, you will be better prepared to make changes that can positively affect them. Andy explains how a straightforward, 7-stage process enabled him to change a lifelong addiction to alcohol.

Start journaling.

Often, being bored without alcohol seems intimidating because when there’s no task to put your mind to, you’re forced to notice the things that are making you unhappy. The following quiz is called the AUDIT, which is short for Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. It’s used by medical professionals to assess your risk for alcohol dependence.

Sober and Bored? Here’s What To Do About It

Many people say that they drink alcohol to manage anxiety – to numb it or take the edge off difficult feelings. The average adult experiences around 131 days of boredom per year, so how you react to this boredom is critical to your mental health. If you justify to yourself, “I drink when I’m bored,” it can quickly lead to overindulgence and health concerns. If you’re a casual drinker, you should understand the ramifications of regular drinking. By participating in therapy and counseling services, you can develop the skills and support necessary to overcome boredom drinking and maintain a healthier lifestyle.

Reach out now and join our supportive

Here it’s helpful to have a working definition of boredom. For most of her life, Andrea Carbone, a 51-year-old paralegal living in Florida, wasn’t a big drinker. But when the pandemic struck, she worried constantly about her job, her health and the safety of her children. I encourage anyone in recovery to be open, honest, and willing to do the work. Besides, it is all up to you to be the person you would like to become. If you need support in your journey, our team at Ria Health is always here to help you, and we’re only a call away.

Sobriety itself isn’t boring

• When you use alcohol (or any substance) to artificially boost serotonin and dopamine levels in your brain, you create an imbalance in the brain.
• And if you’re curious about your drinking habits, the following quiz may be helpful to you.
• You’ll meet millions of fellow Reframers in our 24/7 Forum chat and daily Zoom check-in meetings.
• The horrible irony to all of this is that alcohol amplifies loneliness.