Hobbies give you goals, and if you especially enjoy them, you’ll be motivated to reach drinking out of boredom these goals. Without hobbies, it’s more tempting to take the easier route of having a drink. Sure, having a single drink while alone might not seem like a problem if you eat well and exercise. But if you add it to the drinks you have with friends and that everyday glass of wine with dinner, your total number of weekly drinks can increase rapidly.
What to Do When Bored in Sobriety
When he’s not working, Nate enjoys horticulture and is very active in Denver’s recovery community. There will always be a long lost friend who arrives on your doorstep looking to catch up over a few drinks. Be ready for these moments when they arrive, and they will, give yourself a wry smile, then make the choice that fits with your goals. Unstructured time leads to unpredictable behaviors, which are problematic in recovery.
- If you’ve reached a point where you can’t experience joy in anything and use alcohol as a way to escape, don’t brush it off as a rough phase.
- This is the part where you figure out how to enjoy life without a little something extra to help loosen you up.
- We are here to provide the support and treatments you need to achieve lasting recovery.
- Exercise releases endorphins, the body’s natural mood boosters, which can help to alleviate feelings of restlessness and frustration.
- But also, don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and get involved in activities around your community.
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An important way to safeguard your sobriety is to be aware of this and take steps to mitigate it. With lower rewards, normal behaviors are less appealing, and people find themselves feeling bored. That unwanted feeling in addiction recovery is boredom, but it is fueled by the impact of substance use in the brain. However, feeling bored without alcohol isn’t actually a bad thing.
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The more often someone drinks to cope with boredom, the more likely they are to develop an unhealthy reliance on alcohol. When boredom leads to drinking, people often reach for a drink without realizing the long-term consequences. What starts as an occasional glass of wine or beer to “take the edge off” can quickly become a habitual coping mechanism, making it harder to break free over time. Before long, individuals may drink more often and in larger quantities without even enjoying it anymore.
- Justin was born and raised in Fort Collins, Colorado, where he began his clinical education at Colorado State University.
- So I’d move the dinner along more quickly, thank them for hanging out, and dart back home.
- Planning interactions according to “Sober in Seven” can help reduce feelings of loneliness and prevent reliance on alcohol.
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 boredom drinking becomes unmanageable or leads to alcohol addiction, seeking professional help can be crucial for taking control of your life and preventing potential health risks. Therapy and counseling services can provide you with the support and guidance you need, and addiction treatment programs can help you address the underlying causes of your boredom drinking.
