Alcohol is one of the leading causes of preventable death in the United States. It’s responsible for more than 95,000 deaths annually. Many people struggle with drinking out of boredom, and even if they don’t particularly like alcohol or its effects. Studies have shown that easily bored people are at higher risk of anxiety, depression, drug addiction, alcohol misuse, anger, and a number of other issues. Boredom can unexpectedly become a cue for sensation-seeking behavior. The current pandemic has highlighted how boredom can trigger the misuse of substances, particularly alcohol.
Feeling Bored In Sobriety? How To Have Fun Without Alcohol.
With understanding and a few targeted strategies, you can retrain your brain to seek healthier, more fulfilling ways to escape boredom. Boredom, a state we’ve all experienced, can be a tricky beast. But remember that, scientifically, boredom is an emotion — just like appiness or The 14 Best Nonalcoholic Drinks of 2024, by Food & Wine sadness. It typically occurs when we find ourselves disengaged from what’s going on around us or when there’s a lack of interest or enjoyment in our activities. All these tips are here to help you prevent drinking out of boredom. They give you alternatives to drinking to fill gaps in your life.
#2 Keep a List of Supportive Contacts
Boredom and isolation are known relapse triggers for people with substance use disorders. An important way to safeguard your sobriety is to be aware of this and take steps to mitigate it. 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.
Alcoholism profoundly affects the entire body, especially the brain, heart, pancreas, mouth, liver, and the immune system. Despite its negative impacts, more Americans than ever consume alcohol regularly, especially women and minorities. However, because it’s so common, we can fail to recognize the importance of addressing it. Boredom can cascade into serious issues like battling loneliness, uncovering deeply seeded shame and self-loathing, and even feelings of high stress can become prevalent. Drinking out of boredom is how some choose to deal with the dull moments life throws at us. In drug rehab centers in South Carolina, a wide range of substance addictions are addressed.
People Are Binge-Eating Huge Doses of Magic Mushrooms Live on Social Media
I always have, but they really really helped me in early sobriety. And on your vision board, you can literally put pictures of things that you want to do or things that you’re excited to do in your future. Even though we’re not traveling right now, I rented a farmhouse two hours away from me that I’m just going to go to just for a change of pace. I’m going to sit on the front porch, and rock.
A Denver native and lifelong Colorado resident, Megan embarked on her academic journey at the University of Northern Colorado. There, she earned dual bachelor’s degrees before pursuing a master’s degree in psychology. During her academic years, she dedicated herself to assisting refugees fleeing war and violence in their home countries. Courtney’s professional experience in substance use treatment began in a holistic residential treatment center.
- You’re sidestepping offers for office happy hours, or zoom happy hours.
- Exercise is a powerful way to rebuild your body in recovery and a healthy coping skill.
- Courtney’s professional experience in substance use treatment began in a holistic residential treatment center.
- Karlie says the best advice ever received is to not fall in love with potential.
- Those who seek to have alcohol at any interval, if they are honest, would say that even when alone alcohol has been a source of entertainment.
- Want to read the full transcript of this podcast episode?
And I want to ask you, if you’re there, are you feeling bored in early sobriety? Because if you are, that’s pretty normal, there is an “in between” time, somewhere between no longer in your drinking life. The truth is that you might feel bored, what you’re going through is normal, it happens to everyone. The truth is that not drinking right now is your entire job. It may feel like all you’re doing is reading a book, watching TV, making tea, going to bed. You are doing hard emotional and physical work every single minute.
You can get second hand stuff and spray painted. You can go to the arts and crafts store and pick out mason jars and put beautiful flowers in them. The point is to create a space that’s a lovely retreat, but one that every place your eye brings you a sense of joy and peace and comfort. And surrounding yourself with beautiful things made me really happy not in early sobriety. But oh my god, pets, and taking care of a pet is so joyful and wonderful to be able to cuddle them and to have a physical being that loves you and amuses you and that you have to play with. They were little Siberian Tabby brothers, when they came to us, they were two and a half pounds.