Feeling Bored In Sobriety? Here’s How To Have Fun Without Alcohol

Now it is suddenly fired up and engaged, yet you’re not doing anything with it. Your brain is literally saying, “Entertain me!! ” Here are some ideas on how you can do just that.

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Our Treatment Advisors are available 24 hours a day to help you or a loved one access care. We’re ready to make sure you have the support you need to achieve lifelong recovery. I discovered tapping and other ways of relaxing myself that are really interesting. Another woman on my call said that she had found during quarantine a local farm that did vegetable deliveries and also the freshest eggs she’s ever seen. Seen, and buckets and buckets of local flowers that are lush and gorgeous and beautiful and a total treat.

  • We lay out a blanket, I get my favorite cheese and crackers, I put music on my phone.
  • But drinking alcohol doesn’t solve any of these problems.
  • This subreddit is a place to motivate each other to control or stop drinking.
  • So, without further delay… here’s that list of things to do instead of drinking.
  • Recognizing this habit is the first step to breaking it.
  • That’s why it’s important to try and change your environment in the early days as much as possible.

What Are Better Ways to Cope With Boredom?

Traveling can also help you gain a new perspective and appreciate the world. It’s important to remember that traveling in recovery may come with its own set of challenges, such as navigating triggers or finding supportive resources in unfamiliar locations. Planning and staying connected with your support network can help ensure a safe and enjoyable trip. Exercise is widely recognized as a natural mood booster and can help combat boredom or depression. Outdoor sports activities such as hiking, biking, and swimming can also provide an opportunity to connect with nature and experience new challenges.

I’m bored of going out & drinking. Is it because I am getting older?

  • The pandemic has been here and, at the time of this writing, is continuing to keep our world in a state of flux.
  • As part of your daily “boredom prevention plan,” schedule a reward for not drinking when you otherwise would.
  • With self-awareness, you’ll be better equipped to understand and address your habits.
  • You need to figure out the cheese and crackers sitting in your favorite chair and reading a book.
  • If you want to access my free video training on how to make stopping drinking effortless and enjoyable, click here.

When we get bored, drinking is not one of the options we have to relieve that boredom. Everyone gets bored sometimes, it’s just the way life is. It’s what makes certain parts of your life all the more exciting.

Losing relationships to the substance can be challenging but anchoring to others in recovery can be the very thing you need to feel worthy of recovery. Alcohol can be in a unique position of being both the solution to and the cause of pain. Yet, no matter how much pain it causes to the individual or family, alcohol is one of the most difficult substances to remove. The Reframe app equips you with the knowledge and skills you need to not only survive drinking less, but to thrive while you navigate the journey.

Instead of going to a bar, consider going for a light jog or cooking your favourite dish. Boredom and stress can be alleviated when we focus our minds on something else. Concentrating on a productive activity can be helpful when trying to reduce the number of drinks you’re having. While a glass of alcohol per day may seem like a good way to reduce stress and prevent boredom, issues may arise if it becomes a habit that takes over one’s life.

Engage in Physical Exercise and Outdoor Activities:

However, the variety of treatment options make it easier for individuals and families to focus on moderate consumption or complete abstinence. An estimated 15 million people throughout the U.S. struggle with alcohol use disorder, but only 10% receive treatment. Alcoholism profoundly affects the entire body, especially the brain, heart, pancreas, mouth, liver, and the immune system. Despite its negative impacts, more Americans drinking out of boredom than ever consume alcohol regularly, especially women and minorities. Also know what you are going to drink and select from alcohol alternatives.

Boredom no doubt played a role in this scenario. Do you walk around the block and phone a friend? Take control of the aspects of your life that you have some influence over and watch the world change around you. 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.

Surrounding yourself with people that support you can help alleviate possible remnants of guilt and shame from past behaviors. Alcohol is one of the world’s most commonly accepted drugs, so it’s also regularly left off the list of addictive drugs that negatively impact people’s lives. Reframe supports you in reducing alcohol consumption and enhancing your well-being. Plus, we’re always introducing new features to optimize your in-app experience.

drinking when bored

The Boredom Drinking Loop

We think that everyone around strengths that every activity involves alcohol, because drinking has been our constant companion. It’s what we sit outside on the deck with in the evenings. We read books with it, we go on dates with it, we see friends with it, we have weekends away with it. It is literally our companion for everything a lot of times more than even our best friend or spouse or our kids. So yes, you will feel a void when you remove alcohol. By implementing these strategies, you can effectively overcome boredom drinking and maintain a healthier lifestyle.