Drinking Out of Boredom Hobbies to Replace Drinking

But truthfully, it’s something we all experience—and struggle with—throughout our lives. Every month, we launch fun challenges, like Dry/Damp January, Mental Health May, and Outdoorsy June. You won’t want to miss out on the chance to participate alongside fellow Reframers (or solo if that’s more your thing!). Plus, we’re always introducing new features to optimize your in-app experience. We recently launched our in-app chatbot, Melody, powered by the world’s most powerful AI technology. Melody is here to help as you adjust to a life with less (or no) alcohol.

• To understand why drinking out of boredom can be so risky, it’s worth taking time to understand the role of dopamine in how we behave and make decisions.
• Today as an adult, I still find myself feeling bored sometimes, but I have a different approach to boredom, and a different philosophy on what boredom is.
• Always have a backup soft drink just in case you reach the bar and they are out of stock.
• When that’s the case, it’s a sign of deeper problems that need solving.

I kept a notebook and pen beside my bed in case I woke up in the middle of the night with a brilliant song lyric or poem. Remember, it’s not that sobriety is terrible, but that your brain is trying to grapple with the sudden loss of dopamine. My social circle changed when I got sober because I realized that many https://ecosoberhouse.com/ of my relationships were based on getting drunk together, and that was it. 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.

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It can be your friends, colleagues, or family who know you for ideas of things you can do to fill your time differently. Meet and connect with such people regularly and let them know when you are feeling down or https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/boredom-drinking-and-how-to-stop-it/ lonely. Remember that one of the things we’re attempting to do is not only get out there and experience fun activities that don’t involve alcohol but also heal the underlying damage in our brain from drinking.

• You might plan to start learning a new language during downtime, but put it off in favor of having a drink.
• At the beginning of those days, plan to work on a hobby or some other activity when nothing else is scheduled.
• Talking with a trained therapist, especially one who understands substance abuse, is important.
• This is where the real work of sobriety is – facing up to your own mind.
• An estimated 15 million people throughout the U.S. struggle with alcohol use disorder, but only 10% receive treatment.

Talking with a trained therapist, especially one who understands substance abuse, is important. They can give you tools and resources for navigating everything you’re feeling (or not feeling) right now. You need to reset your reward pathways and that’s not going to be possible as long as you are drinking alcohol. It’s at this point where a lot of people realize they’ve veered into risky gray area drinking or even alcohol use disorder. The contrast between the heightened emotional state while drinking and the flatness of mood when sober can make everyday life without alcohol seem uninteresting – sometimes unbearably so.

Why Shouldn’t You Drink Out of Boredom?

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. Sunnyside is not designed to treat alcohol use disorder (AUD). For resources related to AUD, including how to get support, please visit the NIH website. We’ve also partnered with Moderation Management, a non-profit dedicated to reducing the harm caused by the misuse of alcohol. Not to mention alcohol also suppresses hormones related to appetite.