When you don’t feel you have anyone to talk to or anywhere to go, drinks can feel like a constant, a friend. Unfortunately, drinking alcohol because of boredom makes you feel worse which in turn, makes you feel even less confident about going out and making new connections. As with anxiety, COVID has seen rates of loneliness soar, as people have been forced apart for months, or have lost connections to friends or social groups. Many people admit to drinking out of boredom because they feel lonely.

Breaking Free From the Cycle

If some urges seem to pop up “for no reason,” it might be because there was nothing else in those moments to occupy your mind. If bored drinking becomes a habit – or if it’s occasional – it can affect your ability to sleep soundly. And if you routinely drink on other occasions too, you’ll experience worse sleep disruptions. For many people, an antidote to boredom is picking up their knitting, grabbing a book, or writing in their journal. These healthy diversions fill a gap that drinking might otherwise fill.

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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. Recovery is hard work, but we think you’ll find it’s well worth it. Always have a list of people that support your recovery available. This provides quick access to those who empower you on your recovery journey. Surrounding yourself with people that support you can help alleviate possible remnants of guilt and shame from past behaviors.

• If you’re at the point where you’re emotionally drinking and unable to derive pleasure from everyday activities, it can be a sign that you need additional support to break out of this cycle.
• It’s likely your doctor will order some bloodwork, which can be the start of your path to physical recovery.
• Melody is here to help as you adjust to a life with less (or no) alcohol.
• If you’re unsure where to start, check out this guide on how to cope with loneliness through new activities and interests.

Take a Break From Alcohol and Seek Help

Additionally, I examine the way mental and physical health as well as our relationships with others impact the reasons people drink and their role in maintaining sobriety long-term. Surrounding yourself with supportive friends and family who encourage sobriety and engage in alcohol-free activities can be incredibly beneficial in combating boredom drinking. By building a strong support network, you can access the encouragement and guidance you need to stay sober and successfully overcome boredom drinking. Recognizing and addressing personal triggers that lead to boredom drinking is crucial for maintaining a sober lifestyle. By developing self-awareness and reflecting on your emotions and thought patterns, you can uncover the triggers for boredom drinking and take proactive steps to address them. Physical activity is a great way to relieve boredom while also boosting mental and physical health.

Spending time outside can be a great way to relieve stress and boredom. The first step is to make changes to your lifestyle to create an environment that supports sobriety. By engaging in healthy activities and connecting with others in recovery, however, you can make it through this period without relapsing. By connecting with others, you can find that you’re not alone in your struggles and get advice on how they cope with boredom. Boredom can be scary, but incredibly essential in recovery and is an essential step in recovering from substance abuse. It is our mission to provide individuals with the education, tools, and support they need to attain a life lived to its fullest potential.

This is the part where you figure out how to enjoy life without a little something extra to help loosen you up. So now comes the arduous task of learning how to manage the tough stuff without a chemical crutch like alcohol. Feeling bored, sad, lonely, or anxious about something are all very human things to feel. By focusing on eating healthy, nourishing foods, you are actively working on reversing those symptoms. When I was finished, it was like someone had hit the refresh button on my brain.

• You should be able to go about living your life without drinking alcohol, but you feel utterly useless and have no idea what to do with yourself.
• An estimated 15 million people throughout the U.S. struggle with alcohol use disorder, but only 10% receive treatment.
• If you find yourself reaching for a drink whenever you’re bored or looking to kill time, you should stop and take measures to correct these tendencies early before they become problematic.
• By incorporating mindfulness practices and stress management techniques into your daily routine, you can effectively manage boredom and negative emotions without relying on alcohol.
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Fortunately, sobriety pulls back the veil and allows you to discover hobbies and interests that may have previously been neglected due to substance abuse. Boredom can be a major trigger in early recovery as well as an unpredictable range of emotions people feel when newly sober. So if boredom has been getting the best of you lately, read on for some helpful tips on how to break away from the monotony while staying sober. What do drug addiction you do when the temptation to drink sneaks in during those long stretches of nothing?

Unstructured time leads to unpredictable behaviors, which are problematic in recovery. Take control of the aspects of your life that you have some influence over and watch the world change around you. The horrible irony to all of this is that alcohol amplifies loneliness. Once you have really looked at your habits, consider alternative solutions. If you like gin and tonic when you’re vegging on the sofa, swap it for fizzy water with lemon. If you know your willpower weakens after 9 pm, get up before then and go and have a warm shower instead.

• You might have a drink to calm your mind, mellow out your mood, and take the edge off stress.
• Acute anxiety and depression from the withdrawal process can ease within a few days to a week.
• In the absence of alcohol, regular life starts to feel dull and gray.
• Unstructured time leads to unpredictable behaviors, which are problematic in recovery.

If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol use, we can help. Footprints to Recovery offers alcohol addiction treatment that’s evidence-based and personalized to your clinical needs, preferences, and life situation. We don’t just treat the symptoms of addiction; we address underlying issues like co-occurring mental health conditions and trauma that perpetuate substance use. We’ll also teach you healthy coping skills that support long-term abstinence from drugs and alcohol. Various addiction treatment programs are available for those struggling with alcohol use disorder and boredom drinking.

Having a list of supportive contacts is beneficial because it can provide you with immediate access to people who will encourage and support you on your journey to recovery. It’s true that filling your days with constant activities and entertainment may prevent you from getting bored in the first place. Svenja calls herself the “creative director” of her own life, and inspires others around her to break the stigma around openly discussing alcohol consumption and its effects. On social media she talks about how more and more people are choosing not to drink and how the norm is changing.