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. So, I remember when I quit drinking, my Coach said to me, what is it that you love more than wine?

How to Stop Drinking Out of Boredom

It’s likely your doctor will order some bloodwork, which can be the start of your path to physical recovery. If you have the time, sign on to a longer-term project like helping with this year’s charity bake sale or the big 5K race your city holds yearly. You’ll get to meet new people and be a part of something positive.

Being Bored When You’re Quitting Drinking

Be deliberative, who you’re looking at, and what you’re watching. This can be another drinking out of boredom way to inspire you, for a healthy and exciting life without alcohol, but also to not focus on everything that’s going on in your life that you’re not partaking in. I mean, literally, stop following the winery that you’ve been following forever. And the call I just got off of what’s a zoom call and it was about the book, The Sober Lush.

The Mindset Shift That Helped Me Get (And Stay) Sober For Good

This is where the real work of sobriety is – facing up to your own mind. As humans, we’re meant to experience the full spectrum of positive and negative emotions – that’s how we’re designed. There can be a bit of stigma around boredom, but it can also fuel so much creativity. Download our Quick Start Preparation course as our FREE gift to help you stop drinking alcohol and get the best start to your new life.

Feeling Bored In Sobriety? How To Have Fun Without Alcohol.

• People may turn to alcohol as a way to cope with these negative emotions, but in doing so, they may be putting their mental health at risk.
• You’ll find it easier to settle into the activity should boredom strike.
• There is a quiet time between drinking and your life after drinking.

Other tasks like laundry and cleaning the house can cause boredom and be a source of anxiety. 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. 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. We recently launched our in-app chatbot, Melody, powered by the world’s most powerful AI technology.

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• He received his bachelor’s in health and exercise science with a concentration in sports medicine and eventually earned a master’s of psychology in addiction counseling.
• You might believe you should always be doing something useful or constructive, so you reach for a drink to calm the negative emotions boredom creates.
• What’s more, knowing that you plan to eat a meal or snack in the next few hours could be motivation to hold back from eating until then.
• And she arranges the flowers, and she puts them in front of her house for neighbors to pick up as a little dope dose of joy for other people or leave them on their front stoops.

Boredom is what can occur when you feel like you’ve got nothing to do and no real agency in changing that fact. That’s one implication of a recent survey by the national behavioral health provider FHE Health. If you always have a bottle open when watching TV, then it quickly becomes a very hard habit to break. This is particularly true if you’ve had a hard day at work or with the kids, and you are tired or stressed out.

• Dopamine is another neurotransmitter that is responsible for feelings of pleasure and happiness.
• If you’ve created an entire social life around drinking, it is natural to be afraid of life without it.
• You need to figure out the cheese and crackers sitting in your favorite chair and reading a book.
• That’s worrying because self-medicating feelings of boredom with alcohol can invite health problems.
• It also opens up space to approach your internal world differently.

Drawing from her background in local improv groups, she infuses sessions with laughter and humor, fostering a non-judgmental space for clients. Darcie believes in collaborating with her clients, tailoring interventions to suit their individual needs. Outside of her professional endeavors, Megan finds joy in the company of her partner and pets. She relishes spending time with friends, experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, and exploring the great outdoors during milder weather. Courtney’s professional experience in substance use treatment began in a holistic residential treatment center.

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But you should turn to other, more productive ways to cope with your boredom that won’t be detrimental to your health. If your boredom drinking has become unmanageable or is causing an addiction, seek professional help right away. Alcohol’s reinforcing effects can be attributed to the way cortisol interacts with the brain’s reward system, causing a person to feel pleasure and therefore reach for more of it when stressed. Eating well, staying hydrated, getting physical activity, and not stocking up on alcohol for the winter are other helpful strategies to stop drinking out of boredom. Connecting with a support group can also help you build meaningful relationships with people who understand and can support you in your recovery journey.

Want to read the full transcript of this podcast episode? You may eat simply as a way to escape the regular routines of the day (38, 39). Some studies have found that people tend to eat more than they otherwise would when they’re distracted or in front of a screen, such as a TV or computer (35, 36, 37).

That latter experience feeling like everything is gray and dull and lacks meaning? A lot of people experience anhedonia when they quit. Dopamine is another neurotransmitter that is responsible for feelings of pleasure and happiness. It is also responsible for regulating movement and emotional response. Dopamine depletion can cause apathy, boredom, and lack of motivation. I couldn’t drive home, I lost my phone, I shared someone else’s secret that I shouldn’t have shared.