Being Bored When You’re Quitting Drinking

Give us a call and we can help find the right treatment program for you or your loved one – even if it’s not ours! Self-medicating can drastically impact overall health and well-being. It’s also a common reason many become dependent on substances. Not only this, self-medicating can lead to and exacerbate mental health conditions leading to a dual diagnosis condition. At MedMark, we take a patient-centered approach to opioid addiction treatment. Alcohol has a similar impact on the brain but to a much lesser degree.

And even when I was drinking, it wasn’t like I just sat there and stared at the wall. I still managed to read, watch movies, write, play music and participate in my other hobbies. When I was a heavy drinker, everything involved alcohol.

Pandemic Stress, Boredom, Isolation Add Up To Sharp Rise In Drinking

With some perspective — which you usually obtain after certain periods of sobriety — you start to understand that life is, on occasion, mundane. That’s not the same as boring, but the routine of work, of bills, of family obligations, of doing it all over again every day can seem quite tedious. For recovering addicts and alcoholics, that tedium can be dangerous, especially when the substances don’t matter as much as the craving for more — more excitement, more emotion, more adventure, more danger. I’m now on day six of non-excesive alcohol consumption. The first few days were easier than the last few days.

These qualities may boredom drinking impossible to find elsewhere. Other people are another great way to fight boredom. Fortunately, groups of people are frequently available to aid those in addiction recovery.

“I cannot stand the boredom.” Binge drinking expectancies in adolescence

Drinking for negative reinforcement to cope, such as using alcohol to escape, avoid, or regulate unpleasant emotions. You can practice mindfulness through meditation, breathwork, or simply by journaling. The more you practice it, the better you will become, and your recovery will progress even more. Seriously, she almost wets herself with excitement when she sees you pick up her ball. We had to restrict her access to it because she loves it so much, she would play all day if she could.

If you’re feeling a bit agoraphobic or shy when first getting sober you should still reach out to online support groups. Any outreach and connection will help you get outside of yourself and will dash away boredom. SMART and AA offer both meetings along with 24/7 recovery chat and message boards. There’s no doubt that addictions mess with our brain and how it sends and receives signals but many problems with addiction also stem from rituals and habits. To stay sober, you must break your nasty habits or once-comforting rituals by replacing those bad habits with good ones. Instead of driving to your favorite convenience store for a 12-pack after work, drive to a gym for a quick run.

1. Limitations, implications and future studies

Every person who has a substance use disorder has a unique experience and path that lead them to their addiction. Some people are dealing with unresolved mental health issues or trauma, while others have genetic and environmental factors that have lead them to drug use.

The glass of wine that you think is helping you relax is just slowing down and retarding the functionality of your mind. The result is you become less mentally capable. My name is Jane, I’ve been sober for 11 months now, and I had been drinking for about 12 years.

People often struggle with thoughts of self-harm, especially when they are experiencing a mental health disorder. As one of the top youth drug rehab programs in Orange County, Teensavers uses a unique evidence-based approach that focuses on the specific needs of troubled teenagers. This actually a good thing, because it encourages growth. This is a time for exploration, where young people find out more about what they like and who they are going to be. Wegner L., Flisher A.J., Muller M., Lombard C. Leisure boredom and substance use among high school students in South Africa. Petrilli E., Beccaria F., Prina F., Rolando S. Images of alcohol among Italian adolescents.

• When contemplating getting sober (or when you’re newly sober) you may wonder what you will do for fun.
• Making time for activities that stimulate the mind outside of life’s everyday activities is healthy for the body and mind, especially when avoiding addiction and relapse.
• An anonymous self-completed school survey was conducted in 2014.
• He is a certified alcohol and drug counselor , certified rehabilitation counselor , and a problematic and compulsive gambling counselor .
• Even when my husband and I are out with friends or business events, the wine dials down my boredom and impatience with the mindless conversations.