In response to a prompt about one thing prospective dates should know about her, for example, she noted that she was sober but didn’t have anything against those who weren’t. If matches suggested going to a bar, she said she was happy to, as long as the menu included non-alcoholic options. Making your preferences clear ahead of time helps weed out people you won’t mesh well with, while alleviating pre-date jitters, Gomez found. Any of these activities are natural mood lifters and a much better option than drinking to pass the time.
Originally from Boca Raton, Florida, Danny moved to Denver to study at the University of Colorado and earned a master’s degree in counseling. Danny spent the first nine years of his career working in youth residential treatment. After managing that program for six years, Danny moved to AspenRidge and now leads the clinical team. Nate Denning is the Lead Admission Representative at AspenRidge Recovery. Before moving to AspenRidge, Nate served as operations director at a local organization that has sober living homes throughout the Denver area. When he’s not working, Nate enjoys horticulture and is very active in Denver’s recovery community.
You’re not alone—95% of people who try this approach struggle to succeed. I’m a 5X-Certified Life Coach, specializing in Mindset, Alcohol Freedom, Habits and ADHD. My own personal development journey sparked the inspiration for my online community, The Pink Cloud Collective. Just a few years ago I was unfulfilled, anxious and using wine to cope with life’s challenges. Recovery is hard work, but we think you’ll find it’s well worth it. If you have someone you trust, let them know if you are feeling down or lonely – so they know you won’t mind if they check in with you more often.
It may require a bit of soul-searching, especially when your motivation is at historically low levels. But also, don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and get involved in activities around your community. That being said, drinking FOMO is real and must be dealt with.
The only triggers that ranked higher are unwinding after a long day, habit, relieving stress, and celebrating something important. Boredom can indeed lead to cravings for alcohol, but it doesn’t have to be this way. With understanding and a few targeted strategies, you can retrain your brain to seek healthier, more fulfilling ways to escape boredom. If those thoughts are very negative, then hanging out in your own brain isn’t going to be a great experience. This is where the real work of sobriety is – facing up to your own mind.
Remove Alcohol and Substances From Your Home
Fortunately, there are more ways than ever to connect with like-minded people who are fellow travelers on this path. So many people quit drinking and end up walking around in a dopamine deficit state, struggling to find joy in anything. Now that you know the chemical reason for your boredom, let’s explore additional factors that might be contributing to these feelings. Our brains don’t like imbalance and will work very hard to correct it.
- It also opens up space to approach your internal world differently.
- This is where the real work of sobriety is – facing up to your own mind.
- In the midst of these stimuli that keep us busy, engaged, and upbeat about our lives, it can be easy to assume that life of its own accord is here to entertain us.
- Not on its own, but maybe it starts a conversation and a friend comes over just to sit with you and make sure you’re good.
- When boredom leads to drinking, people often reach for a drink without realizing the long-term consequences.
- Every month, we launch fun challenges, like Dry/Damp January, Mental Health May, and Outdoorsy June.
But when dopamine levels artificially spike (like what happens when we drink alcohol), that’s when trouble starts. Counselors can help patients overcome alcohol addiction in healthy ways. Traditional therapy can help unpack any mental or emotional traumas that trigger the tendency to drink alone. In many cases, people suffering from alcohol abuse may also have a mental health disorder. While many people may turn to solitary drinking because of alcohol addiction, drinking alone isn’t necessarily bad if done responsibly. One of the most effective ways to combat boredom is by developing new interests or hobbies.
Increased Risk of Mental Health Issues
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. 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. Make a commitment to allocate alcohol-free days and stick to them, keep alcohol and substances out of your home, make a schedule to structure your day, and connect with a supportive group regularly. By seeking professional help, you can find resources to stop drinking and address ongoing issues that can make a huge difference in your recovery.
- Understanding this connection is the first step towards breaking the cycle.
- About four in ten people report that they occasionally drink alone.
- “It’s easier for people to wrap their heads around a smaller timeline than if you’re like, ‘I don’t drink, period,’” she says.
Even when consumed in smaller quantities, alcohol can have short- and long-term effects. Various factors lead individuals to abuse alcohol, including genetic traits, environmental reasons, and societal factors. Still, alcohol is a highly addictive substance that drinking because of boredom can lead to dependency, especially when consuming frequently and in large quantities. Drinking out of boredom may indicate a deeper issue at hand. Drinking out of boredom can reinforce negative feelings and self-medicate.
Replacing boredom drinking with enjoyable and fulfilling activities can help you maintain a healthier lifestyle and improve your mental health. Some alternative activities to consider include physical exercise and outdoor activities, creative pursuits and learning new skills, and volunteering and community involvement. 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.
It teaches you to sit with your feelings, including boredom, without feeling the need to escape them through substances like alcohol. The association between drinking and having a good time has been perpetuated and promoted for years by companies marketing beer, wine, and spirits. Given the ubiquitous nature of alcohol advertising, you might look forward to having that drink as soon as you walk through the door at home or meet your pals at a bar. You feel more relaxed after that drink and look forward to the reward. Pretty soon, the anticipation starts to happen more frequently. This kind of patterned behavior can lead you down a path toward alcohol addiction.
What to do when you feel bored
When boredom strikes and you find it more difficult to muster the motivation to work on your hobby, read these journal entries. That reminder of how good you’ll feel should keep you from heading to the fridge. For example, CBT might help you realize you look at boredom in a negative light. 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.
“Well, alcohol was really impacting my mental health.”
Drinking to cope with boredom might feel harmless at first, but it can snowball into a serious problem. Self-awareness and reflection are essential in identifying triggers for boredom drinking. By recognizing your emotions and thought patterns, you can uncover the triggers for boredom drinking, empowering you to make positive changes in your life. Journaling, self-reflection, and mindfulness can help you gain an understanding of your triggers for boredom drinking, enabling you to take proactive steps to prevent boredom drinking and stay sober.
While the holidays are indulgent, there’s also plenty of downtime (hint, hint) for learning how to deflect urges to drink. Moderate alcohol consumption has the potential to enliven social situations. But when you add bored drinks to social drinking, alcohol has the opposite effect. But if you enjoy alcohol, and boredom suddenly strikes while isolated, reaching for a drink is an easy way to satisfy the need for stimulation. Many bored drinkers likely don’t realize they’re bored drinkers. But if you consume alcohol, these signs might indicate that boredom is a drinking trigger.
This one blew me away because it was something I really struggled with forever yet I had no idea it was linked to my need to drink. Apparently, when we aren’t in tune with our inner thoughts and emotions we have trouble articulating what it is we want in life. We can’t describe our feelings and our desires which leaves us feeling stuck. Not knowing what it will take to make you happy leads to boredom with yourself and the world around you. The longer you rely on alcohol to deal with boredom, the less capable you are of getting fulfillment out of healthier coping mechanisms like hobbies or exercise.
If you ever sit down to do that math, you will shock yourself with how much time went towards drinking. Alcohol robs you of the ability to feel naturally motivated and inspired. The good news is that your brain can adjust and restore balance to your internal world. The longer you stay away from alcohol and give your brain some much-needed TLC, the less you’ll feel like life is dull and uninteresting. So it’s not that sobriety is inherently boring; it’s that your serotonin and dopamine levels are now very low.