I had a nap after work and I have a beer in the fridge that I was planning on having later as my “last drink ever”. I want this beer about as much as I want to do my laundry. I went and bought soda water and fruit and I’m now trying to figure out what to do with my evening instead. 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. Sometimes hunger is more about drunk and bored habit or boredom than genuine need for food.
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- Sitting in traffic, for instance, is one of those things that most people would rather forego.
- Once your downtime ends, and you’ve made progress on your hobby or taken a walk, enjoy a piece of chocolate before your next activity.
- The first step towards recovery is within reach, and Recovery Rehab is here to help.
- That being said, drinking FOMO is real and must be dealt with.
- I want this beer about as much as I want to do my laundry.
But you should turn to other, more productive ways to cope with your boredom that won’t be detrimental to your health. If you are looking for treatment for substance abuse or addiction, you’re not alone—we’re here to support you every step of the way. Most people fail at habit change because they try to go big overnight. They set rules like ‘I won’t drink this week’ or ‘I’ll quit alcohol forever’ – only to feel overwhelmed, slip up, and give up on the idea entirely. This is an insight broadcaster Adrian Chiles once shared with me.
- If bored drinking becomes a habit – or if it’s occasional – it can affect your ability to sleep soundly.
- If you know you will feel lonely or down, try and plan some interactions to reduce those feelings and your reliance on alcohol.
- Maybe you’ve told yourself, I don’t drink that much.
- But many of us should because millions of us resort to drinking out of boredom whilst relaxing at home.
Sober and Bored? Here’s What To Do About It
But the truth is, most of life is ordinary, with brief moments of joy and surprise in between.In fact, it’s the ordinary that makes those moments of excitement feel so exhilarating. That leaves us with the other 60–70% of boredom—the kind that sticks around even after we’ve quit drinking, and can lead to relapse if we don’t know how to handle it. Believe it or not, in my experience, up to 30–40% of situational boredom can actually be avoided or reduced. Opting out is an underrated and underutilized option—especially for high-functioning people who are used to pushing through. If existential boredom is about a lack of meaning, then situational boredom is about a lack of stimulation.
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The endless cycle of ‘I’ll do better https://ecosoberhouse.com/ tomorrow’ was gone. Reframe discomfort as excitement – the physiological response is the same. Create a ‘signature’ non-alcoholic drink to order or bring to events.
Alcohol didn’t make life fun. It just made you not care.
The solution is some form of stimulation, which can be healthy Oxford House or potentially unhealthy. 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! There will always be a long lost friend who arrives on your doorstep looking to catch up over a few drinks. 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.
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. Bored drinking takes place when people reach for alcohol to kill time, simply because they have nothing else to occupy their minds. Kayla earned a master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Liberty University (August 2024) and completed Brainspotting Phase 1. She draws on DBT, CBT, Brainspotting, solution-focused work, and motivational interviewing—tailored to the person, not the label. The decision is often met with doubt, questioning if sobriety is attainable.