How To Break the Boredom-Alcohol Loop

This short activity offers a recognize-avoid-cope approach commonly used in cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps people to change unhelpful thinking patterns and reactions. It also provides worksheets to help you uncover the nature of your urges to drink and to make a plan for handling them. The following activity offers suggestions to support you in your decision to cut back or quit drinking. It can be used with counseling or therapy and is not meant as a substitute for professional help.

Life without drinking is not smaller. It’s not boring.

• So much of this list is not just about finding things to do, but treating the underlying causes of extreme boredom in sobriety.
• It’s very common for people, especially those with additional mental health issues like depression and anxiety, to drink out of boredom.
• One of the reasons I was bored without alcohol was the nature of some of my friendships.
• I founded The Sober School to show you there’s another way out of your shame that doesn’t involve AA or rehab.
• That reminder of how good you’ll feel should keep you from heading to the fridge.

It’s what we sit outside on the deck with in the evenings. We read books with it, we go on dates with it, we see friends with it, we have weekends away with it. It is literally our companion for everything a lot of times more than even our best friend or spouse or our kids. So yes, you will feel a void when you remove alcohol. Therapy and counseling can play a vital role in addressing underlying mental health issues that contribute to boredom drinking.

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But I PROMISE you, if you keep moving forward, things in your brain will start to click. And one day, it will occur to you that you’re actually happy and enjoying your life. By removing the alcohol and making those necessary lifestyle changes, we increase the chances of becoming people who can enjoy the simple pleasure of life once again.

You Don’t Have To Be Bored Without Alcohol

Regular drinking is often considered socially appropriate and normal, but if your drinking extends to when you’re alone, that’s a red flag. There’s a very fine line between social drinking and problematic drinking, and one could easily lead to the other and cause serious health implications. If you’re with a group of friends who are drinking, it’s very hard to say no to that beer, shot, or glass of wine.

If your boredom drinking has become unmanageable or is causing an addiction, seek professional help right away. Connecting with a support group can also help you build meaningful relationships with people who understand and can support you in your recovery journey. Planning interactions according to “Sober in Seven” can help reduce feelings of loneliness and prevent reliance on alcohol. 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. Finding resources for ongoing drinking issues, even when simply drinking out of boredom, can make a world of difference. Catching signs of abuse early also minimizes the risks of adverse health effects and increases the probability of achieving sobriety much more quickly.

Tips For Overcoming Boredom in Sobriety

• And that is something that you don’t realize you need.
• Reflect on your drinking patterns and keep track of them to identify your boredom drinking triggers.
• Practicing mindfulness can help you become more aware of your emotions and triggers, so you can avoid turning to alcohol out of boredom.
• Don’t assume people are too busy to see you, all they need is to know that you would like to meet up.
• Or you lose interest in an existing hobby because it’s easier to drink.
• If boredom drinking becomes unmanageable or leads to alcohol addiction, seeking professional help can be crucial for taking control of your life and preventing potential health risks.
• If you’re nice and relaxed you’re not really too bothered about what’s going on in the outside environment then you’re not likely to be bored.

Try to surround yourself with people who practice healthy habits. Coping becomes easier when you’re more aware of your surroundings and behavior. Thank you for listening to this episode of The Hello Someday Podcast. If you’re interested in learning more about me or the work I do or accessing free resources and guides to help you build a life you love without alcohol, please visit hellosomedaycoaching.com. And I would be so grateful if you would take a few minutes to rate and review this podcast so that more women can find it and join the conversation about drinking less and living more.

• Engaging in physical exercise and outdoor activities can boost your mental wellbeing and help you resist the urge to drink out of boredom.
• I felt like anything could happen when I got rid of my inhibitions.
• Only about 2% of drinkers in this group has alcohol use disorder.
• But at home, it’s easy to get a bit too comfortable… you can get a long way down a bottle when you are sitting in front of the TV half-watching some series to pass the time.

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So if you can’t accept the boredom then get up and do something. In the modern world, it’s very very difficult to just do nothing. You know, it that’s on the alcohol, then fair enough, if you’ve done your job and get rid of all the alcohol out of your house and you have no real temptations drinking because of boredom there, then you know, what the hell? Steer your thoughts around to why you’re not drinking. You’re going to get bored with doing all this shit and 2 things that could happen, either you carry on being bored and eventually you’ll probably go back to the booze or you’re stuck into the pub.

What Are Better Ways to Cope With Boredom?

An estimated 15 million people throughout the U.S. struggle with alcohol use disorder, but only 10% receive treatment. Alcoholism profoundly affects the entire body, especially the brain, heart, pancreas, mouth, liver, and the immune system. Despite its negative impacts, more Americans than ever consume alcohol regularly, especially women and minorities.

Sunnyside is the leading alcohol health platform focused on moderation and mindfulness, not sobriety. On average, members see a 30% reduction in alcohol consumption in 3 months, leading to improved sleep, diet, and overall wellbeing. Use Sunnyside to track your drinks and better understand the connection between how much you drink and how you feel.

This will help you become more aware of when and how you experience urges, what triggers them, and ways to avoid or control them. A sample tracking form is available on this site. In that case, some of these tips to address boredom eating could work for you. Especially when it comes to psychological types of hunger like boredom eating, external factors often trigger the urge to eat.