By building a strong support network, you can access the encouragement and guidance you need to stay sober and successfully overcome boredom drinking. I’ve spent the last seven years researching and understanding alcoholism, addiction, and how people get sober. Additionally, I examine the way mental and physical health as well as our relationships with others impact the reasons people drink and their role in maintaining sobriety long-term. For example, drinking out of boredom sometimes boredom feels like a need to do something more challenging but at other times we get bored if something is too demanding, such as a difficult lecture at university. The authors use the term Goldilocks to describe this idea of having a level of engagement that is “just right” and boredom as a signal that we are not achieving this optimum. The framework is also applied to explain why some people get bored more often than others.
You’re prone to seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
If you’ve created an entire social life around drinking, it is natural to be afraid of life without it. When serotonin and dopamine levels are low, we become less motivated and less interested in our surroundings. When you are learning something new, you have to give all of your attention to it.
Be aware of triggers
It can be your friends, colleagues, or family who know you for ideas of things you can do to fill your time differently. Meet and connect with such people regularly and let them know when you are feeling down or lonely. We go around on auto-pilot https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/how-to-taper-off-alcohol/ when it comes to certain patterns or behaviors. Stopping at the moment to look around at what’s happening, what emotions you are experiencing, sensations, and thoughts that are present, bringing awareness, and then making a choice.
7. Support mental health
Rather than eliminating the foods you crave, try eating them regularly but in moderation. This might help reduce your urge to snack on those foods when you’re bored. 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.
- It’s important to understand that achieving sobriety is possible.
- Please post only when sober; you’re welcome to read in the meanwhile.
- The best piece of advice she’s ever heard is to never take advice from someone who does not have what you are seeking.
- Lower rewards make normal behaviors less appealing, leading to boredom.
- By participating in addiction treatment programs, you can effectively address your boredom drinking and take the necessary steps towards a healthier and more fulfilling life.
- In this post, we explore the science behind boredom and what research can tell us about how to overcome it.
Engage in Physical Exercise and Outdoor Activities:
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. You might plan to start learning a new language during downtime, but put it off in favor of having a drink. Or you lose interest in an existing hobby because it’s easier to drink.
New research suggests we need to get our levels of engagement «just right».
9. Stay mindful and aware
Liver-Friendly Snacks You’ll Actually Want To Eat
