By opening up about your relationship with alcohol, you might also encourage others to explore their own drinking habits. Different activities will in turn create different thoughts and even the smallest change can start to make a big difference. drinking boredom If you are filling voids in your life with alcohol, then you need to decide what else can fill you up instead. Anything to change up that routine of drinking out of boredom and make it harder for drinkers to find a place to get comfortable.
Take some time to explore your relationship with alcohol
Surround yourself with people that support you and help you in whatever you’re going through in the present moment. 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. If you feel comfortable doing so, discuss your challenges with your primary healthcare professional. Finding a therapist can also be a great starting point if you’re uncomfortable opening up to your healthcare professional.
- But if you can spend time with those thoughts, you will be better prepared to make changes that can positively affect them.
- If you do manage to meet your friends, the added drinks from socializing might affect your ability to get home, placing a burden on your friends.
- Knowing how to identify the signs of heading toward alcoholism can allow you or a loved one to seek treatment and recover.
Why do I drink alcohol out of boredom?
Instead of the person feeling like they are jetting down a runway at 200 miles per hour, it feels like life is moving in slow motion. The brain naturally releases neurotransmitters like dopamine as a way to reward a behavior and encourage you to repeat it. A person who eats a good meal, exercises or has sex will experience a release of dopamine and other neurotransmitters to reinforce the positive action. Maybe you’ve never been interested in logging your innermost thoughts, but journaling can be a great tool to track your feelings as you work on quitting alcohol. Satisfying hobbies can distract you from wanting to drink, but they also help you relax — something everyone needs to do. If you turn to alcohol to manage emotional distress, the added overwhelm can prompt the urge to drink, making success seem even more out of reach.
What types of addiction are typically treated in drug rehab centers in South Carolina?
A Qualified mental health professional or psychiatrist can help and assist in managing these symptoms. If your strategy to drink less didn’t work, don’t regret or give in to guilt. How you respond to setbacks is crucial to succeed and to begin making a change. Just restart your plan and recognize & reflect on what challenges need to be overcome and how. Crystal Raypole has previously worked as a writer and editor for GoodTherapy.
Stages of Alcoholism
We’ve also partnered with Moderation Management, a non-profit dedicated to reducing the harm caused by the misuse of alcohol. As part of your daily “boredom prevention plan,” schedule a reward for not drinking when you otherwise would. At the beginning of those days, plan to work on a hobby or some other activity when nothing else is scheduled.
- Or maybe you have a hobby that requires a lot of work or planning before you can actually enjoy doing it.
- Therapy and counseling services can provide you with the support and guidance you need, and addiction treatment programs can help you address the underlying causes of your boredom drinking.
- And to stay motivated, take a moment to jot down in a journal how you feel after making progress in your hobby.
Practicing Mindfulness and Stress Management Techniques
If you drink alone, monitor how often you do this and consider why. If it becomes frequent, try to taper off or contact an alcohol addiction treatment center. Although many may not think of it initially, boredom is a powerful trigger in substance use disorders. If a person is newly sober and feeling bored, they could look to substance use a way to cure boredom and increase excitement in their life. Whatever the reason for your boredom, drinking can create a negative cycle around it. So whether you are an absent-minded drinker or a lonely or anxious one, what can you do to prevent drinking out of boredom?
Be aware of triggers
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.
