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If you have stopped drinking, and you leave your days up to chance, it can be detrimental. Boredom can strike, which is exactly what we don’t want. For that reason, setting goals is a great way to start building that amazing, sober life. “Surely if I’m bored without alcohol, then drinking out of boredom alcohol makes my life less boring” – they think to themselves. Being bored after quitting drinking is easily overcome. There is an in-between time (somewhere in the middle of “no longer” (drinking) and “not yet” (your full life, the one you love, without alcohol in it)).
What happens after 4 weeks of no alcohol?
Research has found that just four weeks without a drink can be enough to start lowering both blood pressure and heart rate. * Your risk of type 2 diabetes has already started to reduce (in one study insulin resistance came down by an average of 28 per cent) and your cholesterol levels should be starting to lower.
Learn more about Tempest’s unique approach to alcohol recovery. Confucius said, “We have two lives, and the second begins when we realize we only have one.” Sobriety has opened the door to my one life. That door has opened for countless others and can also open for you. Before I decided to stop drinking, I spent so much money and headspace trying to find my zest, my spark, my “special something” held hostage in an old version of myself. By Amy Morin, LCSW
Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and international bestselling author.
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For members who report drinking out of boredom, I often remind them that there are probably a lot of other things to do within their busy lives, if they take a moment to reflect. Handling emotions of any kind can be a relapse trigger, and this is especially true in early recovery. Boredom can bring unwanted feelings of restlessness, irritation, and low self-esteem, and it’s important to learn and discover healthy ways to manage these feelings.
In more severe cases, drinking out of boredom can lead to severe alcohol abuse disorders. Starting to drink gradually might be considered normal or appropriate, but it can quickly create a dependence and lead to a severe drinking problem. People often use alcohol to enhance experiences, but this kind of drinking is problematic because it makes you dependent on alcohol to not feel bored or to have a good time. For example, most people drink at concerts, sports events or parties to transform their experience and heighten the moment. If you start your journey feeling deprived, you’re much more likely to experience boredom. In this post, we’re going to uncover some truths about mindset, alcohol, and how to overcome boredom after quitting drinking.
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Drinking to combat boredom can be problematic, but you can prevent long-term consequences if you identify it early. Many people use alcoholic beverages to enhance experiences. Drinking at concerts, sporting events, and dinner can, as one casual drinker put it, transform a situation https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/alcohol-and-aging-does-alcohol-make-you-look-older/ into a moment. The problem is that overindulgence or even regular drinking is known to cause a number of health issues. Alcohol is one of the leading causes of preventable death in the United States. You can focus on your addiction’s root cause after the withdrawal process.
However, feeling bored without alcohol isn’t actually a bad thing. And the sickness and tiredness you feel after the initial high of alcohol consumption wears off is neither fun nor interesting. So drinking because you’re bored isn’t doing much for you in the long run. Instead, you should find ways to cope with your boredom that keep you productively occupied and are more fulfilling. There’s a connection between consuming alcohol and boredom.
Learn your patterns and plan ahead
When you use drugs and alcohol, you’re essentially overclocking your dopamine system and this may go on for years or decades. When you quit, your brain is underwhelmed by things that might normally be interesting and enjoyable. Your brain is only sensitive to things related to drugs and alcohol. As a result, a lot of things will seem boring during the time it takes your brain to recalibrate. Perhaps the most significant danger of boredom is addiction relapse.
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. One of the reasons you might find you are bored without alcohol is because you need more stimulation. For the longest time, you numbed your brain rather than engaging it. Now it is suddenly fired up and engaged, yet you’re not doing anything with it. Not only is boredom a really uncomfortable emotion but we almost feel guilty about.
The Takeaway: How To Deal With Being Sober and Bored
Sometimes this is a result of major life changes, such as the death of a spouse or other loved one, moving to a new home, or failing health. These kinds of changes can cause loneliness, boredom, anxiety, or depression. In fact, depression in older adults often aligns with drinking too much.
After weeks of years of that mindset being bored can be welcoming. Before you had rituals and obsessions but in sobriety you can fill those with times with daily tasks and readings. It’s tough in early sobriety but force yourself to do daily self-help tasks like making gratitude lists, reviewing daily readings on recovery, or calling your sponsor. These may take up only a few minutes but will cut down on boredom and help you keep focused on why you’ve quit.
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If this is unrealistic, it’s best to seek professional help immediately. Once you take some time to imagine what you really want your life to look like, maybe create a vision board. For a vision board, you can use images or even words that illustrate your dreams. For example, if you want to travel to a certain area of the world, put pictures of that place on your vision board. If you want to spend more time with family, put pictures of your own family and also families engaged in fun activities on your board. One of the most important things you can do is learn to do things by yourself and work on enjoying spending time with yourself.