If you always have a bottle open when watching TV, then it quickly becomes a very hard habit to break. This is particularly true if you’ve had a hard day at work or with the kids, and you are tired or stressed out. Soon it can seem weird NOT to have a glass in your hand, drinking out of boredom even if the rest of you is thinking about something else (or not thinking about very much at all). Often, being bored without alcohol seems intimidating because when there’s no task to put your mind to, you’re forced to notice the things that are making you unhappy.

• In this article, we’ll unpack bored drinking and help you figure out whether boredom is a drinking trigger.
• Simply asking these questions might be enough to take the edge off the urge to drink.
• This might help reduce your urge to snack on those foods when you’re bored.
• That latter experience feeling like everything is gray and dull and lacks meaning?

Have regular meal times

By recognizing and addressing these habits, you can break the cycle of boredom drinking and take control of your life. The average adult experiences around 131 days of boredom per year, so how you react to this boredom is critical to your mental health. If you justify to yourself, “I drink when I’m bored,” it can quickly lead to overindulgence and health concerns. If you’re a casual drinker, you should understand the ramifications of regular drinking.

Start Recovery Today

Simply asking these questions might be enough to take the edge off the urge to drink. But if you end up drinking anyway, mindfulness also means forgiving yourself and learning from the experience. If bored drinking becomes a habit – or if it’s occasional – it can affect your ability to sleep soundly. And if you routinely drink on other occasions too, you’ll experience worse sleep disruptions. Moderate alcohol consumption has the potential to enliven social situations.

Focus on eating nutritious food.

Say you have downtime on a Saturday afternoon after a challenging week at work. “Getting through the week” might be your rationale for pouring a glass of wine. Even when COVID lockdowns ended, we found in the same survey that 17% of respondents who worked from home were more likely to be excessive drinkers. For those who didn’t work from home, only 12% were prone to excessive drinking.

Ever feel like half the reason you drink is out of boredom?

By engaging in these activities, you can effectively quit drinking, replace boredom drinking, and promote a healthier lifestyle in 2024. Mindfulness practices and stress management techniques can empower you to cope with boredom and negative emotions without turning to alcohol. Practicing mindfulness can help you become more aware of your emotions and triggers, so you can avoid turning to alcohol out of boredom. Stress management techniques can also help you manage difficult situations without alcohol.

• In certain situations, being bored too often may have detrimental health effects, such as increased rates of depression and altered eating habits (1, 28).
• Individuals can try slowing down when eating, and appreciating the aromas, tastes, and textures of food to allow their body to send the signals to the brain that they are full.
• Understanding this connection is the first step towards breaking the cycle.
• When you begin to view your negative thoughts and feelings as problems to be solved rather than the embodiment of who you actually are, you liberate yourself.
• And if you routinely drink on other occasions too, you’ll experience worse sleep disruptions.

There are many ways to practice mindfulness, such as meditation, yoga, or simply taking a few deep breaths and centering yourself when you feel overwhelmed or bored. Connecting with others in recovery can provide you with a sense of camaraderie, understanding, and https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/is-it-possible-to-get-sober-without-aa/ accountability. In addition, you can also connect with others in recovery through online communities or social media groups. When you surround yourself with like-minded individuals who share your goals, you can feel less alone and more motivated to stay sober.

Your ability to manage stress and regulate mood changes.

Moreover, outpatient rehab can prove to be the most efficient and practical treatment plan for individuals struggling with drinking out of boredom. By engaging in creative pursuits and learning new skills, you can effectively replace boredom drinking with more fulfilling and enjoyable activities. This will help you regain control of your life and improve your overall mental health and well-being. There are various strategies available to help you overcome boredom drinking and maintain a sober lifestyle in 2024.

That overcorrection is what you’re probably feeling right now. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter responsible for feelings of happiness, well-being, and pleasure. Serotonin depletion can cause major mood swings and feelings of sadness, anxiety, and irritability. To unpack some of the underlying reasons you feel bored right now, it helps to understand what alcohol does to your brain. It’s pretty normal to reduce the entire experience of boredom in sobriety to missing alcohol and believing that getting drunk is the primary way you (and everyone else) have fun. Boredom is a state of “blah.” Remember when you were a kid, and the first taste of ice cream was pure ecstasy?