How To Break the Boredom-Alcohol Loop

This is something you can do solo or with friends (even virtually!), and what you make is up to you. Giving yourself something to do with your hands is a helpful deterrent for habitual sipping. Have a bonfire (make sure it’s contained properly and check current fire regulations for your area first). Spend time with your loved ones—or just have a quiet evening alone.

Figure out what scares you about getting sober

Unfortunately, drinking alcohol because of boredom makes you feel worse which in turn, makes you feel even less confident about going out and making new connections. As with anxiety, COVID has seen rates of loneliness soar, as people have been forced apart for months, or have lost connections to friends or social groups. Many people admit to drinking out of boredom because they feel lonely.

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

Getting sober is like learning to walk again after a terrible accident. You should be able to go about living your life without drinking alcohol, but you feel utterly useless and have no idea what drinking when bored to do with yourself. Use Sunnyside to track your drinks and better understand the connection between how much you drink and how you feel.

Identifying Your Boredom Drinking Triggers

That overcorrection is what you’re probably feeling right now. 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. The Reframe app equips you with the knowledge and skills you need to not only survive drinking less, but to thrive while you navigate the journey. Our daily research-backed readings teach you the neuroscience of alcohol, and our in-app Toolkit provides the resources and activities you need to navigate each challenge.

1. And while the only way to fully prevent hangxiety and hangovers is to abstain from alcohol, she says it helps to go into social situations in the best possible headspace.
2. It’s even harder if your loved ones don’t support your sobriety.
3. The problem is that overindulgence or even regular drinking is known to cause a number of health issues.
4. You might question if you’re really ready to quit.

Deciding to quit drinking can be incredibly difficult. Whether you’re struggling or just want some extra guidance, consider reaching out for support from professionals who are trained in addiction treatment. You’re afraid that if you stop drinking, you’ll miss out on a great social life. Instead of worrying that people will leave you behind for your bad behavior, you’re afraid that people will do it because now you seem too good. You’ve decided that you want to stop drinking alcohol.

By employing these frameworks, Megan empowers her clients to confront their realities and comprehend the tangible impact of systemic factors on their lives. A Denver native and lifelong Colorado resident, Megan embarked on her academic journey at the University of Northern Colorado. There, she earned dual bachelor’s degrees before pursuing a master’s degree in psychology.

We don’t just treat the symptoms of addiction; we address underlying issues like co-occurring mental health conditions and trauma that perpetuate substance use. We’ll also teach you healthy coping skills that support long-term abstinence from drugs and alcohol. Replacing boredom drinking with enjoyable and fulfilling activities can help you maintain a healthier lifestyle and improve your mental health. Some alternative activities to consider include physical exercise and outdoor activities, creative pursuits and learning new skills, and volunteering and community involvement.

When you get sober, you realize there is an entire daytime pulse in your city or town that you never really felt before. Things that people do during that day that don’t involve recovering or boozy brunch. But if you can’t or aren’t able to do a group class, at the very least, take a tech-free 30-minute walk every day. I promise it will do wonders for your mental health, which, in turn, will help you feel motivated to do more things.

Exercise is critically important in early sobriety and for ongoing mental health and wellness. It’s a great way to boost dopamine and endorphin levels naturally. Staying busy is a great way to stave off boredom and create space for healing the parts of your brain that took a walloping from drinking.