Drinking When Bored? What It Could Mean Addiction Treatment

A lack of direction may be at the root of your boredom. You may be bored because you don’t feel like you’re advancing or accomplishing anything. Speak to an accredited and experienced therapist to help you find a solution https://ecosoberhouse.com/ to the chronic boredom you feel. You may want to try speaking to one via BetterHelp.com for quality care at its most convenient. On the other, we are often bored when we are mired in the tedious work of life.

That’s one implication of a recent survey by the national behavioral health provider FHE Health. Talking with a trained therapist, especially one who understands substance abuse, is important. They can give you tools and resources for navigating everything you’re feeling (or not feeling) right now. The longer you rely on alcohol to deal with boredom, the less capable you are of getting fulfillment out of healthier coping mechanisms like hobbies or exercise. If you drink to alleviate boredom, your brain starts associating alcohol with relief from that negative feeling.

Additional resources to fight boredom in sobriety:

It is therefore crucial that people turn to options other than alcohol or drugs to relieve boredom. Drinking as a way to cope with boredom indulges in and perpetuates that passivity. It’s hard to think of a more passive activity than lying on a couch with a six-pack of beer. You may think you’re going to feel better after boozing, but in actuality, you’re reinforcing drinking out of boredom the notion that you need to wait for life to entertain you. Over time, this pattern of behavior can inculcate a kind of learned helplessness, so that every time a person drinks to relieve boredom, they reinforce this learned helplessness. The reasons people start drinking alcohol is very different than the reasons they continue to drink alcohol.

If you’re a casual drinker, you should understand the ramifications of regular drinking. People feel that they have nothing better to do so they turn to alcohol or drugs for entertainment. If people do this regularly they risk developing a dependency on these substances. Addiction destroys mental and physical health and there are also many negative social consequences of this behavior.

Learn how to set goals.

So it’s not that sobriety is inherently boring; it’s that your serotonin and dopamine levels are now very low. Our brains don’t like imbalance and will work very hard to correct it. That overcorrection is what you’re probably feeling right now. That latter experience feeling like everything is gray and dull and lacks meaning? This cycle can lead to unhealthy consumption patterns when feeling anxious or overwhelmed.

Let’s address another reason life without alcohol feels boring. If you’ve created an entire social life around drinking, it is natural to be afraid of life without it. 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. However, because it’s so common, we can fail to recognize the importance of addressing it.

The Relationship between Substance Abuse and Boredom

So many people quit drinking and end up walking around in a dopamine deficit state, struggling to find joy in anything. Now that you know the chemical reason for your boredom, let’s explore additional factors that might be contributing to these feelings. The good news is that your brain can adjust and restore balance to your internal world. The longer you stay away from alcohol and give your brain some much-needed TLC, the less you’ll feel like life is dull and uninteresting.

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. Tracking your alcohol consumption can help you identify patterns and situations that lead to boredom drinking. However, boredom drinking can result in a damaging cycle that is difficult to break and can negatively impact ongoing mental health. It’s essential to understand the link between boredom and alcohol consumption to take control of your life and prevent drinking out of boredom. By participating in therapy and counseling services, you can develop the skills and support necessary to overcome boredom drinking and maintain a healthier lifestyle.