Month: May 2021

If you want to reduce the amount of alcohol you drink, it makes sense to avoid busy bars and thirsty friends. But many of us should because millions of us resort to drinking out of boredom whilst relaxing at home. Parties, seasonal events, family meals or work gatherings might spring to mind.

[Podcast] Episode 7: The Woman Changing How the World Sees Non-Alcoholic Drinks with Victoria Watters

Drinking at concerts, sporting events, and dinner can, as one casual drinker put it, transform a situation 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. At the moment, bored drinking might not have a negative impact on your work or family life. If you start noticing these side effects, it’s time to re-evaluate how you deal with boredom.

The Effects of Alcohol On Your Body From The Minute You Start Drinking

Boredom is what can occur when you feel like you’ve got nothing to do and no real agency in changing that fact. So I think the very first step here is to simply assess your relationship with alcohol. You know, write down these things in a journal or just in the memo section of your phone. Write down how much to drink, when you drink and – how about this question – why do you drink? Among your many options for New Year’s resolutions and fresh starts, dry January is a thing, which means a monthlong break from alcohol.

Benefits of Sobriety

• By implementing these strategies, you can effectively manage boredom and negative emotions without turning to alcohol, improving your overall mental health and well-being.
• Getting drunk did not magically change the dynamics of that situation.
• At the beginning of those days, plan to work on a hobby or some other activity when nothing else is scheduled.
• For this reason, establishing healthy (and fun!) habits and behaviors is essential to success in early recovery.

While these are some of the mainstream symptoms of alcohol addiction, they are not the only signs of an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. If you’ve found yourself noticing, “It seems that I drink because I’m bored and lonely,” the answer lies in our brain’s reward system. Understanding this relationship between boredom and alcohol is crucial for breaking an unhealthy cycle of https://ecosoberhouse.com/ and finding more fulfilling ways to spend our time. Many people struggle with drinking out of boredom, and even if they don’t particularly like alcohol or its effects. Studies have shown that easily bored people are at higher risk of anxiety, depression, drug addiction, alcohol misuse, anger, and a number of other issues.

Dry January: The Health Benefits From Taking A Break From Alcohol

But the thing is, drinking out of boredom is a type of drinking that can quickly spiral out of control if you aren’t careful. Feeling bored is a natural part of life, but how you choose to cope with it can have a major impact on your well-being. There are healthy ways to deal with boredom and then there are the other options – the things we do to escape it entirely. This cycle can lead to unhealthy consumption patterns when feeling anxious or overwhelmed.

When this emotion surfaces, it reveals our disconnection or lack of interest in our surroundings or activities. It searches for a spark, something to stimulate and captivate us. This might explain why, in such moments, we impulsively reach for distractions, like the remote or a social media scroll. But I PROMISE you, if you keep moving forward, things in your brain will start to click.

• In fact, boredom is a genuine emotion, akin to happiness or sadness.
• Boredom is a key reason people give for drinking too much and drinking out of boredom like this can become almost a subconscious activity, something that you do whilst doing something else.
• These are all things you’re trying to overcome from drinking.
• Some alternative activities to consider include physical exercise and outdoor activities, creative pursuits and learning new skills, and volunteering and community involvement.
• The reality is there are other, healthier ways both to celebrate that milestone and deal with the boredom trigger.
• It’s at this point where a lot of people realize they’ve veered into risky gray area drinking or even alcohol use disorder.
• Understanding this relationship between boredom and alcohol is crucial for breaking an unhealthy cycle of drinking out of boredom and finding more fulfilling ways to spend our time.

• It’s likely your doctor will order some bloodwork, which can be the start of your path to physical recovery.
• In the absence of alcohol, regular life starts to feel dull and gray.
• All these tips are here to help you prevent drinking out of boredom.
• So it’s not that sobriety is inherently boring; it’s that your serotonin and dopamine levels are now very low.
• Unfortunately, problems can surface if you use “I deserve it” to justify bored drinking.

One of the best things you can do for yourself when you’re feeling bored in sobriety is to find a way to serve others. Getting outside and communing with nature is scientifically proven to reduce stress and improve mental health and cognitive function in both kids and adults. 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. Forming healthy connections with other people is an important of this process.

Start journaling.