Thriving in Sobriety: 7 Tips to Cure Boredom in Recovery

And when I was drinking I thoroughly enjoyed these hobbies. But now it just feels like I’m doing them to avoid drinking and not for the fun of it. Before Alcoholics Anonymous sobriety, I killed literally every container gardener plant of anything that I’d ever grown.

Problems Caused by Drinking Out of Boredom

Often, it really comes down to being willing to do something drinking out of boredom that doesn’t entertain you or make you feel good immediately. In other words, it’s about suspending the need for instant gratification. But truthfully, it’s something we all experience—and struggle with—throughout our lives. Helping others can be highly rewarding and a great way to meet people in recovery.

The Good News about addiction and boredom

In fact, boredom is a genuine emotion, akin to happiness or sadness. 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.

Your Brain Needs Time to Recover

Her clinical style is calm, collaborative, and evidence-informed, focused on supporting clients and care teams. While alcohol abuse is common, it doesn’t mean you have to face it alone. Downplaying the seriousness of alcohol misuse and addiction can have impactful ramifications. In fact, alcohol is connected to over 60 different cancers and diseases. Even when consumed in smaller quantities, alcohol can have short- and long-term effects.

• In recovery, we have the opportunity to channel this need for constant stimulus into healthy activities, hobbies, and creative or entrepreneurial endeavors.
• Justin was born and raised in Fort Collins, Colorado, where he began his clinical education at Colorado State University.
• Other research also notes an association between chewing gum and a more positive mood and sustained attention.
• It’s why we might suddenly find ourselves reaching for that remote, a candy bar, or for some, a bottle of alcohol.
• Anyone experiencing significant levels of boredom needs to ask themselves what challenging (and likely unpleasant) experience they are attempting to avoid.