Despite being born in the US, I ended up spending most of my life in Europe, from Latvia, Austria, and Georgia to finally settling in Lithuania. At Bored Panda, you’ll find me covering topics ranging from the cat meme of the day to red flags in the workplace and really anything else. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, beating other people at board games, cooking, good books, and bad films. A magical part about memes being readily accessible, both to make and to just enjoy, is that it can show just how much we actually have in common. In other words, if you are feeling somewhat alone, just scroll through some memes to see just how relatable random internet strangers can be.

• So much of this list is not just about finding things to do, but treating the underlying causes of extreme boredom in sobriety.
• “Your hangover is going to be different from everyone else you know,” he says.
• Drinking alcohol is often seen as a very social activity, but in truth for millions of people, it’s the total opposite.
• If you find yourself bored without alcohol or drinking simply because you’re bored, you might be developing an unhealthy relationship with alcohol.
• In a 2022 survey of Sunnyside members, 5% said boredom triggered them to drink.

You don’t have engaging hobbies.

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. Eating well, staying hydrated, getting physical activity, and not stocking up on alcohol for the winter are other helpful strategies to stop drinking out of boredom. Are there certain days where boredom is more likely to sneak in?

• You can learn more about the benefits of exercise and how to integrate it into your routine here.
• And if you need a place to start, we have a wonderful private Facebook group full of people wrestling with some of the same questions and concerns you have.
• 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.

Additional resources to fight boredom in sobriety:

And the more I felt them, the more intense and blinding they would get. I’ve included this separate from hobbies because I don’t believe that journaling is a hobby. We are stressed-out, overstimulated, tech-obsessed creatures.

Drinking When Bored? What It Could Mean

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. You never know what might happen, especially if you keep an open mind. The alternative is either a stale, lackluster lifestyle or one where the only entertainment is destructive addictive behavior. Take responsibility and choose the more creative and productive path. If you are an adult and active yet bored with work or mundane, tedious activities, push yourself to discover new adventures or make new friends.

Drinking out of boredom because you feel anxious is likely to make you feel worse because alcohol is a depressant, so if you are already feeling low, it makes those feelings more extreme. 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 this article, we’ll unpack bored drinking and help you figure out whether boredom is a drinking trigger.

That includes age, weight, gender, ethnicity, family history, nutritional status, smoker status, mood, health conditions or whether you’re taking any medications. 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? Mindfulness also helps you build resilience, allowing you to face challenging emotions with a clear, calm mind.

Why do we resort to drinking out of boredom?

Her expertise encompasses group and individual work, with a particular focus on trauma. Darcie finds fulfillment in working with the LGBTQ+ population, leveraging her skills to support and empower. The best piece of advice she’s ever heard is to never take advice from someone who does not have what you are seeking. Christy Schuett, originally from Aberdeen, South Dakota, holds a master’s degree in counseling from Northern State University. Her journey began with crisis intervention for families, evolving into roles in community counseling, corrections, and residential facilities. Outside of her professional endeavors, Megan finds joy in the company of her partner and pets.

• Anyone experiencing significant levels of boredom needs to ask themselves what challenging (and likely unpleasant) experience they are attempting to avoid.
• There’s a connection between consuming alcohol and boredom.
• You have to understand what you’re feeling and WHY you’re feeling this way in order to change it.
• With time, you’ll start to develop that aforementioned tolerance, which means you have to increase the amount you drink to get the desired effect.
• But it’s just occurred to me that a lot of my drinking is just habit or boredom.
• Strong, positive energy coupled with the right attitude is important to infuse into your child a new productive program.

This is what happened to me towards the end of my drinking days, I didn’t want to do anything that didn’t involve getting drunk. That would just get in the way of being able to drink as much as I drinking out of boredom wanted. If our body perceives a harmless situation as dangerous, we start to experience increased levels of stress and anxiety. This can lead to drinking more and more, potentially developing into harmful patterns or alcohol use disorder.