Ask a Therapist: How Do I Know If My Drinking Is a Problem?

I kept a notebook and pen beside my bed in case I woke up in the middle of the night with a brilliant song lyric or poem. That being said, drinking FOMO is real and must be dealt with. Sometimes admitting the truth to yourself is the first step. But it’s comforting to know that you don’t have figure it out on your own. But I’m going to explore solutions for people who sit at various points along the “sobriety is so boring” spectrum. Getting drunk did not magically change the dynamics of that situation.

I have become a master of the French exit (disappearing without going through a lengthy and tedious round of goodbyes). Alcohol becomes a problem when it causes social or relationship problems. Perhaps you argue with your partner when you’re drinking, or maybe you become the loud person who embarrasses their friends in a restaurant.

Why do I keep drinking alone?

If I’m honest, it takes three beers for me to really give a fuck about anything. And I know this sounds like I’m depressed, but I’m not. It’s just that a three-beer buzz lends my weeknights a significance and a special glow. Some people say mindfulness or yoga can do this for them, but I assume those people haven’t tried drinking. After I got sober, I realized that drinking is actually an incredibly boring activity.

An important way to safeguard your sobriety is to be aware of this and take steps to mitigate it. Understanding what makes someone addicted to alcohol can be the first step in helping a person seek treatment. Depending on how bad their alcohol abuse has been or if medically-assisted alcohol detox will be needed for withdrawal symptoms, entering into a treatment center may be a necessary option. Professional medical staff can assist in the difficult process of withdrawal, making the transition into sobriety less daunting.

Alcohol artificially boosts serotonin and dopamine in your brain.

People everywhere know they’re choosing between death and cigarettes/drinks/pharmaceuticals/heroin/whatever but they still take the drug. Experiment with some different things to find your calling. Boredom in recovery is a good sign, because it can lead you to your purpose in life.

These factors can be harmful on their own, but when they occur simultaneously, they can easily contribute to an alcohol use disorder. Sunnyside members cut back on their drinking by an average of 30% in the first 30 days of using the app. The app gives you valuable insight into your drinking habits and how you can redirect them to improve your health, wellness, mood, and sleep. Whether you’re looking for trialed-and-tested advice from real-life coaches or daily motivation to keep you on track, Sunnyside can help you better manage your drinking when you’re alone. We employ proven habit-change techniques like pre-commitment, conscious interference, and belief and positivity to help you practice better drinking habits.

Signs of an Alcoholic

Moreover, the majority declared they had experienced drunkenness at least once and the average age of the first experience was below 14 years old. People often find themselves experiencing the same routine day in and day out. They don’t have changes or variations in their schedules that make life more interesting. Waking up, going to work or school, coming home, eating dinner and going to bed over and over again can feel tiresome. When boredom strikes, it is easy to reach out for something to make the time pass more quickly. For some in recovery from addiction, this can mean breaking their sobriety.

drinking out of boredom

Our methods are reviewed by habit-change and alcohol-use experts. If you turn to alcohol to manage emotional distress, the added overwhelm can prompt the urge to drink, making success seem even more out of reach. To stop drinking alcohol, you first need to understand your relationship with drinking. From there, you may need social support, consistent self-care, and new routines that can help redirect your mind. This one blew me away because it was something I really struggled with forever yet I had no idea it was linked to my need to drink. Apparently, when we aren’t in tune with our inner thoughts and emotions we have trouble articulating what it is we want in life.

When serotonin and dopamine levels are low, we become less motivated and less interested in our surroundings. This can lead to feelings of extreme boredom and apathy. 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 to do with yourself. Boredom is totally natural and we all feel it, but it can be hard to find a way out of your rut. So seek the help of other, non-judgy supportive people to help you stop drinking out of boredom.

You can take advantage of the planning, tracking, behavior change, analytics, and amazing results without ever talking to anyone. Sunnyside members see big results in their first 30 days, and it only gets better https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/why-does-alcohol-cause-bruising/ from there. Start with your 15-day free trial, then stick with it if it’s right for you. Every week we’ll give you a recommended drink plan for the week ahead to help you reach your goals, which you can adjust.

The Truth About How Boring Life Is Without Alcohol

Instead, even if boredom predicts social confidence, this variable appears to have no effect on binge drinking behaviors. We may suppose that the uncomfortable feeling of boredom calls for psychological effects such as “disinhibition” or “escape from problems” rather than “acceptance in the peer group” and “approval”. For example “feel like the others” and “be fashionable” (i.e. items of “interpersonal and social confidence”) are social motivations that did not mediate between boredom and binge drinking. Thus, adolescents who are bored seem to engage in binge drinking more to reach “chemical” than social effects. Thirdly, as hypothesized, binge drinkers adopt riskier drinking patterns than non-binge drinkers.

It will keep you from hanging out in the kitchen or break room grazing during the day. Here are the barriers you face in drinking drinking out of boredom less alcohol along with tips for overcoming them. Apps can also keep track of your drinks and progress toward your goals.

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