Drinking Out of Boredom: Why It’s Risky Business

And the thing about alcohol is that it is way more efficient and reliable at creating this effect than natural rewards like having fun with friends or eating a delicious meal. Sunnyside is not designed to treat alcohol use disorder (AUD). For resources related to AUD, including how to get support, please visit the NIH website. We’ve also partnered with Moderation Management, a non-profit dedicated to reducing the harm caused by the misuse of alcohol. As part of your daily “boredom prevention plan,” schedule a reward for not drinking when you otherwise would. One of the best ways to deal with bored drinking is to anticipate it — why is not always easy.

In 2023, Jordan joined the clinical team at AspenRidge Recovery.
These activities can help you stay busy, improve your mental health, and provide a healthier alternative to boredom drinking.
Now, working with sober curious folks who want to break their drinking patterns, I’ve seen how often boredom becomes one of the hardest emotions to face on the alcohol-free journey.
Additionally, recruiting a friend to join them may also lift a person’s mood and help them commit to sustaining the new activity.

Jordan continued her studies and earned a master’s in clinical and mental health counseling. Between post-graduate work and additional training courses, she honed her skills in treating first responders and military personnel from a trauma-informed perspective. In 2023, Jordan joined the clinical team at AspenRidge Recovery. Jordan describes her approach as eclectic but most beneficial and includes a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy, solution-focused therapy, emotion-focused therapy, and family-oriented practices. Serotonin depletion can cause major mood swings and feelings of sadness, anxiety, and irritability. To unpack some of the underlying reasons you feel bored right now, it helps to understand what alcohol does to your brain.

And if you’re curious about your drinking habits, the following quiz may be helpful to you. 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 wanted. Chronic alcohol use can also affect the brain regions responsible for regulating mood and stress. If our body perceives a harmless situation as dangerous, we start to experience increased levels of stress and anxiety.

The Sober School

Practicing mindfulness or meditation can reduce the impulse to turn to alcohol when boredom strikes. It teaches you to sit with your feelings, including boredom, without feeling the need to escape them through substances like alcohol. If you find yourself reaching for a drink out of boredom, try going for a walk, heading to the gym, or even taking a dance class. These activities are not only healthier than drinking, but they’ll leave you feeling better in the long run. You can learn more about the benefits of exercise and how to integrate it into your routine here.

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Sure, having a single drink while alone might not seem like a problem if you eat well and exercise. But if you add it to the drinks you have with friends and that everyday glass of wine with dinner, your total number of weekly drinks can increase rapidly. This can be a difficult journey, but you don’t have to go it alone.

What starts as an occasional glass of wine or beer to “take the edge off” can quickly become a habitual coping mechanism, making it harder to break free over time. Before long, individuals may drink more often and in larger quantities without even enjoying it anymore. https://ecosober.com/ Drinking to cope with boredom might feel harmless at first, but it can snowball into a serious problem. Alcohol abuse poses serious risks to both physical and mental health, often leading to a range of harmful consequences. Prolonged excessive drinking can cause liver damage, heart disease, and increase the risk of certain cancers. Beyond the physical toll, alcohol abuse also impairs the nervous system, affecting judgment, coordination, and mood.

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But at home, it’s easy to get a bit too comfortable… you can get a long way down a bottle when you are sitting in front of the TV half-watching some series to pass the time. I did math, even if we live to 90, that’s just 32,872 days on Earth. It’s made of small moments—including the mundane, repetitive ones. Avoiding boredom isn’t always possible, but changing how you respond to it is.

Meetings through Support Groups

I could go back and re-read what I wrote and approach it from the perspective of an outside observer.
Regardless, drinking alone can signify deeper psychological or emotional issues.
When you remove all alcohol and addictive substances from your home, you can experience the emotions and thoughts that lead to drinking out of boredom without acting on them in a way that puts you at risk.
Let’s address another reason life without alcohol feels boring.
Additionally, heavy drinking increases the likelihood of developing physical dependence, which can result in severe withdrawal symptoms like delirium tremens during detox.

This provides quick access to those who empower you on your recovery journey. Surrounding yourself with people that support you can help alleviate possible remnants of guilt and shame from past behaviors. The Reframe app equips you with the knowledge and skills you need to not only survive drinking less, but to thrive while you navigate the journey. Our daily research-backed readings teach you the neuroscience of alcohol, and our in-app Toolkit provides the resources and activities you need to navigate each challenge.

Drinking alone could be a symptom of a larger issue—especially if it leads to heavy drinking.
It is easier to drink than it is to chase new work opportunities that may not go anywhere.
This guide to a sober lifestyle offers great tips for navigating social situations without alcohol.
By exploring new hobbies and interests, you can effectively replace boredom drinking with more fulfilling and enjoyable activities.
If you are looking for treatment for substance abuse or addiction, you’re not alone—we’re here to support you every step of the way.

Furthermore, scholars have shown that boys tend to start alcohol use at an earlier age than girls (e.g. Alvanzo et al., 2011, Buu et al., 2014). I'm not drinking every night, and it's generally not a big deal to not drink if I'm busy. I work weekends until about 11 and have to be up early, so I don't generally drink on those nights. But I've been creeping up to about five nights a week of post work/workout drinking.

If eating out of boredom could be a sign of disordered eating, a person should contact a healthcare professional for guidance and support. A small 2018 study showed that drinking water before a test meal caused participants to eat less and feel just as full. Therefore, adequate hydration may help a person stop eating when they feel bored. If a person links their eating habits to how they feel psychologically, they may wish to seek support from a healthcare professional.

Get started today before this once in a lifetime opportunity expires. The following quiz is called the AUDIT, which is short for Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. It’s used by medical professionals to assess your risk for alcohol dependence.

Increased Risk of Mental Health Issues

Once your downtime ends, and you’ve made progress on your hobby or taken a walk, enjoy a piece of chocolate before your next activity. Are there certain days where boredom is more likely to sneak in? At the beginning of those days, plan to work on a hobby or some other activity when nothing else is drug addiction treatment scheduled. You’ll find it easier to settle into the activity should boredom strike. Hobbies occupy the mind and give you a sense of accomplishment.