Originally Posted by
academia 
Hey folks. You guys are awesome and reading your posts and replies has helped me tremendously in my battle against alcoholism. Thanks guys. I'm still fighting the good fight.
Anyway, my biggest challenge now. I'm about at the 6 month sobriety point. I feel good. I feel healthy. So much better than when I was drinking. My current problem is this: I'm super bored. Not intellectually bored (I'm a PhD student, so I always have interesting things to read) but in some other unidentifiable way. Basically, I think I need a dopamine rush.
In the past, around this time of year, I would overcompensate my late summer bored-ness by getting smashed and partying like a monster. Last summer, I blew through over $3,000 a month partying in Chicago. Obviously, that's not happening this year but I think I need to find some kind of dopamine fix or something to get my brain excited in a non-chemical way.
I considered possibly traveling to Burning Man in Nevada to check out the crazy art and hippies (they have an AA campsite). Possibly this could lead to some writing or something. Or doing something else. I don't know. Have any of you guys felt this? How did you get past it? Skydiving? Rock-climbing? Bear wrestling?
Thanks all.
I'd be careful about that bear wrestling if I were you.<G>.
In my early recovery I switched my dependency (which was largely, when you come right down to it, how I had learned to "enjoy' myself with substances) to AA. I used AA to regulate my feelings and relieve my fears, and also to get started on filling myself up spiritually.
Most therapists will tell you that boring=empty. I always had that"hole in the gut," and needed outside stuff to entertain me. There were so many fulfilling spiritual activities, from music to nature, yoga and meditation, becoming involved in a spiritual practice, etc. etc.
The discipline and principles of the 12 step program were useful iregulating my thinking and feeling and, ultimately, in freeing me from all dependencies including AA. Now I go to AA more as a social activity and an opportunity to be of service.
Then...there was also bowling.<G>
blessings
zenbear