Hobbies?
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 480
Hobbies?
So I'm on my 7227 time trying to quit . Feel really good, quit smoking cigs , been running but still feel "bored" Alcohol took up so much of my time ( not just drinking but the inevitable hangover and recovery ) I am finding myself restless. Any ideas?
Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: KC MO
Posts: 980
Mine is radio control airplanes. You can do so many different things.
Go for speed,or gliders. Just hang out at the flying field. Electric,glow or gas.
Tiny 6 inch wide to 1/4 or 1/3 scale 12 foot wide. Build from plans or buy ready to fly. Cheap foamies or build them out of foam insulation.
I also like helicopters,but they are hard to fly and can get pretty expensive.
I like to build glow planes from balsa kits. It's pretty time consuming,and that's where the excitement comes in. When you put all that time in one,and can crash it in a split second. For learning,the folks in China are putting together airplanes pretty cheap.
Here is one of the best airplane builders in the world. He builds flying doll houses.Spartan Excutive,... G. McIntosh - RC Groups
I wish I had 1/10th of his building skills.
Like I say,there are so many different ways to go. Building can get more fun than flying.
Fred
Go for speed,or gliders. Just hang out at the flying field. Electric,glow or gas.
Tiny 6 inch wide to 1/4 or 1/3 scale 12 foot wide. Build from plans or buy ready to fly. Cheap foamies or build them out of foam insulation.
I also like helicopters,but they are hard to fly and can get pretty expensive.
I like to build glow planes from balsa kits. It's pretty time consuming,and that's where the excitement comes in. When you put all that time in one,and can crash it in a split second. For learning,the folks in China are putting together airplanes pretty cheap.
Here is one of the best airplane builders in the world. He builds flying doll houses.Spartan Excutive,... G. McIntosh - RC Groups
I wish I had 1/10th of his building skills.
Like I say,there are so many different ways to go. Building can get more fun than flying.
Fred
Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 273
Maybe you consider it for children, but video games are a pretty good way of occupying yourself. It's better than just watching a movie or listening to music, because it involves you actively, and depending on the game, even challenges you mentally (without being too stressful). There is a game for everyone (it doesn't matter if you think you'll be bad at them), so I would seriously consider it. It is generally good for the brain (reaction time, problem solving etc) so it might make you feel you're recovering what drinking has taken from you as well.
Other than that, the usual... take up a skill you've not invested in, like making music or writing or painting and read a lot about it and try to genuinely get better at it.
Running and exercise is good and I certainly condone it, but that activity alone is pretty fulfilling unless you care about getting better at running. You need an activity which gives you a sense of progress, something to look forward to, something to invest yourself in and begin to admire those who are very good at it. They require a lot of self motivation at first, but they become worth it. The reason I suggest video games above is that they're usually built to motivate the player to continue and improve, but even for all the good video games can do you brain, they're not as useful to devote yourself to. But if you just need something to take your mind off drinking, they're pretty good ;p I would suggest a game of sufficient complexity tho, not a simple flash game from the internet. There is less fulfillment and sense of progression to draw you in if it's just tetris or bejewelled or the like.
It's serious advice tho. It doesn't matter if you're 40 or 60. If you want something to distract you that's less unhealthy than drugs, that's pretty much what video games are designed to do. Just don't play so much you can't hold a job !
Other than that, the usual... take up a skill you've not invested in, like making music or writing or painting and read a lot about it and try to genuinely get better at it.
Running and exercise is good and I certainly condone it, but that activity alone is pretty fulfilling unless you care about getting better at running. You need an activity which gives you a sense of progress, something to look forward to, something to invest yourself in and begin to admire those who are very good at it. They require a lot of self motivation at first, but they become worth it. The reason I suggest video games above is that they're usually built to motivate the player to continue and improve, but even for all the good video games can do you brain, they're not as useful to devote yourself to. But if you just need something to take your mind off drinking, they're pretty good ;p I would suggest a game of sufficient complexity tho, not a simple flash game from the internet. There is less fulfillment and sense of progression to draw you in if it's just tetris or bejewelled or the like.
It's serious advice tho. It doesn't matter if you're 40 or 60. If you want something to distract you that's less unhealthy than drugs, that's pretty much what video games are designed to do. Just don't play so much you can't hold a job !
Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 68
I run and work out and such, but the best distraction I've found is video games! I can be all wired and tired from my workouts and still need something to calm me down. A good role playing game does the trick for me. Immerse myself in a fantasy world for a few hours and problems seem to slip away. At least for a bit
Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Scotland
Posts: 10
I know that feeling of being restless. Whenever I am sober for long periods of time I feel I need to substitute drinking with another activity as I have so much energy. My main hobby is reading when I am sober, and playing music. When I am drinking, I usually end up too depressed to do any of my hobbies as my productivity goes down. If you have the willpower to stop smoking, you definitely have the willpower to stop alcohol. That's what I believe anyway and I think it's a great sign as a smoker myself. Exercise may be a great way to release that new found energy, even just going for a nice brisk walk in the evening might help - I've done that a few times.
Best of luck.
Best of luck.
Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: washington USA
Posts: 10
One thing that has worked for me is using a white board and giving myself a crap load of tasks to do . Not just hobbies but all the stuff I put off being a drunk . For example I deep cleaned my house . I started a very small garden . I read some books ( so boring compared to drinking but happy when I finished ) and just plain focused on why I stopped to begin with ...the side effects suck ! Make a bucket list ...it can be anything as mundane as walking a mile ...or helping a neighbor ....anything to stay away from triggers and bordom.
Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Somewhere USA
Posts: 238
Video gaming has always been a passion. Not the shooters so much, but the role play type. Puzzle games are also good.
I'm also teaching myself a bit of Spanish and 3d design when I have time. I used to try and do that while I was drinking too. Didn't seem to turn out as well as I had thought
I'm also teaching myself a bit of Spanish and 3d design when I have time. I used to try and do that while I was drinking too. Didn't seem to turn out as well as I had thought
Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Virginia
Posts: 1,133
Container gardening requires very little knowledge or skill and a lot less time and effort than "regular" gardening -- and you don't have to own property! Pretty inexpensive, too. Take 30 minutes or so to plant a single pot with a combination of two or three (or, if you have a big pot and some ambition, four or five) different plants/flowers.
When you're done you have this beautiful thing to admire and to watch grow every day that requires little maintenance.
You should be able to find an inexpensive container gardening book or magazine at a bookstore or home improvement center. That wlll give you some instruction and ideas for combinations -- just deciding what flowers/plants to use is at least half the fun! All you really need is an inexpensive pot, some potting mix, and your plants.
I imagine that someone at a nursery or gardening center in a home improvement store can help you pick plants that have similar water/sun/shade needs.
When you're done you have this beautiful thing to admire and to watch grow every day that requires little maintenance.
You should be able to find an inexpensive container gardening book or magazine at a bookstore or home improvement center. That wlll give you some instruction and ideas for combinations -- just deciding what flowers/plants to use is at least half the fun! All you really need is an inexpensive pot, some potting mix, and your plants.
I imagine that someone at a nursery or gardening center in a home improvement store can help you pick plants that have similar water/sun/shade needs.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Virginia
Posts: 1,133
Also, a good old-fashioned jigsaw puzzle can be pretty absorbing mentally. All you need is a puzzle and a surface. Pick one up with a pretty scene and start working on it when you feel an urge. Or a book of puzzles can serve the same purpose. Maybe buy one and reserve for only when you have a craving.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Canine Welfare Advocate
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Norfolk, VA
Posts: 10,962
Bored? Or are you discontented with sobriety?
I'm a great believer is re-discovering your interests, passions, hobbies. It's good to fill your time with things you like to do and it's good to have something to distract yourself from thoughts of drinking.
But a hobby isn't a recovery plan. What is your plan for maintaining a life without alcohol?
I'm a great believer is re-discovering your interests, passions, hobbies. It's good to fill your time with things you like to do and it's good to have something to distract yourself from thoughts of drinking.
But a hobby isn't a recovery plan. What is your plan for maintaining a life without alcohol?
Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: My Happy Place
Posts: 700
Go Fishing! You don't need all the latest greatest equipment. Not even a boat. Find a peaceful spot on a nearby lake or river and go for it. If you dont catch anything you at least get a ton of freash air and get to enjoy nature at its finest. If you catch anything good you have a healthy supper. Win win either way!
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Slouching toward Bethlehem
Posts: 94
I ran my ass off during my first year of sobriety. There's an argument to be made that I replaced one addiction for another, but I lost 80 pounds and brought my cholesterol down to healthy levels for the first time in my adult life. It turned out to be essential to hanging on to my sanity during that period.
It's hard to hang onto cravings for alcohol when you're craving oxygen.
It's hard to hang onto cravings for alcohol when you're craving oxygen.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 480
Originally Posted by doggonecarl 
Bored? Or are you discontented with sobriety?
I'm a great believer is re-discovering your interests, passions, hobbies. It's good to fill your time with things you like to do and it's good to have something to distract yourself from thoughts of drinking.
But a hobby isn't a recovery plan. What is your plan for maintaining a life without alcohol?
I'm a great believer is re-discovering your interests, passions, hobbies. It's good to fill your time with things you like to do and it's good to have something to distract yourself from thoughts of drinking.
But a hobby isn't a recovery plan. What is your plan for maintaining a life without alcohol?
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 480
Originally Posted by Groucho
I ran my ass off during my first year of sobriety. There's an argument to be made that I replaced one addiction for another, but I lost 80 pounds and brought my cholesterol down to healthy levels for the first time in my adult life. It turned out to be essential to hanging on to my sanity during that period.
It's hard to hang onto cravings for alcohol when you're craving oxygen.
It's hard to hang onto cravings for alcohol when you're craving oxygen.
Guest
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 480
Originally Posted by BikerAcct
Video gaming has always been a passion. Not the shooters so much, but the role play type. Puzzle games are also good.
I'm also teaching myself a bit of Spanish and 3d design when I have time. I used to try and do that while I was drinking too. Didn't seem to turn out as well as I had thought
I'm also teaching myself a bit of Spanish and 3d design when I have time. I used to try and do that while I was drinking too. Didn't seem to turn out as well as I had thought
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