Feeling Blah and Bored
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: salt Lake
Posts: 488
Feeling Blah and Bored
Almost a month sober this time and doing so much better. I made an appointment with a counselor today and I know I need to get on with finding a sponsor as well. I am just feeling so bored and blah today. I am even working! I keep thinking how much more alive I would feel if I could drink today. Am I trying to avoid going to a counselor so I won't have to face my issues? IDK - I just wish I didn't feel so blah......And I am so tired of this yo-yo life!
Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Boulder County, Co
Posts: 130
The blahs will pass. It is important to make sure you add a hobby or other activity to your life that will take up the time that you used to spend drinking. And besides the hungover blahs are way worse than the sober ones.
Marchia in Aeternum
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Georgia
Posts: 11,094
Originally Posted by PreciousKitty
I keep thinking how much more alive I would feel if I could drink today.
Hang in there. We got your back.
now's the time
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 2,181
Hi PK,
I know you've mentioned in the past that you do yoga sometimes? I've been going every day and it's really, really been helping me. I found a really nice blog post that I think nicely sums up how it can be helpful: Yoga and Recovery from Alcoholism – Whiskey and Porn for Everyone
(don't mind the site title, there is neither whiskey nor porn there!)
For me the yoga has been giving me a time out of every day where I feel fully connected. If not yoga, maybe another routine might give you the same? Getting coffee and drinking it somewhere pretty, or some other time for contemplation?
I know you've mentioned in the past that you do yoga sometimes? I've been going every day and it's really, really been helping me. I found a really nice blog post that I think nicely sums up how it can be helpful: Yoga and Recovery from Alcoholism – Whiskey and Porn for Everyone
(don't mind the site title, there is neither whiskey nor porn there!)
For me the yoga has been giving me a time out of every day where I feel fully connected. If not yoga, maybe another routine might give you the same? Getting coffee and drinking it somewhere pretty, or some other time for contemplation?
Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Canada. About as far south as you can get
Posts: 4,768
Over the years I have known many alcoholics who "just couldn't get it" and are dead today.
If I think I'm having a bad day I think about their last days and what was left behind in their family.
My day starts looking a lot brighter.
"I may not be much but I'm all I think about"
All the best.
Bob R
If I think I'm having a bad day I think about their last days and what was left behind in their family.
My day starts looking a lot brighter.
"I may not be much but I'm all I think about"
All the best.
Bob R
Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 429
This is normal & great that you are recognizing it!
Its when you come off that sober euphoria, and you truly have to learn
how to "Live Life on Lifes Terms"
It is a process & I believe the Big Book & AA have been great in helping me learn the concept of this. Now its the learning how to live it. Cuz like you Im still new in this.
All the Best &
Smile today! Your Sober!
Its when you come off that sober euphoria, and you truly have to learn
how to "Live Life on Lifes Terms"
It is a process & I believe the Big Book & AA have been great in helping me learn the concept of this. Now its the learning how to live it. Cuz like you Im still new in this.
All the Best &
Smile today! Your Sober!
Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 458
Hang in there preciouskitty, I'm about a month sober as well. (not my first attempt either) I've been feeling kindof blah too. I think as others have said, its normal to feel this way early in sobriety. I'm trying to look at is as a feeling that will pass. Hopefully you'll feel better after going to your counselor today 
One month sober is awesome, keep it up!
One month sober is awesome, keep it up!
Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,308
Kitty,
I think we can all relate to that boredom early in sobriety, not being able to get high to alleviate it. But believe me it does change but it takes time.
The AA 12 step program and SR have helped make the changes in my life. The last thing I want now when I am bored is a drink, think it through.
Hang in there, it is worth it
Love
caiHong
I think we can all relate to that boredom early in sobriety, not being able to get high to alleviate it. But believe me it does change but it takes time.
The AA 12 step program and SR have helped make the changes in my life. The last thing I want now when I am bored is a drink, think it through.
Hang in there, it is worth it
Love
caiHong
That bell or bike person
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: london
Posts: 4,978
feeling blah and bored are states of mind , you can change your state of mind .
Trying to think of how to help, encourage or inspire someone on their journey certainly takes me out of myself and my problems if i'm a bit heavily into myself as a for instance , as does making and listening/seeing music & art .
Bestwishes, M
Trying to think of how to help, encourage or inspire someone on their journey certainly takes me out of myself and my problems if i'm a bit heavily into myself as a for instance , as does making and listening/seeing music & art .
Bestwishes, M
Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Tower Town, UK
Posts: 12
Hang in there and remember all the signs and sayings.
This too shall pass is one that I always use.
I've also been known to endlessly recite the serenity prayer.
Get to a meeting, chat with someone with more experience than you and truly 'listen', chat with a newcomer. "The therapeutic value of one..., helping another" truly does help.
Find positive focus. Read recovery literature. Learn a new skill just to have something other than yourself to focus on. Guess who bought a ukulele
These are all things that have worked for me very recently. I reach one year clean at the end of this month. I went past one year sober at the end of January.
Keep the faith...you can do it!
This too shall pass is one that I always use.
I've also been known to endlessly recite the serenity prayer.
Get to a meeting, chat with someone with more experience than you and truly 'listen', chat with a newcomer. "The therapeutic value of one..., helping another" truly does help.
Find positive focus. Read recovery literature. Learn a new skill just to have something other than yourself to focus on. Guess who bought a ukulele
These are all things that have worked for me very recently. I reach one year clean at the end of this month. I went past one year sober at the end of January.
Keep the faith...you can do it!
Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: east coast
Posts: 1,711
I remember feeling that way too in the first month. Drinking took up so much of my time. I didn't know what to do without it. But you are doing the best you can...working, setting up counseling. I have been having a lot of fun in sobriety ...it just takes a little time. You will settle into the routine as the months add up.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Central Valley
Posts: 131
I remember my 'activity' being my work, chore, hobby etc stopped with that first drink. the rest of the time was spent on that downhill skid to being drunk and doing nothing - happily, or so I thought.
Now, almost 90 days coming of nothing to drink, I am running out of daylight for things I want to do or need to be done.
Even with the loss of my super-crap job last week gives me time to work on my new business and look for hopefully a better job in the meantime. This time last year I was very bad off, about the time my drinking got probably 2x worse than before. I was depressed and miserable and not caring that I was destroying my health, even though I knew I was. I had pains where I shouldn't etc.
Please know it does get better and those 'blahs' will turn into 'rah's (corny, sorry)
Now, almost 90 days coming of nothing to drink, I am running out of daylight for things I want to do or need to be done.
Even with the loss of my super-crap job last week gives me time to work on my new business and look for hopefully a better job in the meantime. This time last year I was very bad off, about the time my drinking got probably 2x worse than before. I was depressed and miserable and not caring that I was destroying my health, even though I knew I was. I had pains where I shouldn't etc.
Please know it does get better and those 'blahs' will turn into 'rah's (corny, sorry)
Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Tower Town, UK
Posts: 12
The only way out of blah is action guys. Sorry, no way around that.
Praying = action
reading recovery literature = action
Going for coffee with another alky/addict = action
Speaking with your sponsor = action
Focusing on something other than how blah you feel = action.
Soon you'll be
Praying = action
reading recovery literature = action
Going for coffee with another alky/addict = action
Speaking with your sponsor = action
Focusing on something other than how blah you feel = action.
Soon you'll be
Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Upstate NY, in the Adirondacks
Posts: 232
Art is what helped to save me. I took a watercolor class, I am a terrible painter, but it opened the door to making pottery and jewelry, which I am planning to do for a living when I retire in 4 years.
Get some cheap watercolor paints, a big brush or two and some paper, and just wet the paper, put paint on, and watch it flow. Meditation music helps this, too. It is very relaxing, almost hypnotic. Time will fly, just like it did when you were a kid and were outside playing. It is play. Don't paint anything at first, just watch the colors interact and play with each other. Do 5 of these. It is so much fun, no pressure to create, just watch the water and paint play.
If you like this, then you may want to get more serious about some art. Music also helps me. I recently took up piano lessons, and voice lessons. My brain just soars with art and music, never ever bored anymore. And I am a person who was easily bored!
Best,
Nancy
Get some cheap watercolor paints, a big brush or two and some paper, and just wet the paper, put paint on, and watch it flow. Meditation music helps this, too. It is very relaxing, almost hypnotic. Time will fly, just like it did when you were a kid and were outside playing. It is play. Don't paint anything at first, just watch the colors interact and play with each other. Do 5 of these. It is so much fun, no pressure to create, just watch the water and paint play.
If you like this, then you may want to get more serious about some art. Music also helps me. I recently took up piano lessons, and voice lessons. My brain just soars with art and music, never ever bored anymore. And I am a person who was easily bored!
Best,
Nancy
Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: IL
Posts: 5
I've been having the blah's too. At 2 months sober I don't have a job, no car and on top of that the weather in Norther Illinois is still in the 30's and snowing. I'm just bored and blah. The suggestions from others helped, and nice weather has to come eventually, doesn't it? Till then I'm going to work on my house, it has gone to hell with my drinking. So when spring does arrive I can work on the outside, put in a vegetable and flower garden, things I enjoy but haven't done for 15 yrs. Thanks again for the topic it helps knowing that what I'm feeling is common in sobriety.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: MPLS, MN
Posts: 164
Someone on here said something once, in fact I've heard it a lot and it's helping me right now in my first couple months, it's that we need to change. We cannot do the same thing we did when we were drinking. And I don't mean the bars or any place or activity that involved drinking but everything we did, or didn't do when we were drinking. For example I have a friend who has been battling his alcoholism for a while now, in fact he went inpatient twice in 5 years. Anyways he just can't bring himself to get up and get out. When he drank he sat around and watched TV, now he sits around and watches TV. And relapsing.
For the last couple years of my drinking I had an analogy that life was like driving down a road and I just got too drunk and hit the ditch. But then I started driving in that ditch for a while trying to drive out of it, thinking I could get back on the road. But the road was just too damaged. I would try to drive slow but that didn't work. No, I just had to stop the car, get out, get help to get off that road and onto to a new road. It can be scary with twists and turns and an unfamiliar setting but the road is new and I can control the car much better on this one.
Basically, break the pattern. Mr. Weasel had a great post about doing something, anything that is off your routine. Go to mall at night just to walk around, take a different route home, try some new food. Surprise yourself. Keep things active and moving. Close the door of your alcoholism and open the door of your sobriety, step on through and take it all in. Drinking now will only drag you back into that dark room. It will make you feel "alive" for a short period of time. How will you feel in the morning?
For the last couple years of my drinking I had an analogy that life was like driving down a road and I just got too drunk and hit the ditch. But then I started driving in that ditch for a while trying to drive out of it, thinking I could get back on the road. But the road was just too damaged. I would try to drive slow but that didn't work. No, I just had to stop the car, get out, get help to get off that road and onto to a new road. It can be scary with twists and turns and an unfamiliar setting but the road is new and I can control the car much better on this one.
Basically, break the pattern. Mr. Weasel had a great post about doing something, anything that is off your routine. Go to mall at night just to walk around, take a different route home, try some new food. Surprise yourself. Keep things active and moving. Close the door of your alcoholism and open the door of your sobriety, step on through and take it all in. Drinking now will only drag you back into that dark room. It will make you feel "alive" for a short period of time. How will you feel in the morning?
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