OVERIT

I am newly sober AGAIN. And right now, boredom is setting in BIG TIME. I am currently unemployed. I have currently been through detox. Boredom is my trigger. I have cleaned every closet, organized ever drawer, filed and painted my finger and toe nails, cleaned out the fridge, organized the pantry. I try to read, but cannot concentrate. I have a hobby - scrapbooking, but I can not seem to function/focus on that either. Can't watch TV or a movie, because I get to restless. It is VERY cold here or I would go try to take a walk. Don't have much money, so I can't go out to eat or go shopping. I don't know what else to do...................


Does anyone have any suggestions?






TIA



xoxoxoxoxo



Ang


ETA: I am going to a meeting tonight. But it starts at 7:30 p.m. Cannot seem to find another one earlier or I would go there.

na4today

I was just thnking about boredom. We have ice all over the roads so I don't want to leave. Don't have any money anyway. Cleaned and did laundry yesterday. I feel restless, tried to go back to sleep but i can't be still. I feel like banging on the walls!!

We need games on this site.

OVERIT

Oh, sweetie, we have games. Go to the bottem of the forums and click on Cafe Central. We have a lot of games down there!!!!!!!!!!



xoxoxoxo



Ang

cwohio

you can come over and clean my house for me if you want!

BigSis

For me, frantic activity is a signal that I have something "perkin" inside.

I don't know if you do 12-step, but my sponsor has me write about each step. The writing OFTEN triggers memories - some of them painful - that I write about. Sometimes, I just list my fears, my anger, and my resentments around a particular person or situation. Other times, I write about my childhood in relation to the chaos of alcohol.

In many cases, this writing can "lance the boil" of whatever it is that is going on inside me.

Because this can be a painful process, I find it best to touch base with a meeting-mate (someone who has given me their phone number) afterward if I feel "jumbled".

Hope this helps.

CarolD

Call someone...talking helps me tremendously,

cwohio

excellent ideas for you to chew on!

Linda C.

Hi Overit.... I understand the cold ( smile )... We had down to 35 below here a few nites ago... But we have critters to tend to and wood to bring in so we get outside no matter what.. And its good to get some fresh air..

I can only share what worked for me.. I got busy in AA.. lots of meetings - hanging out with other AA'ers, going out to coffee with them after the meetings. Meeting for lunch.. Also, like someone else mentioned I had a sponsor who kept me working and that kept me busy too.

Many of us pick back up on hobbies etc.. Sounds like your having a hard time just being with yourself and relaxing enough to even enjoy a tv show..

I had to also learn some relaxations techniques that helped a lot. There are lots of CD's out there to listen to.. And a lot more you can learn about it - probably even online..

We just have to do whatever it takes.. Call a friend and visit. Have someone over.. Go to the Mall and walk indoors.. A lot of people do that here..

We can find every excuse in the world if we want to.. OR .. we can get off our behinds and do something about it.. ( smile )....

Hang in there........ Linda C.

OVERIT

Send me the airfare and I am there! Broom and mop in hand!

xoxoxoxo

Ang

OVERIT

[QUOTE=BigSis]For me, frantic activity is a signal that I have something "perkin" inside.

I don't know if you do 12-step, but my sponsor has me write about each step. The writing OFTEN triggers memories - some of them painful - that I write about. Sometimes, I just list my fears, my anger, and my resentments around a particular person or situation. Other times, I write about my childhood in relation to the chaos of alcohol.

In many cases, this writing can "lance the boil" of whatever it is that is going on inside me.

Because this can be a painful process, I find it best to touch base with a meeting-mate (someone who has given me their phone number) afterward if I feel "jumbled".


Thanks BigSis! It does help. I don't have a sposor yet. Still trying to work those meetings and find someone to ask. I do like to write. So maybe I will try some journaling for now.



Thanks.


xoxoxoxo



Ang

OVERIT

Thank you Linda. Those are excellent ideas. I appreciate it very much. I am going to try to clean and go to the "dump" and just pass time until the AA meeting.


I appreciate all of the advice and suggestions give to me.



xoxoxoxoxoxo



Ang

REZ

Boredom is a problem for many addicted/alcoholic people. I know it was for me. The problem was that I didn't know how to have fun without drinking/using. When I look back on it, my drinking/using life was pretty boring: I would get wasted and sit around with my friends and listen to music or BS. We wouldn't even play board games. What has worked for me?

Going to meetings
Hanging out with family/friends
Reading, recovery reading, but other kinds (fiction, non-fiction etc.)
Service work (NA/AA related, but also working in the soup kitchen, visiting nursing homes)
Meditation/prayer
Taking relaxing baths
Excercise
Music (listening to music and playing music)
Computer/internet
Watching tv
Cleaning/housework
Working outside/in the yard
Hiking/walking

Any of those work for you?

Hope so!

OVERIT

Thank You! I promise I have tried all of those things. I am running out of things to do.

Can anyone explain why I can't stop crying. I would not say that I am sad, but, the tears just seem to keep flowing. I hate it!



xoxoxoxoxoxo


Ang

Don S

150 things to do instead of drinking...

lulu70

((((((((((Ang))))))))))) Hey hon'--Hope you made it through your day okay. I don't really have any more suggestions for boredom, but I wanted to comment on the crying-thing. Crying is GOOD for you. I know it is not fun, and you are probably feeling a little bit out-of-control emotionally, but the tears are there for a reason. Let them come. I would say journalling is a fabulous choice for you about now. You may not even know what you are going to write about--just let the words flow. It will give you alot to talk to your sponsor about when you finally get one!

I think you are doing great. Hang in there!

Hope

Tears can be healing and they just seem to flow often especially in early sobriety. I know exactly what you are going through.

Try to write as much as you can. It will help you to get your thoughts out on paper so you can go back over them. You may even surprise yourself with the words that come out. Someone at one of my meetings suggested journaling to me so I decided to try it and it is working well. Give it a go.

Beachbabe

As cheesy as this may sound, I cross-stitch. These days the patterns are awesome... sportbikes, boats, about anything you want. It is easy as hell. All you do is follow a pattern making little X's in the holed cloth.

It is like medatation, for real. You get so into it and your hands are in motion though your brain isnt. You get so into it people will call your name and you dont even hear it.

I know cross-stitch sounds lame as hell but believe me, its changed alot over the past few yrs and it feels so good to look at your piece and see it moving along towards completion. Any evidence that we are clean, alive and breathing is progress. Cant get that from a clean house. God knows I've scrubbed opps I meant tried.

Check it out, it rocks. Im a young girl, no granny. Just wanted to throw that in. It WAS an older persons craft but with the new patterns that has changed.

Use CrissCross cloth and DMC thread. Start with a kit if you want. 5 dollars at Wal-mart. They have all sorts of small pieces to try your hand at.

It is the only thing that shuts my mind down. Good drug! Healthy medicine! I cant even describe really how healthy it is for me. I know it is though because my family will ask "why havent you been stitching"? And push me to start new pieces. Once you start you cant stop because of the immediate gratification of the piece becoming complete.

Idle hands are the devils workshop.

OVERIT

Done 'em!

No, seriously, thanks guys for all of the comments and suggestions.

I'm not sure I could do the cross stitching right now. My patience is about 1/2 inch long and I fear I would throw the whole project across the room. I'm feeling better today and going to try something new. Don't know what yet, but I will!


Love to all!


xoxoxoxo


Ang

Beachbabe

Its a shame, after reading this whole post.

I am surrounded by beautiful beaches... live on one and dont even bother to walk it.

Thats a huge wake up call. Im not healthy, Im simply not using. This is no life for me, nor is drugs. Damn. Now I feel ashamed I have a beach in my back yard and its 80 degrees out. WTF do I have to complain about, yet here I sit.