Ncognito13

I'm happy to be sitting at day 16, for me it's quite the accomplishment. I'm sleeping well, I feel good when I wake up, I don't feel like drinking honestly. The problem I'm having is I'm just so bored all the time. When I drank the days would go by so quickly, but now I feel like the days are twice as long and I have no idea how to fill them. I'm taking walks, biking, reading more, watching movies, but I'm not gaining a lot of satisfaction out of it.

The big problem is that I'm trying to avoid situations where I would want to drink. My friends are supportive of me, but they know I'm not drinking and that's what usually brought us all together. Football is on right now and normally I'd be at a bar, but I'm sitting at home by myself and I just feel restless. I hate feeling anti-social like this. When I think about it I really have no 'sober friends' if that makes sense.

At my worse, drinking isolated me. Being sober I don't find it much different other than now I'm clear headed and the boredom of free time is just killing me. I've hung out with one friend of mine in the past two weeks, I started a new job and that's the only time I ever feel social. Other than that I don't know what to do.

Dee74

try thinking of things to do socially that don;t involve alcohol maybe?

go to a movie, eat pizza, go for coffee, organise some team sport thing, visit a museum or an art gallery or something...play a video game, read a book...think of a hobby you'd be interested in.

The list is endless once you get going

D

cardoon

I came into quitting with the idea that I was going to be comfortable with being bored. That way of thought really helped me until I found stuff to do. Another suggestion is to just do things in say,:15 minute increments. My mind wanders all over, so at least I can get some stuff done using this approach. Once you see yourself accomplishing some things you'll build some confidence I think. Just keep goin' !

sweetmelissa

god i am sitting here on day 7 with ants in my pants....im so friggin bored i wanna say F it and just go out. especially when my sunday funday's were jam packed full of booze and wild times. I have watched more tv shows and movies in the last seven days then my entire life. Everyone i know drinks and is partying and going to all the hallowenn blow outs. Ive got cabin fever like crazy and i seriously wanna scream...trust me i know how you feel. I get one phone call from a friend saying their going out and as easy as that my brain is like screw it go....but i came onto this website trying to ride out the temptation

least

I'm bored often but I try to find something to do. Walking my dogs always helps me feel better. I'd rather be bored sober than bored drunk, I do know that!

CaiHong

I think that what you are feeling the boredom is valid, getting drunk and chatting to fronds who are also getting drunk does pass the time and doesn't involve much much effort or thinking. your post has made me think about my own state of boredom and how I deal with it now that I am sober and I must say time diminished my feelings of boredom or least feeling anxious about it. Starting small projects as one poster mentioned and finishing them gives you a sense of accomplishment that can detract from your boredom.
You need to meet some sober friends or meet people in a sober activity.
But do keep going.
caiHong

Anna

This is the hard part of recovery.

It's not just about stopping drinking.

It's about making a new, sober, healthy life.

So, what can you do today/tonight that will help you enjoy your days more? Figure out something, one thing that you would enjoy doing. You don't have to sit and watch TV all the time. Have you considered volunteering?

longbeachone

Do you guys feel that life can only be fun if you are under the influence? I'm not asking that question in a negative, mean spirited way....I really want to know. Is a barbeque only fun with the alcohol attached? Or can it be fun to spend the day outside with friends, eating great food and playing touch football. Same for a sports event, dinner out, a pizza party. Is fun out of reach when sober?

I felt very similar to the way you are feeling way back when I knew I had a serious drinking problem, but before things really began to spiral out of control. Once my alcoholism reached the level where I was truly sick, both mentally and physically, stopping was such a relief that I was thrilled to be bored.

I certainly don't mean that you don't have a serious enough problem...we each have to judge our own lives and the extent of our problem. But if I could have foreseen the places that my drinking would take me, I would have been willing to experience boredom up to my eyeballs if I could shut my mouth to alcohol.

Olive1

And why do you want the days to go by so quickly?
Life is to short to rush through.

Notmyrealname

It's common I think. Alcohol was like my second job, I put in a good 20-30 hours a week. When I quit I had all sorts of free time, just like you.

Life expands to fill those gaps if you let it. What did you like to do before you developed a drinking problem? Usually the booze pushes out hobbies and interests. Maybe some of those will come back?

I found myself exercising a lot and playing guitar again, those were two really positive things. And reading, I read a lot more now. And sometimes I clean house. Not near enough. Also went back to MMOs, kind of on the fence about that one.

choublak

There are word games on here, in the forum FYI.

pinkdog

Hi Ncognito, great job on 16 days. Sobertime will make you feel better. Less anxious. More at peace. Find some new activities that don't involve alcohol. Things you used to do before the drinking. Things you always wanted to do. Getting involved in other things will make the time go by better. You have to fill the drinking time with something else. Great job!

missymadr

i know this is an older post. part of drinking for me was boredome also. go for a walk or force yourself to do something you SHOULD have done around the house years ago.congrats on your sobriety!!

neferkamichael

Ncognito13, 16 days is FANTASTIC. Congratulations. At 3 years 3 months sober I'm only beginning to live in the solution instead of the problem. The cravings, urges, and temptations have all but vanished and I'm happy with that. Boredom is a stay of mind that a person chooses to be in, and I am only beginning to to work on being bored, and procrastination and such as that. Being sober has only solved the hangover problem, projectile vomiting problem, falling of bar stool problem and those kinda things. Get started on doing some of the things you've always wanted to do and put your heart and soul into it. I believe I would have had an easier time of it had I focused on the solutions instead of dreading the changes I needed to make. Rootin for ya.

Ncognito13

Thanks for the responses and advice. I looked online and just went to an AA meeting to get out of the house though I left early. Something about the post meeting hanging out kicks up my anxiety. It felt good just to do something other than sit at home.

It's still early and I just can't expect things to change overnight, I get that. I spent so many years looking at a block of free time and thinking "time to drink" that now a day off seems like a challenge to fill. It's all good though, I remember movies, I get projects done, I don't have to look at my phone to see who I called the night before (uhh). I know the longer I stick with this the better things will get.

doggonecarl

Sixteen days is early. I don't think the feeling you are describing is boredom. It's the restless discontent of early sobriety. If you think drinking will remove the feeling you are describing, it's addiction pulling your strings.

missymadr

one is too many and a hundred aint enough.remember this. I was told this by a person that was an alcoholic .I think he is still recovered,and I never forgot it.