Content
When serotonin and dopamine levels are low, we become less motivated and less interested in our surroundings. This can lead to feelings of extreme boredom and apathy. Dopamine is another neurotransmitter that is responsible for feelings of pleasure and happiness. It is also responsible for regulating movement and emotional response. Dopamine depletion can cause apathy, boredom, and lack of motivation.
Mục lục
Fears About Sobriety That Will Sabotage Your Recovery
Forming healthy connections with other people is an important of this process. It’s one of the many ways you will relearn how to enjoy life again without alcohol. Your friends are out getting drunk, the same as they always do. Meanwhile, you’re at home wondering how many days it would take someone to find your body after you’ve choked on those peanut M&M’s you’ve been knocking back during your latest Netflix binge. That being said, drinking FOMO is real and must be dealt with. Sometimes admitting the truth to yourself is the first step.
The Downside of Sobriety
One of the best things you can do for yourself when you’re feeling bored in sobriety is to find a way to serve others. But if you can’t or aren’t able to do a group class, at the very least, take a tech-free 30-minute walk every day. I promise it will do wonders for your mental health, which, in turn, will help you feel motivated to do more things. Right now, you’re doing a very hard thing, and sometimes hard things feel lonely.
- When you’re in early recovery, even good days can be tough.
- Additionally, I examine the way mental and physical health as well as our relationships with others impact the reasons people drink and their role in maintaining sobriety long-term.
- Drunk me didn’t worry if she belonged, or said the right thing, or had to have small talk because drunk me just handled that.
- It also opens up space to approach your internal world differently.
- I believe recovery includes opening up our hearts to other people and creatures.
- This can be hard if your social life previously revolved around drinking.
Reasons You Might Feel Bored in Sobriety
There is such a calm presence with children because they haven’t yet been mentally affected by themselves. They don’t care about yesterday or tomorrow. They don’t care about what he or she thinks. They don’t worry about paying bills, providing for anyone, or how their stocks are doing. You are not a slave to your emotions or your addiction.
- From being outside sweaty, running around and playing with bugs in the mud, to laughing at farts (I still do that) and wrestling with your friends.
- One of the first telltale signs for me is that I no longer see facial expressions.
- But I’m going to explore solutions for people who sit at various points along the “sobriety is so boring” spectrum.
- How you feel today — no matter how boring, stifling, angering, or depressing it may be — will be different tomorrow.
- Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.
You can then consistently look back, see how far you’ve come, and assess what you have accomplished along the way. Anything you can do to improve your overall health and wellness will serve double duty and improve your ability to stay sober. It isn’t that sobriety sucks, it’s that living in a world filled with booze and drugs while staying clean and sober can suck (at times). In this podcast I share a little of what has and has not worked for me. As usual in my podcasts, I ask you to think about your own life and make decisions of your own.
When someone starts therapy, it often takes six months to a year to see the differences amphetamine addiction treatment in your life. That doesn’t mean you won’t see some improvements immediately, just be realistic. It takes time to rebuild a life filled with satisfying things and people.
I hate being sober sometimes but the consequences of the alternative are not an option for me anymore. The truth is, these days I only resent my sobriety when I’m triggered. Because sobriety is not always easy, and even if it’s improved most parts of my life, it’s also damaged a few. I think that anyone who is considering getting sober should know the full truth — not to be discouraged, but to be prepared. There’s no denying the fun that can come with drinking—the quick buzz, the fleeting sense of freedom, the uninhibited laughter. And there’s nothing wrong with enjoying the occasional mind-altering experience.
These are all things you’re trying to overcome from drinking. Remember that one of the things we’re attempting to do is not only get out there and experience fun activities that don’t involve alcohol but also heal the underlying damage in our brain from drinking. Sometimes boredom in sobriety looks like not wanting to be around anyone. We want to isolate and sit with our feelings. When I quit drinking, I was lucky to have a spouse that supported my decision. And yet, he still had no idea how to support me.
That latter experience feeling like everything is gray and dull and lacks meaning? A lot of people experience anhedonia when they quit. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter responsible for feelings of happiness, well-being, and pleasure. It’s also responsible for moderating moods and emotions. Serotonin depletion can cause major mood swings and feelings of sadness, anxiety, and irritability. It means continually checking in with yourself, continually reaching out to new people who may have ideas you haven’t tried before, and continually asking questions that will help you improve your life.
Similarly, a reader who commented on my post, “What Recovering Alcoholics Can Teach Us About Happiness,” discussed her negative experience in AA. She described some longtime members as “seething cauldrons of anger.” Another commenter observed that many AA members are caught in a cycle of negativity. This is certainly a common view for many who spend time in AA. I know, I know, this website is called “Recovery Connection” and it is designed to encourage those who are suffering the slings and arrows of addiction to get help. It is also an educational tool for addiction professionals and those in recovery, and I am here to tell you I had some unexpected lessons to learn when I became sober.
- Even elephants in the wild have been observed eating fermented fruit to get intoxicated.
- Let’s address another reason life without alcohol feels boring.
- If you’ve created an entire social life around drinking, it is natural to be afraid of life without it.
- The other people next to you at group therapy sessions and support group meetings all have experiences that can help you.
- Getting outside and communing with nature is scientifically proven to reduce stress and improve mental health and cognitive function in both kids and adults.
When you’re in early recovery, even good days can be tough. It feels like you’re pulled in 521 directions at once, and there’s the constant draw to fall back into old habits. But when life sucks, staying sober can be more than hard, it can feel like it’s next to impossible. ” Sometimes they stop talking to you altogether.