One day at time keep trucking
For me the key is other people. Meetings and hanging out with people in recovery. Sometimes it's hard to have the right mood and energy. I'm on day 12 and I still don't feel quite normal. I remember in the past that it would take me a month or two or three really before my just natural energy came back. That helps me to socialize. But everyone is def different on that topic. Im TRYING to work out more. That also helps me a ton. Get those endorphins flowing and helps make me tired and sleep well at night.
1 Like
Tetris helps
For me I try to keep busy, and then relax with a book or a video game sober. The gym is my favorite place to go to burn off steam, avoid boredome, and increase my health.
1 Like
Perhaps a part time evening job that is people facing. I drive Uber. Great way to socialize.
2 Likes
These feelings aren’t permanent. Nothing is. Don’t drink. Be patient. It took a long time to get to the bottom. It takes just as long to get back. You make a little progress every day. You learn a new way of life.
Boredom for me came from me regretting that I couldn’t do what I’d always done. It diminished when I realized all the new things that I can now do. You’ll figure out those things.
But we alcoholics and addicts are self centered a-holes who are used to being able to take a shot or a hit whenever we are even slightly uncomfortable. That discomfort is what you learn to sit with and allow it to pass.
Today I replaced almost an entire AC system on a friends old Honda. All from YouTube videos. 3 years ago I would have gone to bed blacked out, woke up hung over and drank away the shakes. I’ve had the time to really reflect on which of those Saturday activities was the boring one.
2 Likes
We all struggle with this unfortunately…. I’m trying different things like tonight I went to an art museum with my girl and walked around DTLA …. I actually had fun!
2 Likes
Go to a meeting, get a commitment, be of service!!
2 Likes
Please get to a meeting. The disease of alcoholism wants you to think that the only fun or interesting things in your life are alcohol related or involved. Get to a meeting, volunteer to help others, read, clean, take a walk, etc.
3 Likes
It was a problem for me for sure in my early sobriety so I zoomed and in person quite a few meetings and used social media a lot too. Now I have several years sober I still do meetings and hang with sober friends but I also live a normal life too going out to see bands and night clubs… I enjoy being sober and out actually
I drank. Was in a new relationship and it hit the fan. Nothing terrible happened but idk why I gave in for him. I see why they say to stay single in early sobriety. No more relationships. Sorry guys.
2 Likes
Idle hands is the devils playground. Boredom is tough but we have to learn to be ok with it as well. Mindfulness practices help a lot, like grounding yourself and using all your senses to describe everything around you. Sounds silly but it works. The thing is, we won't always be able to find things to occupy our time, that's just reality. And us as people in recovery once we get sober always ask, " what do I do now?" Like as In hobbies etc...but even "normal" people don't always have something going on. They have just as much down time as we do. We are just in danger of filling that down time with dangerous things for us. Journal, call a family member or friend and see how they are doing, go for a walk, a drive while jamming out. BTW it makes me so happy that you are still doing this thing! I remember some of our convos in the past. Proud of you!
1 Like
Anson said it so well. Meetings, people especially while your waiting for your brain to start functioning again. If anything think of a meeting as an hour you do not have a drink. An hour your mind is off a drink, an hour your not bored and in danger of drinking..
1 Like