This really sucks What should I do? Living Sober Sucks, But Living Drunk Sucks More.

So much of this list is not just about finding things to do, but treating the underlying causes of extreme boredom in sobriety. Staying busy is a great way to stave off boredom and create space for healing the parts of your brain that took a walloping from drinking. It’s particularly therapeutic to find something to do with your hands. Now that you know the chemical reason for your boredom, let’s explore additional factors that might be contributing to these feelings.

The Hard Parts of Being Sober

Head out of town with some sober friends for a few hours to get a change of scenery. And when I couldn’t seem to get ready in time, or when my purse was a tangle of wadded keys and gum wrappers I felt so bereft. This subreddit is a place to motivate each other to control or stop drinking. We welcome anyone who wishes to join in by asking for support, sharing our experiences and stories, or just encouraging someone who is trying to quit. Please post only when sober; you’re welcome to read in the meanwhile. Not surprising you hate being sober at one time or another, especially in early sobriety, so you are not alone.

During the day, there were all-inclusive brunches. It all felt normal, even the terrible parts like awful hangovers and hangxiety. This is important to remember when thinking about boredom. In fact, when you first quit, it feels like everyone in the world is out getting drunk but you.

I’m So Sick of Talking About My Sobriety. Is That Really Such a Problem?

• When I hang out with my “normie” friends, and they have a couple of beers, loosen up a bit and then head home without doing anything crazy, out of control or self-destructive.
• That’s six hard, beautiful, glorious years during which I not only stopped drinking, but also finally moved on from all recreational drugs as well as a history of bulimia.
• I’m freaking out and I really don’t want to relapse but it’s getting harder not to.

You should be able to go about living your life without drinking alcohol, but you feel utterly useless and have no idea what to do with yourself. I’m often reminded of how being “just sober” sucks. I have half a decade without drugs and alcohol, but sometimes I’m more miserable than I ever was when I was getting high.

I’ve even found myself ghosting my AA sponsor.

Everyone faces difficult situations, ranging from getting a rough night’s sleep to dealing with a death in the family or an unexpected divorce. Choose to recognize that the choices you make directly impact your experience. Get coffee with a friend to take your mind off relationship problems. Ask for extra hours at work if you’re having a hard time with roommates.

One of the biggest impediments to my sobriety during my relapse days was my inability to avoid getting consumed by emotions. Before I started drinking too much, I marijuana addiction loved to write. I kept a notebook and pen beside my bed in case I woke up in the middle of the night with a brilliant song lyric or poem.

• Regardless of the situation, being a victim never kept someone in recovery.
• When it seems like all you want to do is forget, to go get high or drunk and be gone, if only for a few moments, remember what addiction’s cost you.
• I certainly would have if I’d read this article five years ago.

A lot of my party friends wouldn’t hang out with me anymore and I felt lonely and like a freak. That was only one example of a life and friends I had to detach from to create a sober life. Before you call me ungrateful or tell me that I am a hop, skip and a jump away from a relapse, hear me out. Yes, freedom from addiction and a life of sobriety is an incredibly amazing (not to mention totally worthwhile) journey. While getting and staying sober was the best decision I’ve ever made, in a lot of ways it’s also been the most challenging. There are people for which sobriety is a deal-breaker.

While making the decision to be sober was the best thing I’ve ever done, it’s also one of the hardest. Not only because not drinking is hard, but also because we live in a society where most everyone around us drinks. But I PROMISE you, if you keep moving forward, things in your brain will start to click.

• I have amazing relationships, I have a life with meaning, I have an active spiritual life.
• That overcorrection is what you’re probably feeling right now.
• It’s not about following strict rules or labeling yourself; it’s about asking questions and making intentional choices about alcohol.
• When I was finished, it was like someone had hit the refresh button on my brain.

Alcohol robs you of the ability to feel naturally motivated and inspired. Those feelings don’t come back immediately when you quit. The good news is that your brain can adjust and restore balance to your internal world.

And one day, it will occur to you that you’re actually happy and enjoying your life. Whether your sobriety has you wallowing in boredom or self-pity, please know that it will get better. Even if you have no idea HOW things can change, trust the process and keep working on it.

Sobriety is not all roses and reggae, after all, and those who are in a position to help, will always stress the indisputable fact that being clear-headed is better than being a drunk.