Plain water might offer plenty of health benefits, but it’s admittedly not the most interesting choice. By opening up about your relationship with alcohol, you might also encourage others to explore their own drinking habits. Knowing why you drink is essential, says Cyndi Turner, LCSW, LSATP, MAC, a Virginia therapist who specializes in addiction treatment and alcohol moderation. But when it’s hard to face challenges without alcohol, it’s worth considering whether drinking prevents you from finding more helpful ways of managing emotions. In the “Ask a Therapist” series, I’ll be answering your questions about all things mental health and psychology.

It’s responsible for more than 95,000 deaths annually. When two mental health disorders exist at the same time it is called a dual diagnosis. When in treatment for alcohol use disorder, it is crucial that the depression also be addressed and treated.

Why Is Social Connection Important for Addiction Recovery?

Catching signs of abuse early also minimizes the risks of adverse health effects and increases the probability of achieving sobriety much more quickly. Various factors lead individuals to abuse alcohol, including genetic traits, environmental reasons, and societal factors. Still, alcohol is a highly addictive substance that can lead to dependency, especially when consuming https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/why-the-nose-of-an-alcoholic-changes-rhinophyma/ frequently and in large quantities. Drinking out of boredom may indicate a deeper issue at hand. When referring to alcohol addiction, some may conjure up an image of a person consuming multiple daily bottles of low-end vodka and struggling to hold a steady job. Alcohol use disorder impacts millions across the nation, many of which are considered high-functioning.

Mental health and wellness tips, our latest guides, resources, and more. Even playful teasing or offhanded comments like, “Oh that’s right, you’re a stick-in-the-mud now,” can exert pressure or make them feel excluded. Experiences like these can leave you feeling ashamed and frustrated.

Things You Shouldn’t Say to Someone With Depression

Chelsey Flood is the author of Infinite Sky and Nightwanderers, and a lecturer in creative writing at Falmouth University. She writes about freedom, addiction, nature and love, and is working on a non-fiction book about getting sober, and a new YA novel. Your unadulterated consciousness may come as an unpleasant surprise to you. It had been nice pretending to be relaxed and laidback for a few hours every day.

It turns down your boredom from a distressing eight to a tolerable six. These kinds of time-wasters are fairly mind-numbing and will probably only make you feel more agitated in the long run. If a loved one is trying to change their drinking habits, they will appreciate your support. Although it’s not your job to dictate their behavior, there are a few steps you can take to help them meet their goals. Dropping a bad habit and making a healthy change in life is always challenging. There may be times when you give in to peer pressure and have a few drinks.

Why Can’t I Stop Drinking Once I Start? 4 Major Reasons

When you’re having a good time, you find it hard to stop, especially in the company of friends having the same amount. Like many people, it sounds like you initially sought alcohol because you thought it was a solution. It might have temporarily offered relief from boredom or loneliness. But over time, you may be noticing that alcohol is creating more problems for you—not actually solving anything. Fortunately, there are many different things you can do to curb your drinking.

• You may believe you must hide your drinking from others, so you drink solo.
• If you live with roommates, consider asking them to keep their alcohol out of sight to avoid temptation.
• In 85% of 100 cases of completed suicide were in people with co-occurring alcoholism and depression.
• By sitting with one’s boredom and using these mindfulness skills, the boredom loses its power and control.
• Consider writing them down and keeping notes on hand so you have a physical reminder to look at when you need it to help motivate you to stay the course.
• Or check out local clubs, art classes, or recreational sports leagues.

But I also realised that there were already sober people in my life whom I had previously ignored. I spent time looking out for sober role models in my social and professional circles – men of a similar age who were sober but still funny, smart, confident and capable. Far from being the boring teetotal cliches I had previously assumed, I discovered that these men were bright, entertaining and dynamic.

How Do You Keep Grief from Sinking Your Recovery from Addiction?

This consistent connection will help foster healthy relationships in recovery with people who can support you and what you’re going through in the present moment. Losing relationships to the substance can be challenging but anchoring to others in recovery can be the very thing you need to feel worthy of recovery. Also, half of those who completed drinking out of boredom suicide had a history of depression when they died. Alcoholism puts an individual at a ten-fold higher risk for suicide as compared to the general public. A study states that among alcoholics the lifetime risk of suicide is 10%-15%. In 85% of 100 cases of completed suicide were in people with co-occurring alcoholism and depression.

• What did you enjoy doing before drinking came around and took over your social life?
• It’s also responsible for moderating moods and emotions.
• While water is always a good choice, it can be boring.
• But it’s comforting to know that you don’t have figure it out on your own.
• When I had been sober for three months, I received a really big job offer – the sort that warranted a celebration.

Getting sober is like learning to walk again after a terrible accident. 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. So I work nights throughout the week and on my days off I follow the same bed schedule. On my days off I used to drink most of the night and have fun playing games online or watching things on youtube and the like.

Staying Socially Engaged When You Really Don’t Feel Like It

Keep in mind that your boredom may be trying to tell you something. Your problem is usually not that you have nothing to do, but rather that no available option seems appealing, engaging, or satisfying. Perhaps your usual activities don’t promote ends you really care about or perhaps your values or priorities have changed in ways you haven’t acknowledged. Boredom is an opportunity to think these things over and possibly consider new directions. Just be careful that you don’t fall into negative rumination. These days, most of us immediately reach for our phones when we feel the slightest bit bored but this is really only a superficial solution.