How to beat the boredom that leads to drinking
Introduction: Neil’s story
Neil used to be SO bored he could hardly stand it. Boredom became a torture that he longed to be released from. In the agony of boredom, his mind would turn to alcohol, weed. . . anything that could cancel out his boredom.
Neil was designed to work
But things changed with Neil when he learned that he was designed by God to do work. Only work could fulfill his God-given desire to be productive, helpful, competent, and useful to others.
Neil learned boredom is self-centered
He had another important insight: when he was bored it was usually because he was focusing on himself and his own entertainment, not on God or other people. This was ironic because Neil had a lot of work to do repairing relationships, making amends, and developing his skills. If concentrated on that, he’d never be bored again.
Neil learned he could work anywhere at any time
The final piece of the puzzle came together when Neil learned that he could work anywhere and at any time regardless of his health or intelligence. The trick was to look for ways he could be helpful to others. When he saw the world that way, he began to see opportunities to work everywhere.
What Neil (and you) can do to fight boredom
Volunteer.
You can volunteer formally, like in a shelter or food program. Or you can simply volunteer to help around the house or rehab where you live. Neil volunteers to help cook, serve, and clean up at his group home. At recovery meetings, he shares his ideas so that others can learn from him.
He even shares his mistakes and doubts so people could learn what not to think and do.
He smiles at his friends and listens to them so they will feel special. He makes it his business to compliment checkout clerks and lift them up. When he notices other people getting bored, he brings out cards, jokes, or puzzles to liven up the atmosphere and help others avoid the temptation to use that boredom can cause.
Learn something new
Learning something can help you fight boredom. You might pick up a hobby, join a league, or learn a new skill. Try making a new meal, or learn how to do a home repair job on YouTube. Anything that can keep you busy and help you feel like you are learning will fight off boredom.
Exercise
Exercise is a great boredom destroyer. Exercise gets the body moving and releases endorphins. It clears the mind of anxious, depressing, or racing thoughts. And after exercise, you might feel the need to do other activities that fight boredom. For example, you might need to take a shower, wash your dirty gym clothes, make a meal because you are hungry, etc.
Get creative
Being creative pushes back on boredom. What are your options? Crafts, music, projects, hand-made cards, drawing, painting, etc. Pinterest can provide millions of ideas.
Think back to before your addiction. What creative activities did you enjoy? Are there some activities that you used to do that you can start doing again?
Join something
Joining AA, Resilient, or some other group can be helpful in combatting boredom. When you were using you couldn’t join leagues, clubs, exercise classes, or Bible studies because you weren’t sober enough to participate in meaningful ways. But, now you have a buffet of options. Enjoy what you are able to do now!
