Will I Be Bored When I Quit Drinking?
“First, you need to know without a doubt that you are the same person (even better!) without a drink in your hand.”
Thinking that we will be bored hermits devoid of a social life when we quit drinking is a common concern.
In today’s article, we will address the issue of being bored by discussing the physiological and mental reasons boredom arises when we quit drinking. We will also touch on the way to view boredom that is more empowering.
Physiologically
Ingesting a substance like alcohol rapidly and artificially boosts our ‘feel-good’ chemicals (serotonin, dopamine). This causes the brain to cut back its natural production of them.
As Alicia Gilbert states in her article “Sober and Bored? Here’s What to Do About It.”:
So it’s not that sobriety is inherently boring… When the levels of serotonin and dopamine are low, we become less motivated and less interested in our surroundings. This can lead to feelings of boredom and apathy. It’s why nothing seems fun or interesting, and you struggle to rally the motivation to have a good time.
Alcohol dulls the edges of life and dilutes our adventure. Alcohol can distract and numb, but those effects aren’t specific in their focus. It numbs us to everything.
If drinking was your primary means of escape, socializing, entertainment, and gratification, then an adjustment period will occur.
But, your body will rebalance. Joy and interest in the everyday events will return; give yourself some grace. Know that your amazing body will need time to readjust and return to homeostasis.
Mentally
From the get-go, there is a cultural stigma around people who quit drinking. They are otherized: doomed to hang out in dimly lit church basements and drink shitty coffee. Couple that with our own trepidations about going alcohol-free, and naturally, a part of us will resist and tell us that this whole endeavor will be boring.
This resistance always happens when we leave a comfortable old life and embark on a new journey. Stepping through the threshold is something to embrace, not avoid.
The fantastic news is that you get to decide how you experience this journey.
Good, bad, boring, exciting: These labels depend entirely on your perception. If you think you will be bored because you don’t drink, that is how it will be.
If you focus on the aliveness that the growth, discomfort, lessons, and meaning this journey will bring, then you will have a much different experience.
P.S.
You deserve to be the best version of yourself and all that entails. If you would like 1:1 coaching around any issue, I have spots available and am honored to listen and lend help. Always feel free to reach out to me or anyone if you have questions or concerns.
P.P.S.
If you would like to get in touch with yourself and see the world through a different lens, try my free seven-day journal course, Get Your Bearings. It is something that I am very proud to share with you, and I would love to know what you think about it.
