It’s not good to bored too much early on when recovering from addiction. Boredom is an opportunity for negative thinking to start creeping back in. It’s also an opportunity to slip back into old habits, whether it’s getting in touch with people who might be a negative influence on your recovery or actually drinking or using again just to relieve the boredom. While feeling bored sometimes is unavoidable, it should be avoided when possible. Here are some tips for coping with boredom in recovery.
Avoid boredom traps.
When you have nothing to do, it’s tempting to go on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Reddit and see if there’s anything interesting. This is a boredom trap because you are essentially abandoning yourself to endless scrolling. Just as none of your real life options appeals to you at the moment, nothing you see on social media is likely to be very interesting either, but you will just keep scrolling, feeling increasingly dissatisfied but unable to stop and find something better to do. In addition to feeling bored, you may end up feeling anxious and depressed as well.
Manage your schedule.
Part of avoiding boredom is having enough to do. Having things to do and people see keeps you from being too much adrift. You at least have some short-term objectives to motivate you. Having a regular daily routine can keep you busy even if you don’t always feel engaged. That way, you can get things done even when you do feel bored.
Reach out.
A great way to deal with boredom is to get together with friends or at least call someone up for a chat. It gives you a sense of connection and gets you out of your own head for a few minutes. It’s even better if you can get together and do something fun. Just make sure you’re spending time around positive, supportive people.
Pick something and stick to it.
Boredom is not really a problem of having nothing to do, but rather feeling dissatisfied with all your options. You start one thing, get bored with it, try something else, get bored with that, and so on. You can often overcome your boredom by sticking with something long enough to become interested. You may feel bored at first, but you’ll get into it after a while and start feeling better.
Reframe boredom.
We usually think of boredom as a bad thing, but it’s not necessarily bad. In fact, some experts are starting to think we’re not bored often enough. Because we have constant distractions like social media, video games, on-demand media, and so on, we don’t have as many spare moments to sit back and think about what really matters to us. If you’re bored, it may be you have some basic needs that aren’t being met and the boredom is trying to tell you something. Try to learn from the opportunity.
At Alta Lama Transformational Services, you will meet knowledgeable, compassionate professionals that understand addiction in all its forms. Alta Lama uses an integrative and holistic approach to treat addiction and mental health issues. No treatment is one-size-fits-all, where you will have a team of experts prepared to create your customized treatment plan. We offer care for your mind, body, and spirit, so that you can heal from the inside out and look forward to a lifetime of sobriety and wellness. If you are ready to take the first step in your recovery, please call us at 866-457-3843.
