“This article is part of our series, The Belief Bucket, where we debunk common myths about alcohol and its perceived benefits.”
- Introduction: What is the Belief Bucket?
- Myth #1 – Relaxation (Alcohol helps me relax)
- Myth #2 – Happiness (Alcohol makes me happy)
- Myth #3 – Reward (Alcohol is my reward)
- Myth #4 – The Rosy Effect (Remembering only the good times)
- Myth #5 – Taste (Alcohol tastes amazing)
- Myth #6 – Social Ally (Alcohol helps me socially)
- Myth #7 – Sleep (Alcohol helps me sleep)
- Myth #8 – Moderate Drinking (Our obsession)
- Myth #9 – Boredom (Alcohol solves boredom) ← you’re here
- Myth #10 – The Buzz (Alcohol feels amazing)
Why We Think Alcohol Solves Boredom
Boredom is one of those feelings most of us try to avoid.
It’s restlessness, impatience, and lack of stimulation all rolled into one.
For many of us, it became one of the easiest excuses to drink. I’m bored. I’ll have a drink.
Over time, that turned into a default response. Instead of finding something interesting to do, we reached for alcohol. Eventually, drinking wasn’t just an option. It became the automatic answer to boredom.
What Boredom Really Is
Boredom isn’t an outside problem. It’s an internal state.
It’s the gap between how we want to feel, engaged, stimulated, purposeful, and what we’re actually experiencing, stillness, emptiness, or lack of interest.
When we drink to fix boredom, what we’re really saying is, I don’t know what else to do to feel better.
How Alcohol Tricks Us
1. False Stimulation
Alcohol dulls the restless edge of boredom by sedating the nervous system and giving a small dopamine bump. We think we’re entertained or relaxed, but it’s just numbness.
2. Habit Loops
The more we drink when bored, the more our brain pairs boredom with alcohol. Before long, simply feeling bored sparks a craving.
3. Shrinking Interests
When drinking becomes our main boredom cure, we lose interest in other activities. Things we used to love start to feel “meh” compared to alcohol.
Remember When Fun Was Easy?
Think back to childhood. Fun was effortless. You could run around, build something, play games, or imagine whole new worlds.
If you told your parents you were bored, they probably said, Go outside and play. And you did.
Somewhere along the way, alcohol became the shortcut. Instead of finding joy naturally, we learned to numb boredom with booze.
The Problem With Drinking for Boredom
1. Life Gets Smaller
When alcohol is our boredom fix, we stop exploring, creating, or learning new things. Life becomes repetitive and narrow.
2. Dependence Grows
The boredom drinking cycle trains our brain to expect alcohol whenever nothing else is happening. This is how a casual habit can turn into dependence.
3. Boredom Stays Unsolved
Drinking doesn’t cure boredom. It masks it for a short while and often leaves us feeling worse, more restless, tired, or regretful afterward.
The Social Boredom Excuse
Many of us even drink at social events because we assume they’ll be boring without alcohol.
We think, I need a drink to enjoy this wedding, this barbecue, this work party.
But most events are still fun sober, sometimes even more so because we’re fully present and able to remember them. And if an event really is dull, being sober helps us see it clearly so we can decide if it’s worth going next time.
It’s worth asking: If everyone at a gathering feels they need to drink to have fun, is the event itself actually fun? Or is everyone just numbing boredom together?
Finding Joy Without Alcohol
Once we stop drinking, we have to relearn how to enjoy life naturally. It takes effort, especially if alcohol has been our go-to for years.
The reward is huge: real engagement, genuine satisfaction, and no morning regret.
Why It Matters
- It keeps our minds focused on something meaningful.
- It retrains our brain to find healthy sources of joy.
- It gives us activities to look forward to that don’t leave us drained or ashamed.
The Effort of Finding Activities
In early sobriety, it may feel like nothing sounds interesting.
This can be due to anhedonia, a temporary inability to feel pleasure because alcohol has hijacked our brain chemistry.
During this time, you might try something new and think, This isn’t fun. I’d rather have a drink. That’s not reality speaking. It’s your brain adjusting.
The key is to keep going. Even if you don’t feel much at first, enjoyment will return as your brain heals.
Rediscovering What You Enjoy
If you’re unsure what you like anymore, treat it like an experiment:
- Try one new activity each week, painting, hiking, cooking, gardening, sports, reading, volunteering, learning an instrument.
- Revisit old hobbies you left behind when drinking took over.
- Say yes to new experiences, even if you’re not sure you’ll like them.
Over time, your brain reconnects with the natural rewards of doing things you truly enjoy.
Making Social Life Fun Again
The first few social events without alcohol can feel strange. You might even feel like you’re “missing something.”
But with time, you notice:
- You still laugh and have fun, maybe even more because you’re fully present.
- You enjoy people for who they are, not just the shared act of drinking.
- You wake up clear headed, without hangovers or anxiety.
If a gathering turns out to be boring, you’ll know it’s not because you’re sober. It’s because the event itself isn’t fun, and that clarity is powerful.
Healthy Ways to Handle Boredom
- Move your body – Exercise, walk, dance, stretch. Movement lifts mood and eases restlessness.
- Learn something new – Take a class, read a book, listen to a podcast.
- Create – Cook, write, build, or make music.
- Connect – Call a friend, volunteer, join a group.
- Rest – Sometimes boredom means your body needs recovery, not stimulation.
Breaking the Boredom Drinking Cycle
The link between boredom and drinking is a habit, and habits can be broken.
Each time you choose an activity instead of alcohol, you weaken that connection. Over time, boredom stops triggering the urge to drink at all.
Boredom Can Be an Invitation
Alcohol doesn’t solve boredom. It only covers it up for a while and leaves us feeling worse later.
Boredom isn’t a problem to drink away. It’s an opportunity to do something real and meaningful.
- Boredom is a state of mind, not a signal to drink.
- Drinking for boredom shrinks your life and builds dependence.
- Fun and fulfillment are skills you can rebuild without alcohol.
— Brent
Next in the series: Myth #10 – The Buzz (Alcohol feels amazing) →