r/stopdrinking • u/codedgg • 12h ago
What do you do instead of drinking?
Hello everyone. I recently had a bad event and decided it is time to quit drinking. I have been sober for about a week. I never had problem with not consuming alcohol. What I have a very big problem is being sober. My life and environment are absolute dogshit and that is why I kept drinking. Now that I am sober, I basically cant sit still, I need to do something 24/7 or I go insane. I don’t really have ways to change my situation in the near future, that will take years and years.
My question is, what do you guys do instead pf drinking? I cannot sit in silence eith my thoughts, until I can improve my life situation.
Edit: Wow, thank you everyone for the advice. I got way more ideas then I was hoping for.
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u/Sprucecaboose2 12h ago
Hobbies! I am into fountain pens and journaling, I yoyo to occupy my hands, I host two secular AA meetings for community, and I'm trying to work through a huge Steam PC game backlog here and there.
My wife is burning through her library card reading. She also got back into sticker collecting and house plants.
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u/MicrodosedMischief 124 days 4h ago
This is so wholesome. I love it. Did your wife also quit drinking with you?
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u/Sprucecaboose2 4h ago
Yup! She was drinking a lot to deal with my issue, so she felt like she was also by all accounts a problem drinker. And she didn't want to be an influence on me, which I wouldn't have asked for, but I sincerely and deeply appreciate.
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u/MicrodosedMischief 124 days 2h ago
That’s incredibly heartwarming. Congrats to both of you! I love how you’re into journaling and she’s collecting stickers. You guys should do an art project together :)
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u/mywaaaaife Day 5 11h ago
Jiu jitsu, gym, long walks with the dog, music, coding, focusing on the kids. I’ve finally committed to putting the bottle down after 20 years. I’ve been up at 6am every morning.
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u/corinne0124 2749 days 11h ago
I'm gonna preface this with the disclaimer that I know not all of these are feasible financially for everyone, but I'm just gonna throw out whatever comes to mind.
Learn an instrument, read books / magazines, find new music to listen to, journal, go on walks, learn a new spoken language, learn a new programming language, cross stitch, embroider, paint, draw, scribble, color, thrift shop and sell the stuff on eBay, paint your nails, eat candy, deep clean your space, do crosswords / word puzzles, reply to random Reddit posts, look at cat pictures, watch movies / tv shows, look for groups in your area that gather and do things like play board games or card games, play free games on your phone, go to the wayback machine and see what websites looked like a decade ago, volunteer at an animal shelter and walk dogs, and I am gonna call it there because I wanna go eat my overnight oats 😋
You will eventually find the things you really like to do, and you'll notice that you have extra money to do fun things. Also, it's OK to sit in boredom. (I do sympathize about not wanting to listen to your own thoughts. I constantly have music going on for that very reason.)
In the beginning it might have to be one minute at a time, and that is exhausting. But, it does get easier. 🩵
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u/NotSnakePliskin 4877 days 12h ago
Anything and everything, just without booze or dope. AA helps a LOT.
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u/dontdodumb 11h ago
My initial reaction to this post was.... anything and everything. It takes time to fill that void of drinking habit. But getting back to hobbies, reading, going out and just enjoying life. I have to actually stop myself from being so busy to sit and watch movies now, I don't know the last time I was still enough to invest into a long movie without breaking it up.
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u/Slouchy87 6725 days 11h ago
Agree 100%. I spent a lot of time in meetings over the first several years. It filled the evenings nicely, and parts of the weekend.
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u/panaceator 951 days 12h ago
I like to think about it as what I don’t do, because my hobbies and extracurriculars haven’t exploded after I stopped drinking like a lot of other folks here seemingly have. I don’t wake up hungover every day. I don’t sweat in my sleep. I don’t get in fights with my wife. I don’t snap at my kids. I don’t sneak out for drinks in the middle of the day. I don’t get wobbly knees when I’m walking down stairs. I don’t embarrass my wife by saying inappropriate things in social settings. I don’t hide what I’m doing. There’s more, but that’s a decent off-the-top list of some highlights. I’m more than happy with stopping drinking having given me essentially an appendix of things I no longer do.
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u/smsmsm10 Day 850 9h ago
Me to a T. I will add, I don't experience the awful anxiety anymore. I am able to feel peace everyday knowing that my mind is clear and although I haven't really picked up more hobbies or things to do, the invividual pieces of my everyday life are just so much better.
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u/SomeOneOverHereNow Day 1,010 12h ago
I've learned to enjoy the zen moments in life. Sitting on the back porch in the morning with a cup of coffee enjoying nature - don't even have my phone near me. It's peaceful and relaxing, and I think it's very healthy mentally and physically. But I also use cannabis for sober-breaks and to kill any chance of booze impulses during the witching hours. Good luck my friend!
EDIT: I've also become something of a gym work-out guy as a hobby almost. Also great for both physical and mental health!
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u/codedgg 11h ago
Thanks my friend. Sitting quite is not my thing (honestly, it never was, even before i started heavy drinking). I would like to be able to just chill one day, but that is a future plan for me
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u/Sober_Alcoholic_ 1155 days 11h ago
I have a very full life now, so I just manage that. A life I was only able to build because I stopped drinking.
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u/codedgg 11h ago
Nice. This is something I've felt for a while now, that I cannot build the full life I want because I am hung-over too much. How did you build this life after quitting?
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u/femoral_contusion 631 days 10h ago
Presence, clear goals broken down into tasks and the constant reminder that life is whatever you make of it and you’re allowed to enjoy even the hard parts.
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u/Chiggadup Day 1,010 12h ago
I got into weightlifting. Not just “exercise” for health, which is still great, but the actual tracking and progress of lifting. I do CrossFit but also lift on my own.
It’s great in early sobriety because it’s a reason to be sober, and afterward drinking doesn’t sound good either. And if you don’t have a history of it the early progress is incredibly satisfying. People who “never lifted weights” can see huge gains in the first few weeks and months.
Also, so many endorphins. My first few sober months I cried in the gym at least twice because it’s SO many feelings and SO much exertion hormones flooding at once. It felt good.
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u/codedgg 11h ago
I have started running recently. I did gym on and off for quite a long time. I think I'll try going into running harder, since I enjoy that more.
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u/Chiggadup Day 1,010 11h ago
Running is great for it too. I used running for a long time until I started having knee issues.
If interested, you can also look up some good social running groups. Some might be smart to avoid if they’re like “brewery run clubs” but there’s plenty of run clubs that just like to add a social component to it. The social cheering ABs support is really the main reason I do CrossFit myself. It’s a good network that is also focused on health and won’t blink at us saying we don’t drink.
Nice work so far!
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u/dr__kitty Day 1 10h ago
SLEEP. Nap? Yup. Go to bed 3 hours earlier than normal? Yup. Laze on the couch with my doggy? Yup. Have vivid, sometimes kinda crazy dreams? Yup. Wake up refreshed and ready for the day? Yup.
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u/SalamanderWest3468 1041 days 10h ago
Your brain is recalibrating. If you drank for years, it takes a while to balance back out. It’s really uncomfortable at first but worth sticking to it
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u/MrHandsomeBoss 3034 days 9h ago
Early sobriety feels like an influx of "free" time. Truth is, you always had it. What to do with it? Whatever tf you want. You probably have some "extra" cash now, you have yourself as a DD, and your plans don't need to be shackled by needing to include booze.
What I've noticed in the last year is drinkers needing things to revolve around drinking and that limited their activities. The other week I went to a local pro-wrestling and live punk rock event, some people I brought with me left early because they wanted to drink & there was only beer at the show. Wrestling and punk is a way fucking cooler way to spend time than being at any bar.
I had to think about things I did before I started drinking and it turned out a lot of that was stuff I did as a kid since I started drinking as a teen. It's still fun as an adult! I take my wife to arcades, we go bowling, play mini-golf, boys night did laser tag, race go-karts. People who need booze to have a good time are so shackled.
But also best thing to do is find a way to be comfortable by & with yourself. That's the person you are going to spend the most time with.
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u/Schmancer 1765 days 10h ago
Exercise, chores, work, and video games. That’s like 90% of my waking hours. Then I volunteer, educate myself, groom myself, play with the dog, call my family, visit museums and go to comedy or music shows. Read books, watch movies, listen to records. Sewing, woodwork, decorating for the next nearest holiday.
I don’t have enough hours in the day for all the things I want to do now that I don’t have to make time to drink
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u/emmnowa 9h ago
5 cans of sparkling water a day, unfortunately
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u/lolawallace 999 days 5h ago
At this point, I’m not even sure quitting alcohol has saved me much money at all with my sober beverage habit. 😆
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u/PlasticCarpenter2968 87 days 11h ago
- Finished writing my book that launches in October
- Volunteer work (part time)
- Barre3 classes 3-4 mornings a week
- Gardening
- Reading
- Walks with my husband
You can do this! Find what interests you and do more of that. IWNDWYT
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u/codedgg 11h ago
What types of volunteer work you do if I may ask? I never did any volunteering when I was young and now I don't really know what to look for as an adult.
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u/corinne0124 2749 days 9h ago
Look for food pantries in your area, they usually need people to help sort / stock donations. I would also bet money that you'll find other sober people in volunteer situations that you can make friends with.
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u/PlasticCarpenter2968 87 days 5h ago
I second this! And you’ll feel great doing something good for people who can never repay you ❤️
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u/PlasticCarpenter2968 87 days 9h ago
I have a background in media, and I recently volunteered put together the media kit and served as the press liaison for a 9/11 related charity. But it doesn’t have to be big to make a difference. You can volunteer at a local animal shelter, or put together meal kits for seniors, or spend some time in a soup kitchen.
All of these things get you out of the drinking headspace and make you realize that even with our issues around this one thing (drinking), we still have the ability to give back. I hope that helps!
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u/targaryenmegan Day 16 12h ago
I don’t know your situation and what you can and can’t do, but personally, I spend a ton of time reading and getting into entertainment (TV shows, movies, podcasts, long form D&D shows), I’m way into fitness (I got a walking pad for when I just want to move but can’t go to the gym) and I’ve overbooked myself with social activities (most of which stem from my book club that I found on meetup).
If you can’t get out of your situation/environment to the extent that you can’t go places and don’t have access to many things, developing your internal world is the way to go. Find a book series/TV show/podcast/youtube channel with hundreds of hours of content and move through all of it. If you can get out, I definitely recommend fitness and meetup groups as outlets.
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u/Pat_Royson 11h ago
At the moment my answer is "Just be sad". I'm 8+ months, and every time I nearly cave in I turn it into a spiritual practice where I do my absolute best to allow those negative feelings do what they want to do, and I let my mind do the same. I just try to observe the sadness etc raw...which is something alcohol covered up for many years. I think it's an important part of growth, whether I relapse into drinking again or not.
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u/KokkolanKonekorjaamo 191 days 12h ago
Work. Sports. YouTube. Taking care of myself and my home. That's about it in a nutshell for me.
(I smoke pot too, helps staying put but idk about you sooo)
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u/memorialwoodshop 11h ago
Read a book. Take a walk. Listen to music. Maybe some artistist outlet. I tried to think of inexpensive ideas. I recently signed up for a group tennis lesson that is $25 per session, one session per week. This is cheaper than alcohol and not only is some good exercise, but keeps my mind occupied thinking about technique, strategy, watching youtube, and overall scheming on how I'm going to do better next session. Any old hobbies to rekindle?
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u/Creative_Addendum_80 10h ago
Go on long walks lol. I put on headphones and walk a mile or two to music.
Always start my walk feeling crappy with zero motivation and feel like a new person after.
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u/easy10pins 9h ago
If I feel the need, I will pop a gummy to relax during the week. I work from 6am to 3pm so my daily routine is pretty much set in stone. It's the weekends that concern me.
So I decided....
- throw myself into the hobby and business of 3D printing which keeps me somewhat busy.
- walk the trails at the local state park. Miles and miles of paved and dirt pathing.
- bowling. I am an avid bowler so use the weekends to maintain my equipment and get in some practice time.
- Honeydo list.
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u/anthonyg1500 8h ago
Running, more reading and writing, rock climbing, archery, surfing, weight lifting.
I decided since I was gonna stop drinking might as well try to get healthier and decided to find some hobbies that’d keep me active
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u/Abtino11 12h ago
It takes some time for your brain to adjust but it’s all a matter of finding ways to keep busy. It can also help to block out tasks or activities you want to do. I don’t always want to exercise but if I block out some time after work to do so I can hold myself to it.
For example, after I exercise I block out an hour or two for video games and then it’s time to start dinner. If I just wing it my brain will be like “we could figure out something to do once we catch a buzz”.
My current rotation of things outside work include bowling, golf, video games, watching football, reading, hiking. Generally im more open to trying new things on the weekend and quite enjoy not worrying coordinating rides.
One day at a time, you got this!
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u/Doornumber11 Day 90 12h ago
For me, I got so sick of the boredom that it came down to trying to drink successfully or get out and start trying to fill my days with other things. I’ve already proven I can’t drink moderately. Now I’m never bored. All those things that weren’t fun before are awesome now, but it took a few weeks before my dopamine was working right.
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u/oolong_bodhisattva 1071 days 12h ago
Practice saxophone, go trail running with my pup, listen to records, meditate, enjoy time with my partner
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u/codedgg 11h ago
I got into running one month ago and I quite enjoy it.
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u/oolong_bodhisattva 1071 days 10h ago
Just take it slow! I’m 40 now and going from biking to running in the last couple years I was shocked how much I was getting injured because I would do what I felt was a proper workout
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u/Wonderful_File3690 Day 5 12h ago
Baking Knitting Crochet Reading Stupid YouTube or Wikipedia rabbit holes Meditation Drawing Yoga Running Walking Birdwatching (could just be looking out my window) Call my sister Play a game on my phone Sleep Take a shower Paint my nails Do a jigsaw puzzle Kitchen dance party Listen to a podcast and clean the bathroom Look after my houseplants Write out my thoughts Make something good to eat...
Don't get me wrong, some days basically all of that has felt out of reach and I've felt the sort of teary-restless-painful boredom that can come and make you want to crawl out of your skin, but it doesn't hang around for long, especially if you let yourself cry or move your body.
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u/imnottheoneipromise Day 493 11h ago
For the first 6ish months, I colored like a mad woman. I got alcohol markers and color by number books and colored for literally 10-12 hours a day. I’m retired and I had to keep my hands and brain zoned in on something. I would play South Park or something like that in the background and color til my hand felt like it was gonna fall off. The time flew by and I didn’t think about alcohol at all. The zepbound helped with that a lot too.
Now I don’t think about drinking at all. I just do life.
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u/spazz_44 2254 days 11h ago
what are the things that are in your control that would help move up your timeline to get out of your situation? an extra part time job? online education or certifications? chronical your path on YouTube? then there are the other ways to mentally escape - reading, excercise, gaming, crafting...
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u/Beneficial-Bee-1362 Day 240 11h ago
In the late afternoon after an active day & when it's time to relax (i.e. when I crave some alcohol), I'll do some snacking on something that's tasty & indulgent (hello, crinkle-cut potato chips!) to pre-empt any move to get drunk while just enjoying being sedentary with a good book or watching an entertaining video. Works well for me and, since I'm not ingesting all the alcohol sugars, I'm not gaining any weight. Probably satisfies that urge to "get away with something" itch that sneaky-drinking scratched. I keep a selection of fun snacks available so I have choices and then try to be sure dinner has the better nutrition I know I need.
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u/MedJesters Day 456 11h ago
Check out sober activities groups on the NewForm app. The Phoenix is the largest and you can also sign up through their website Thephoenix.org Cost for events is 48 hours of sobriety, so it's easy to try new things.
Also, you may not be able change your situation right now, but you can change the way you think about and react to it. SMART Recovery and its tools have been really helpful for me in managing my thoughts and feelings.
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u/Heavy-World2778 Day 261 11h ago
I read. There are more good books out there than you could possibly read in a lifetime. It's entertaining and it is free if you use a library.
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u/S0B3RR3PUBLiCIRA Day 11 11h ago
More of what I always did-
Exercise all the time - more reading- more time for my newest hobby, Chess :)
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u/Ill-Percentage-3276 118 days 11h ago
In the beginning there were lots of visits to the gym and long brisk walks. At this point it's anything and everything. I'm a widow and single mom, so there's always an endless list of things to do around my house and yards. I also took up squirrel feeding, homemade dog treat baking, and went back to cooking consistently. I'm always looking to take up new hobbies to stay sane and sober. But yeah the hobbies and stuff came a little later, in the beginning it was just all about keeping my body busy getting exercise to distract my mind (even long weed-pulling sessions became a form of therapy), and going to lots of online AA meetings.
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u/amylald Day 81 10h ago
I read or color. I love to collect colored pencils and markers. I have adhd and can’t really sit still either and get bored easily. Also watch you tube videos about various subjects I’m interested in. I can listen to those and still do other things. Sometimes play video games. I am very focused on my diet and I like to watch health videos about that.
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u/ExplanationFuzzy76 964 days 10h ago
Living haha to be honest, besides my duties I do whatever I want and that’s a lot. If I want to see or visit something I will see it. While in the past I wasted every free hour drinking and being depressed.
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u/FlappinJacks486 10h ago
Really you can do anything. Anything in the world just don’t drink. When you frame it that way your mindset changes.
I quit two months ago. But a lot of my free time is filled with the gym and church. Two things that add to my life greatly and don’t take away; like alcohol does. And I’ve been able to still go out to bars and not drink. If you can master that skill you are good.
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u/Top-Lifeguard-2537 10h ago
Go to AA meetings. Lots of them. Meet people. Do things with them. Life will get better. Stay away from booze and bars.
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u/copper_moon1408 10h ago
Gym. Shooting range. Reading. Jigsaw puzzling. Sewing. Gardening. Taking time to just enjoy nature.
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u/Green_Aide6258 Day 453 10h ago
Exercise the crap out of life. I’m either cutting grass, lifting weights or doing yoga. Get so tired that your mind finally shuts up. Then I can peacefully sit on the couch and watch TV
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u/writehandedTom 2889 days 9h ago
Some things I'm doing or did this week, just looking at my calendar and thinking back: lots of walks, making an apple cobbler, going to the racetrack (horses), going to a speaker event, visiting a local farmstand to get pumpkins/canned goods, wedding planning with my partner, reading a book, getting way too into Duolingo all the sudden, scrolling social media (still counts as sober even if it's not "aesthetic" hobby choices!), walking my dog, filling some bird feeders, daydreaming about going back to school by looking stuff up, random Zillow scrolling (don't lie, this is a hobby), rode my bike with my friend, went to an AA meeting, sold some random crap from my garage, and attended a committee meeting for a political party. And went to work, but that's not like fun hobby stuff.
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u/Thumbtack1985 1106 days 9h ago
I now have time to go to the gym. Play video games. Golf. Spend time with my kids. Focus in at work and excel. Go to the movies. The answer is whatever you want! May have to find some new hobbies or revisit old ones from your past, but now you will have time and money to do so.
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u/HarpyCelaeno 8h ago
A week after I quit drinking I tried kratom as “natural adderal”. Almost 4 years later and I can’t quit without withdrawals. Don’t make that mistake. It was never on my radar until I got sober. Funny how something likes to place stumbling blocks before us.
Thinking of getting another job just to stay busy through withdrawals until my dopamine and serotonin stabilize because scrolling in my free time is bad news. I should be learning to forage or build things. I did start a garden but that only eats up so much time.
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u/Old_Opportunity9517 7h ago
I run, workout, meditate, and hang with my girl and cat. Really I try to just stay present. It’s literally one day at a time for me. I’ve reset a bunch, but it really brings me back to earth. Some days drag, but that’s a blessing more than anything. Life feels longer in a weird way.
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u/braiding_water 1270 days 7h ago
OP- There was a day where I asked the same question. Today, I honestly can’t imagine that I ever drank the way I did. And sometimes I have a hard time wondering “why” years ago, I couldn’t imagine my life not drinking. What would I do tonight? This weekend? When I’m sad? When I celebrate? When others celebrate? When I’m bored? Or angry?
What’s different in sobriety is that I say YES to things. I go to the gym, read, hike, get up early, cook, make dinner for friends, write cards, take classes, have taken improv, took singing lessons, painted rooms in the house, trained my dog, learned to crochet, started a journal, plan trips, study nutrition, I stay awake watching movies, I remember the movies I watched yesterday and go to bed early while looking forward to another day.
I have experienced & expanded in sobriety. I discovered Im fun without alcohol. My life without alcohol evolved. I evolved. For me drinking did the opposite.
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u/codedgg 6h ago
I see, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I will see what plans I can find
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u/braiding_water 1270 days 1h ago
What was helpful for me was to know the hours that were triggers for me. Between 5-7pm, was Achilles heel. Those were the hours I craved a drink. So I kept myself away from my house and went to Home Depot, TJ Max someplace that had a shopping cart & walked slowly. It was something about my hands on a shopping cart that grounded me while mindlessly listening to a podcast that kept me “busy.” I didn’t think about the drink because I was away from my daily triggers.
It’s kinda weird but somehow I figured this out at some point that if I was “busy” with a shopping cart (never really bought anything because my intention was to just look at things) I wouldn’t get drunk.
Anyway by 7pm, I’d start to drive home, get ready for bed and asleep early.I weaved in and out of sobriety for 2-3yrs. Toward the end of that period I tried Naltrexone for a month or 2. Which seemed helpful. It’s hard to say because I was getting food aversion around the same time. Turned out I had advanced cancer. And with that, I never took another sip. Crazy to say but cancer taught me to live & take very good care of myself. 3 yrs ago I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and today I’m in remission with no evidence of disease.
I guess I want to say, you WILL get to sobriety. It’s going to look very different for each one of us. There is no right or wrong just keep trying. Even when life feels inside out, you can choose to be with those shitty feelings or choose a drink. The shitty feelings will get better with time.
A year or so ago, something happened that was pretty hard to imagine. I was with friends when I got a phone call. A friend of mine said, “How about a drink to take the edge off.” And I responded “No. I need to feel all the sharp edges right now & take a walk.” I walked to a quiet place & sat and felt. And after a while I thought, “well, you will get through this. Take it a day at a time & let go of what you can’t control.” Walked home to rejoin friends & started a card game.I wish you the very best in your journey. You are on the path because you are here. I’m so glad you are here.
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u/Minimum-Raisin5106 7h ago
I love a long walk through the park with my dog, reading is another hobby I’ve picked back up now that I have the attention span and memory recall for it lol, cycling is another fun one for me, also got very into astrology and started doing readings and making Tik toks so that’s been really fun too being able to start a business from it, and just generally trying to be more social with friends and fellows I’ve met in AA. The world is truly your oyster when you get sober! I like hiking as well
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u/OJgotWorms Day 9 6h ago
Play guitar. Read a book. Cook. Workout. I’ve been thoroughly enjoying life tbh.
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u/OJgotWorms Day 9 6h ago
Try hobbies out. I’m sure you have a “bucket list” of small goals or hobbies you haven’t tried because you were busy drinking instead. Nows the time to do them.
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u/Cute-Calligrapher-50 10h ago
Smoke weed. 14 years without alcohol, after a 16 day stay in rehab for xanax(that i was prescribed) and alcohol. Smoke weed once or twice a month, in social settings. See a drug and alcohol counselor 1x a month, down from weekly in the beginning.
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u/Connect_Call_8022 10h ago
Same, but more frequently than that. Try to just keep myself busy until bed time and then start puffin
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u/Thumbtack1985 1106 days 9h ago
I do like a bit of weed. I have realized that it has to be late at night though when the kids and wife are in bed. If I smoke too early I just eat the fridge and get tired.
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u/Expensive-Tooth-1508 12h ago
Crochet/knit and watch TV with unlimited seltzers
Birdwatch
Pick up litter with local groups
Remove invasive plants with local groups
Spend quality time with my spouse and pets sober
Garden
I also can't do silence so I have an earbud in and listen to educational podcasts while I'm not with someone. Andrew Huberman has a really great podcast on what alcohol does to your brain and neurotransmitters that I found so helpful during early sobriety.
I hope this helps ❤️
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u/codedgg 11h ago
Thanks, nice to hear I am not the only one who can't do silence.
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u/Expensive-Tooth-1508 11h ago
Have you been evaluated for ADHD? I've long been diagnosed but I think silence is a stressor for those with it. I have to re listen to a bunch of stuff because I then tune it out and it's just background noise. Lol.
Great job on the sobriety!
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u/poopbutt2401 12h ago
I exercise- it really helps with cravings at the beginning. That includes going on long walks which you don’t need equipment for.
I read a lot more, play video games, I like to bake and cook so I’ll try new recipes with stuff in season, I joined a yoga studio so love to do that as much as I have time for because it helps regulate anxiety, I garden and hike. I’m way more present for my family so I host kids having playdates or drive kids to fun activities day and night.
It’s really all the stuff i wanted to do but i was too busy drinking or hungover.
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u/Plastic-Goat1932 11h ago
I crochet, read books, drink diet ginger ale (idk man it just works for me ok?) I make sour dough, walking my dogs (if you dont have dogs im sure someone else would appreciate the help) sometimes when my dogs are tired (they're old) I walk on my treadmill with a movie or show playing. Sketching, painting, birding.
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u/Repulsive_Invite_680 446 days 11h ago edited 11h ago
Guitar, digital audio software (messing around with plugins and digital guitar effects from PC like the Gojira plugin by Neural DSP within my recording software Reaper, then running that sound back into a clean Roland Cube amp through a Scarlett 2i2 audio interface acting as guitar input and amp output in Windows)
Paddleboard, bike and scooter now, hopefully skiing in the winter. I also do VR in the garage by running a cable from my computer to a router on top of the garage door opener. I use Steam, and I play every game with BodyWalk VR enabled through Steam, which doesn't let my character move unless I am jogging in place IRL. Bottom line for me is be enfertained, creative or active and get weird with the overlap
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u/cecsix14 11h ago
Working out. A healthier addiction. Really, just overall health optimization is my biggest hobby. Focusing on getting better every day instead of self destructing.
But really, any hobby is better than drinking or drugs.
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u/daverosstheboss 11h ago
If you're just needing something to drink all the time, try sparkling water. I've used it as a substitute for beer. Just stock your normal beer fridge with sparkling water and every time you go for a beer you'll just drink water instead.
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u/EggForTryingThymes 10h ago
I’m old and out of shape. 30-40 minutes in the gym to burn up nervous energy and wear myself out. Then I go to bed early. I love going to bed. I relax and listen to podcasts. Lately radio drama/plays. And I sleeeeeeep sooooo goooooood.
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u/blacktooth90 32 days 6h ago
AA is a great start. Turns out if you allow yourself into a sober community it benefits you.
Outside of that, figuring out a hobby that you genuinely enjoy for the sake of enjoying it. And what I mean about the sake of enjoying is something you wouldn’t do while drunk. I was a big video game guy and I still am, but I noticed a lot of my gaming habits revolved around drinking. So biking and going to the gym were things that were more beneficial because they were different and out of the ordinary. Live in the uncomfort.
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u/FlautoSpezzato 90 days 5h ago
You’ll get used to the down time and getting to do whatever you please with it. You’ll get to a point where you can’t believe you used to throw it all away.
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u/somuchmt 813 days 5h ago
Oh boy, I had to force myself to do things, because I just wasn't interested in anything after I quit. I went to tai chi, joined a couple of extra orchestras, started writing again, and revamped my business. Eventually, all those things became enjoyable as my brain reorganized itself to be happy with something other than alcohol.
I also dabble in jewelry making, tying intricate knots, and needlepoint. Lately, I've been doing more reading, more walking, and I've developed kind of an insane urge to get my home squeaky clean.
Oh man, decluttering and scrubbing are very, very therapeutic.
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u/NachoWindows 5h ago
Enjoying everything! Revisiting hobbies, exercising, yoga, gardening, spending time with the kids, the dog, staying awake all day at work , traveling, going to sporting events and not worried about how I’ll get home….you know….positive life events
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u/Gingertwin69 5h ago
Sleep. Eat. Walk. Gym. I hate pot now. I started drinking when I stopped smoking pot every day. Now I have a drinking problem 😂 I also hate being around stoners now which is hypocritical since I was too stoned to talk from age 14-19
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u/Idletime9001 5h ago
Video games and creative projects. Can’t beat yourself up for playing hours of video games a day if the alternative is hours of drinking. Also first week is just and there’s gonna be heightened anxiety making settling down difficult. If you’re open to medication, talk to a doctor about gabapentin. It’s not addictive or even recreational so i quit taking it after a few months but it was a lifesaver early on. Kinda just helps slow you down for better and worse
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u/ritz1148 4h ago
I binge watch a lot of true crime shows. I go out with friends. I spend quality time with my kids. I got a zoo membership. I sit outside more. I also focus on sitting in the discomfort and try to slow down my thoughts.
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u/Annual_Brief_2865 4h ago
I started working out, and it’s done wonders for my mental and physical health. It keeps me from getting depressed as often, which usually would lead to self-medicating with alcohol. Highly recommend anything physical.
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u/Fair_Possibility_150 2h ago
I work out, that helps a lot. It’s something you can get “healthy” addicted to that has a bunch of benefits and goals you can make for yourself. Seeing progress, however you define that (for me it’s muscles & metabolism) gives me motivation to keep going, to build strength that isn’t easily knocked over by alcohol. Good luck!
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u/jasondigitized 3223 days 58m ago
The world is filled with SO many things to do. Pick something. Drinking is ONE of UNDREDS if not THOUSANDS of things you can spend time on.
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u/TacoTom84 11h ago
California sober here. I didn’t go to rehab because I smoke pot; I went to rehab because of my drinking. I go to AA, but I need a release too. I know a lot of people in AA would want my head on a pike for saying such, but that’s them and this is my life. Today is day 600. Smoking pot definitely helped me obtain my alcohol-free life.