Hi everyone. I haven't posted in a while but would like to provide an update on my alcohol intake, or lack thereof. I quit for 5 days straight at the beginning of August and then fell off the wagon until 4 days ago and have been straight since. My greatest triggers, like Sink's, are anxiety and boredom. I would add to that short list the craving for a drink to obtain a comfortable buzz. This latter trigger is actually related to the former two. I drink to pass time (i.e. boredom) and lessen my stress levels (i.e. anxiety).
I am having a difficult time quitting as I have too much idle time on my hands. I am currently off work on disability insurance due to stress and depression. Filling in time (productively) is a dilemma for me in that I often desire to do something (e.g. go out somewhere, visit people, go for a drive) but am often tied to the house because of social anxieties. I am seeing a psychiatrist who is gradually helping me with my stress and depression, but my alcoholism is yet another battle. This is especially true because I am taking medication for my stress and depression, and alcohol is a definite no-no as it interferes with the medication's full effects.
I do read, go for my daily walk, cook and putter around the house doing a few chores and tend to our 3 dogs yet I find myself going for long naps in the afternoon just to pass time (i.e. boredom). I sincerely lack passion in my life for doing something meaningful. Something that I feel would fill time in a positive and helpful way, not simply doing stuff with no real aim. My social anxieties prevent me from getting involved in many activities and driving around the city at peak periods of the day.
Is anyone else suffering from anxiety (social and other) and depression and alcoholism who may be going through some of the same things I've described above? If so, how are you dealing with these challenges.
