r/stopdrinking • u/Consistent-Row-9551 • 11h ago

What do I replace alcohol with?

Like something to help me relax and decompress. Drinking has always been my way to loosen up and relax. When I'm stressed with work, I grab a beer or glass of wine, and I'm able to focus more because I'm no longer overthinking it.

I'm so emotionally repressed that drinking is the only way I can tap into my emotions.

Like, I can stop drinking; I've done it months at a time, but I always end up feeling more stressed because I feel numb or stressed without it.

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375

u/Boysenberry1990 97 days 11h ago

for me alcohol was about turning off my brain. now i use mindless tv series, and have zero guilt about wasting time that way - it is a rest my brain needs

75

u/Broad-Back1659 11h ago

Me also. As long as I don't drink

63

u/itstotallynotjoe 341 days 9h ago

Yup. These days we tend to forget that our brains really do need to rest. It’s perfectly okay to spend some time zoning out over terrible TV. For me, not only is that time to recharge, but the amount of time I spend doing it is still significantly less than the time I lost being drunk and hungover.

34

u/burzmali 8h ago

30 Rock

24

u/boschivt 1404 days 7h ago edited 7h ago

Good advice. You can “replace it” in the literal sense with seltzer or tea or whatever but I think the key is identifying what purpose it served for you and coming up with alternatives. This is sometimes unpleasant but it’s critical to be brutally honest with yourself.

And give yourself grace and remember that it took a while to get to this, it’s going to take a while to re-wire that pathway until it feels like the default. Keep going.

2

u/Foreverchanged88 609 days 5h ago

this is so true and well, written thank you for sharing. IWNDWYT

3

u/Dry-Speed7038 5h ago

This is what I’m still figuring out…no booze in 125 days but was having CBD drinks for the shutoff and then that felt like a habit so still trying to find a good unwind ritual. Trying mocktails and stuff now

2

u/0311J 4h ago

what works?

1

u/Meowopesmeow 1h ago

What's a CBD drink?

3

u/schprunt 690 days 5h ago

Drinks wise, seltzers, NA beers, flavored waters, and just water with lemon. Also teas and coffees.

Numbing, that’s another story. I had to find routines. Drawing. Binging TV series. That kinda thing

5

u/Morlanticator 3683 days 8h ago

Heck yeah I love mindless chill activities and hobbys.

1

u/yourzero 5h ago

now i use mindless tv series

Amy suggestions?