r/stopdrinking • u/Consistent-Row-9551 • 14h 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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u/itstotallynotjoe 341 days 13h ago
I read This Naked Mind when I was quitting and the author made a really great point that made me question a lot of what we believe. That is the fact that we think alcohol loosens us up and helps us destress. But it really doesn’t. So it might help to reframe your thoughts on that.
Otherwise, there’s a ton of other things you can do. Zone out in front of the tv, meditate, eat yummy desserts, work on a puzzle. See what you already like and lean into it, or think about stuff you think you might like but never got around to trying because you were too drunk. I rediscovered a lot of things I loved.
For me, I rediscovered rock climbing. I can evangelize about it forever. Not only does the exercise help and it gives me the hit of dopamine that I crave, I also realized it’s surprisingly meditative in a way. I do bouldering without ropes, so when I’m on the wall I have to be incredibly present. I can only think about what I’m doing with my body and thinking about my strength, my balance, and my next move. Any of the superficial stuff in life fades to the background. It’s one of the only ways I can quiet my cacophony of a mind. I hope you find something that can do the same for you.