Before TSM I was drinking about 50-60 beers a week. I started taking Naltrexone on Sept 15, 2016. My drinking quickly decreased. I suppose I'd be called an "early responder". I have almost no desire to drink, and I hardly think about it now. It's been truly awesome. At this point I can hardly stand beer anymore. I can only drink weak, fruity type drinks now.

Weeks 1-9: 38, 44, 32, 24, 19, 11, 10, 6, 4

This has been great, but I find myself extremely bored these days. In the old days I would just come home from work and drink the night away. Now I'm like a fish out of water. I don't know what to do with my life. It's amazing how much time and money alcohol can take from you. I'm not depressed or anything, right now everything just feels a bit pointless.

My questions, for those who are "cured"...Has anybody else experienced this boredom? How did you find new things to do? How long did it take? Any other advice for "finding yourself" again?

Congrats raccoon! great progress.

One more obvious suggestion would be to get active if you aren't. Start weigh lifting, running, cycling, or whatever you like, and work towards a goal.

The other aspect of course is the social side. Will need to find a way to integrate yourself into a social circle you enjoy that isn't centered around alcohol. I'm not cured, but I worry that I'm not sure how to solve this problem just yet!

Thanks wrench. You're off to a good start I see. You're in for an awesome journey in the next couple months. I can see how you (and many of us here) will face the same social issues with alcohol after we're "cured". I'm confident I'll find new things in life to focus on, I just haven't got there yet. hmmm...I do have a bunch of dumbells in the basement...

Way to go, Raccoon! That's fantastic!

Yeah, I think it's not so uncommon to have some behavioral stuff waiting in the wings. I'm slowly getting more involved with life instead of sitting home alone and boozing. Some of it takes care of itself, some of it needs a push to get going.

Raccoon,
I had almost the opposite experience, i.e. life is much more enjoyable for me without alcohol, once I was able to get into a groove (this was quite awhile ago, went back to drinking). Think of your cure as both freedom FROM and freedom FOR. You're free FROM alcohol, meaning you are no longer compelled to drink. FREEDOM FOR means you're now able to do things you weren't able to do before. For me, this was mainly (a) reading books at night, (b) being productive at night with hobbies and chores, (c) being present mentally with my family, and (d) exercising more. I can't recommend enough having a home workout set-up. But, everybody's different...just try to picture the possibilities with more money and time on your hands.

I have been experiencing the same thing Raccoon. I am bored and feeling like there is something I should be doing but I'm not. Alcohol used to take care of that feeling. I am involved in Toastmasters which is a great outlet but there are still a lot of time especially in the evening when it feels like something is missing and alcohol doesn't really fill the void anymore. I think a year from now things will be different and more evened out. I guess I'm saying I understand what you are going through.

Thank you for the replies everyone. It helps knowing there are others that feel the same way. I'm planning on exercising at home tonight, hoping the endorphins can help reinforce these kinds of activities. Ten or so years ago I used to go running almost every day (my drinking habit wasn't as severe then). I remember feeling genuinely happy in those days, unlike the phony happiness I got from drinking.

I do toastmaster too. A lot people become 'addicted' to it and join like 5 clubs. Could be worth exploring. Do you like playing cards? Bridge also has a cult following and some people play at clubs every night of the week. Rather than trying to force yourself to excersize- play sport instead. There's a lot of indoor sports that you don't hear about- soccer etc.

Always nice to run into a fellow Toastmaster. I think what makes it powerful is that when you speak publically you are making yourself vulnerable in front of other people. This is something that I imagine many alcoholics are afraid of (shame, judgment etc.). But Toastmasters is such a positive and supportive environment that it becomes powerfully cathartic to face that fear and then come out unscathed on the other side. In this way, I think recovery from alcoholism and Toastmasters goes hand in hand.

thank you. Those are excellent suggestions. I looked into Toastmasters and I must say I'm very curious!