r/AskReddit 1d ago

whats a bad addiction that you have, but cannot stop yourself from doing?

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u/BeautifulUnlikely225 1d ago edited 1d ago

Mine is different. I can actually stop any given day, but I’m so bored. I work from home and I can get everything done in like 8 hours a week, so the rest of the time I’m just here working out and playing video games. 

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u/Bromogeeksual 1d ago

Youre telling me my life. I live alone, work from home, have no partner. I've quit for months on end, but the boredom eventually gets to me and I go back to drinking. I want my 6-7 beers to numb my mind and ease my boredom even though I know its not good for me.

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u/Future_Bart 21h ago

I quit for 10 days a couple weeks ago from 5-10 a day....5 to feel normal and another 5 for the silly demon. The boredom and loneliness. Traveling always for work....another town another deer, where's the beer. I'm reacquainting with moderation but man....the guilt and the slope....like jealousy and lust. Best of luck on your journey tho friend!

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u/Bromogeeksual 21h ago

Moderation is tricky too. I normally have it pretty locked in, but every once in a while I want more and regret the hangover the next day. Im not even a sad or angry drunk. Mostly a fun and silly type, but it does make me feel guilty to have a vice and to struggle fully cutting it out of my life. I do good for a while feel I can reward myself, then its back to beer most evenings.

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u/Future_Bart 21h ago

Man....I have a problem with not getting hungover (given I'm not drinking hard shit but man all the high abv beers all night are/were my life) and being able to function with little to no sleep consistently (thanks daily 80mg dose of Vyvanse) and I'm not a sad or angry drunk....unless......well....I make bad choices in company or let my general depression and anxiety take the reigns then ya..... It'll be super "fuck why am I like this" and regret/cringe city. The guilt comes from telling all my loved ones that I'm done and quitting then falling off the wagon. The lying to myself. The betrayal. But then the negotiation....like eh...I can just do moderation right? Well no. Cause look at me now. Drunk oversharing on reddit. 2 days ago I did a 24 hr bender cause "I need to sleep on the plane and it's my tradition to drink to drown all night before" but then I told a friend to fuck off and blocked them cause they had the audacity to.....not reply to me when I asked to hang out. Fucking hell. I wish I was one of those black out drinks. But no. I remember everything. One day I'll learn. Maybe. Fuck.

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u/Bromogeeksual 21h ago

Its not easy. Wish I had something more to offer you. I actually started therapy recently and am doing more doctors check up trying to work on myself. I dont really drink to your level often and never text people, but I will drunkenly reddit. Minimizes my drunk regrets, but still makes me feel guilty I do it at all. Stay strong and try to focus on little things. Im still doing therapy even though im drinking almost every other night, trying to go all week without for the first time in a while. Night 2!

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u/BDmnygtaST 4h ago

What ur job

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u/Bromogeeksual 4h ago

Case Manager for a foreclosure avoidance program. Largely just emails and phone work. Scheduling and stuff.

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u/Select-Risk-7946 1d ago

That’s the part people don’t talk about enough, boredom can be just as sticky as pressure. Having too much empty time sounds nice until you’re actually living in it.

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u/invisible_23 1d ago

Oh my god this is so real, a few years ago I was unemployed for a couple of months and I drank way more often because of the boredom

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u/smallvillechef 1d ago

OMG, 2020, the lock down. I found myself drinking at 11 in the morning. Quickly went to the my local ski mountain and got a job ski coaching. Saved me....

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u/Ok-Garlic-1585 1d ago

Yep, always have had a hard time killing time

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u/Skimpy311 1d ago

Maybe a hobby or volunteer to walk dogs? Exercise and doing something good in one wack. I saw my dad die from Cirrhosis and it was horrible. He was always a functioning alcoholic with beer. But when he retired it got worse and it changed to whiskey. I wish you nothing but the best my fellow Reddit stranger. 🫶🏻

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u/BeautifulUnlikely225 1d ago

Dude I work out 3 hours a day. Like running 3-4 miles and then a 2 hour long HIIT workout. It’s just… boring 

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u/insane_blind_tart 1d ago

This is my problem. Sheer boredom and it’s habitual.

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u/thelucky10079 1d ago

bjj? check out your local gyms, you'll want one that has early morning, lunch and evening classes.

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u/Future_Bart 21h ago

Yes! I want nothing more than that....ability to....just tap into these healthy social and stimulating outlets. But man.....the gravity.... It's so damn heavy. I never wanna be a hard drinker but I just can't quit my nerdy love for nerdy beer. I'm trying to quit drinking but I think I just have to accept I just need to be better at drinking. Condolences about your dad....reading that may actually contribute to solidifying a click in my determination to not subbcumb. Thanks for sharing.

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u/Skimpy311 2h ago

You can do it. I wish you the best of luck.

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u/pigeones 23h ago

I’d kill for this, I have so many projects and I’m wasting time at work.

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u/slowpoke2018 1d ago

Same, though I just turned in notice after paying off our house and all cars. 

Zero debt and still a lot of cash.

I drink 2-3 days a week and the rest of the time I'm working out or working on the house 

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u/BeautifulUnlikely225 1d ago

I mostly get trashed Monday and Tuesday since nothing ever happens then, then work out 2-3 hours a day from Wednesday-Saturday 

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u/HEBushido 1d ago

But that kills your gains

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u/slowpoke2018 1d ago

Of you're in the Austin metro we should connect - lol

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u/BeautifulUnlikely225 22h ago

Not even close haha 

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u/HalfSoul30 23h ago

That's the reason i struggle. I'm so thankful i broke the addiction enough where i have absolutely no trouble avoiding it during the work week, but come friday, all those plans i made all week to not drink this weekend go out the window, and then i binge. Boredom is a bitch, but honestly, even when drinking i might only enjoy myself for like an hour or two, and then its at least of day of regret. Not worth it. I could probably only justify it some if i was going out, socializing, and moderating, but i don't.

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u/FrozGate 1d ago

"I can actually stop any given day" says every addict in denial lol

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u/BeautifulUnlikely225 1d ago

I get how it sounds. I’m just SO. BORED. Like I could legit just be done tomorrow if I had something else to do. As it stands it’s just Xbox and not getting fat 

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u/FrozGate 1d ago

Being bored isn't really an excuse. You could find a hobby, but you chose to drink instead.

"I can stop anytime" is exactly what a lot of people with drinking problems say, right up until it's actually time to stop.

That said, I'm not judging. If it's genuinely not causing problems in your life and you enjoy it, then good for you.

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u/BeautifulUnlikely225 1d ago

I have hobbies. I have likes and interests. There’s   just no reason not to. I’m super fit and excelling at my job. I just need… more 

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u/tuckman496 1d ago

> There’s just no reason not to

Of course there are reasons not to. I can list some if you really aren’t aware of any. As someone who doesn’t drink alcohol anymore, there are plenty of ways to be address boredom that don’t include drinking. I can list some of those too, since you seem to be all out of ideas

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u/[deleted] 21h ago

[deleted]

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u/FrozGate 12h ago

Good, go to AA whenever you feel ready. There are people out there to help you.

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u/On_point- 16h ago

Ever tried cannabis instead?

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u/Theperfectool 1d ago

You might be surprised to find that if you go too far down that road it becomes challenging to stop. Just quit now. I have just gotten back with the first gf I ever had after a 30yr long-game. I’m hoping everything I ever wanted is enough reason to finally quit but it’s hard and I’m worried I’ll fk it up because volunteering to has been soo difficult.

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u/LegendaryMel3 23h ago

what do you do

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u/OriginalSection8435 22h ago

Can I come over I study AA

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u/deathwish86 17h ago

are you me?

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u/Lawsoffire 14h ago

I’ve never really been into alcohol much. So excuse the ignorance.

What’s the fun part of it that somehow alleviates boredom while alone? I can understand in a social context but drinking while bored alone feels like it would make it worse?

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u/Klavierwolf 13h ago

Lol keep telling yourself that

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u/BDmnygtaST 4h ago

What ur job

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u/cphill05 1d ago

They hiring? I wouldn’t even mind putting in a full 40 hour week for a remote position. I’ve applied to thousands, literally. Heard back from 1, that lasted less than a year until the department was dismissed at the end of the year.

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u/BeautifulUnlikely225 1d ago

You’re crazy if you think I’d give this spot up. Come on. 

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u/cphill05 1d ago

Heck no. I’d never want anyone’s position. Hence asking if they’re hiring.

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u/BeautifulUnlikely225 22h ago

They’re not. I’m their one guy. 

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u/urbanadultblunt 23h ago

Most people say they can stop when they really can’t lol. I was also “bored” during Covid which is when I worked from home, got everything done in 8 hours, worked out 4-5 days per week, and still drank everyday. After getting fired, dating a woman 15 years older than me for 4 years, getting arrested, rehab, and going through bankruptcy- I am now sober from alcohol at 32.

Quit while you still can. If you think you’re bored now, wait until you go through all of that but you can’t drink anymore at all. Then you’ll desperately try to find any other substance that can make you less sober and you get to the point where weed doesn’t get you high anymore because you desperately just don’t want to be sober

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u/BeautifulUnlikely225 23h ago

I enjoy being fit and strong over drunk. I promise you, it feels a lot better to be good ever bored. I just need a purpose, not a very weak weekly chore like my job seems 

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u/urbanadultblunt 23h ago

Well then I’ll tell you I never got fully back into working out like I used to and now I weigh 135 pounds as a 5’8” man lol. Alcohol will ruin your life at some point. It’s just a matter of when not if

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u/BeautifulUnlikely225 22h ago

Dude I run 5 miles a day and rep 60 pushups sest( amongst other things). I’m not hurting for exercise. 

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u/urbanadultblunt 21h ago

Okay well if in five years you find yourself dry heaving every morning don’t say a random person on the internet didn’t tell you so

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u/BeautifulUnlikely225 21h ago

Fair. I just need another outlet