It goes without saying that the COVID-19 pandemic left each one of us in a small personal crisis. Even introverts can feel its toll after a year of social distancing. Due to the lockdown and terrible news coming from the TV every single day, more and more people started experiencing some sort of trouble, whether it be anxiety or depression.

Typically, the ways to cope with such a difficult situation vary among people. However, statistics show that in 2020 most people dealt with problems in one very specific way – by regularly finishing the day with a glass of wine. 

Although the habit might have seemed beneficial at the beginning of the lockdown, helping to get rid of intrusive thoughts, it also caused many people to develop a lockdown-caused wine habit that may potentially lead to excessive consumption of alcohol.

If you, too, would like to finally curb your wine habit, good for you! In the following article, you’ll find the best tips on how to do it effectively, even if you’re an introvert who has come to think of wine as the ideal quiet companion.

Find Substitutes for Wine

Typically, it’s not about the product that makes you addicted, but rather the practice of consuming it. 

A quiet evening with a glass of wine and a TV show seems like the perfect night for an introvert. However, if you feel like it’s happening too often, try to develop new habits by substituting your favorite glass of wine with a cup of green tea or an alcohol-free beverage. After a few weeks, your body will get used to it, and you will stop craving alcohol. Some of the best wine substitutes include:

• Warm milk and honey

• Fruit juice – a good combination of natural sugars or bananas or honey can also work.

• Hot water with honey and lemon

• Black coffee – it’s best to drink coffee in small quantities. If you want to make it more balanced, add some honey or heavy cream. If you absolutely don’t want to drink coffee, consider replacing it with green or black tea.

• Ginger tea – this healthy tea is rich in antioxidants and ginger, which will help relax your body. The taste might seem unusual at first, but you may find yourself craving this healthy alternative soon enough.

Keep Busy

Introverts have busy minds. That’s why sitting still for too long can make your thoughts run wild and have you reaching for the wine to quiet them.  

Instead, eliminate alcohol from your daily menu and try to keep yourself occupied. Find new hobbies, which will take your mind off wine, whether it be knitting, solving puzzles, or playing video games. For some time, try to limit the activities that you used to perform while drinking. 

Pay Attention to Your Surroundings

When you are in a restaurant, and someone is sitting next to you drinking wine, it’s easy for you to think that since they can drink wine, then it’s okay for you as well. 

Avoid going to those places altogether, especially with COVID-19 still taking its toll on people’s health. Instead, consider going for a walk or swimming. Any fun and relaxing activity will do you good. 

Think about adopting a dog or a cat as well. An animal doesn’t need all the energy that social interactions usually require from introverts. Still, it can occupy you and improve your day-to-day life with its cuteness and routine activities.

Meditate Regularly

Meditation will teach you to control your thoughts and help you develop a clear vision. Plus this kind of activity can be enjoyed alone, which might comfort your introverted mind as well. 

It’s a good way to put your mind off all those things which otherwise are troubling you and making you think about alcohol. If you cannot meditate regularly or properly, it’s okay too; even just 10 minutes of meditation will do wonders for your mind!

Exercise

A great idea to both keep yourself busy and experience some positive health benefits is to start exercising. 

Your everyday exercise routine doesn’t have to be very professional, as it might include either yoga class, some push-ups, or at least twenty jumping jacks. That will be enough to give you a substantial energy boost and make you feel better. This will lighten up your mood without drinking. 

The Bottom Line 

The COVID-19 pandemic and the worldwide lockdowns that followed have led many of us to develop some pretty bad habits. Don’t beat yourself up if you’re one of those people who got a bit too used to taking your mind off of things with a daily glass of wine or beer in the afternoon. You’re not alone in this. 

The important thing is to realize that continuing to live like this is unsustainable. Try to make some changes to your daily routine. It can be as simple as replacing wine with a cup of hot, flavorful tea or starting to exercise more frequently. You can enjoy 2021 completely sober, still avoiding social interactions we introverts love to escape!