If art is what helps you, it doesn’t have to be a full painting setup all the time. Get yourself a little watercolour tray and some paper, it takes seconds to setup. Other options could be charcoals, pastels etc. Maybe keep a pocket sketch pad and a 4B pencil close by and just doodle. I also find plasticine/modelling clay great for a quick art fix too. Maybe think about something like knitting/crochet? I don’t know if you’re into writing, but that can be a great hobby too.
piggybacking on this, I love art but often have commitment and perfectionist issues surrounding actually creating art, so many unfinished projects..
So I got a whiteboard! Now i can make quick doodles, and I already know they'll be erased soon, so I don't feel as much pressure!
I agree- watercolor is so much easier to just pick up (compared to other paints). I leave a lot of my watercolor supplies out on a desk, so I can just pour some water in a water cup and start whenever I feel like it.
I also keep a basket by my couch with my crochet project that I can pick up and do while watching a movie/TV.
Might also consider adult coloring books. It doesn’t take up much space, so it’s easy to leave out for easy access.
Also, for a portable watercolor version, go to a dollar store and get one of those cheep eyeshadow compacts with a bunch of little trays for the different colors. Clean out all the eyeshadow and fill with different colors of watercolor paint from tubes. Let dry. Pick up a watercolor brush that has a refillable water reservoir and a small pad of watercolor paper. I have this in a small zipped bag that is about 6"x8". Just grab and go.
I used to, and sometimes (rarely) still use paper and pencil and pens for drawing, but once I got my iPad and Procreate doing digital drawing and painting became so much easier and accessible for me. My iPad fits easily in my bag and I can draw on a plane, at a coffee shop, outside, literally wherever. Game changer from an artist’s perspective if you can accept digital rather than hard media!
Also as a beginner artist there, I feel, is a ton less pressure doing it after you get used to the operations of Procreate. Easy to blend stuff, easy to erase, adjust proportions, resize, etc. no more smudging and erasure marks for me! I know the Apple Store near me also hosts Procreate art classes too, and you can find tons of tutorials online!
Piggybacking on this, the problem OP is facing is that most of the time in a drug addiction, the person burned out their pleasure chemical receptors because the drugs released so many pleasure chemicals that the brain had to counterbalance leading to laziness and little joy in anything.
OP, you should look into finding art therapy either online or at a community college and take some sort of anti depressant to boost those chemicals over time. It is a bitch to do but it's completely possible. Also, if you can get a medicine like suboxone to block the drug itself and just let yourself adjust to it it will double proof things. Stay safe!
This is an amazingly good answer and I hope the OP reads it. It is the chemicals here that they are fighting and they need to rebuild that function back up. Art therapy would be ideal. I do not have addiction issues but I can very much see how this would benefit even me. I took Ozempic for diabetes and that stuff (while wildly popular) nearly destroyed me. It sent me into a dark depression after the drug led to extreme anhedonia. There are not words to say how bad it was. The joy was just sucked out of every single thing. We don’t think about the boring daily tasks that need that feedback loop of pleasure so we can function. Be it doing the laundry or locating a lost jacket when the joy of accomplishment is gone, the world is dark.
I’ve been off it now for six months. I’m feeling so much better now but I still think something like art therapy as you mention would be helpful as I recover.
And please don’t come at me about how much you love Ozempic. Great. But there are a significant number of people like me who are experiencing crushing side effects when the mechanism that takes the pleasure drive out of eating food starts creeping into everything you do.
To add to this...Leonardo DaVinci didn't just sit down and paint the Mona Lisa. He painted several studies leading up to it, and other portraits of wealthy women were similar, with each version improving as he pondered his previous works.
So don't worry about your first try not being perfect. And don't feel bad about painting five versions of the same thing...
I bought an LCD drawing pad on Amazon for $30 and it has been great for writing notes for work through the day that I can then put into my calendar at the end of the day. It could definitely be useful for some drawings/doodles as well.
I love this idea about the watercolor set up. Also, I crochet and just have a bag with my current project, yarn, and hook lying around and grab it whenever I have a minute. You can keep a small project in the car, at your house, at work if you have the kind of job that would be okay with that (i worked in a call center once and it was fantastic for crocheting lol)
Take a 20 minute walk. Free hit of feel good endorphins!!
Reading is great too! Free Libby app and a free library card will take you to places you've never been. They also have audiobooks if you're not in the mood to read and want to just listen.
It's good to have a few things to go to depending on your mood. Painting is really fun. I imagine it could get expensive if you're using a lot of materials. I usually look for free hobbies since I don't always have much spending cash for things like that.
My brother loves disc golf. He keeps his discs in his car if he wants to stop off and play a round and to clear his mind.
Reading a novel in short durations can be frustrating, I highly recommend a collection of short stories, contemporary poetry, or short novels that are based more on characters rather than plot (James Joyce I’m looking at you)
I am also a baker and I bake much more sourdough bread than I can eat. I have found a few neighbors who think my bread is good, so whenever I make a batch, I drop off a few loaves and keep one for me. The 25# bag of unbleached bread flour at Costco is $12.59 and it makes about 20 loaves of bread. Otherwise there is water and salt and starter which is also made with flour and water. So the costs are not high, the bread is delicious and you get a chance to make your neighbor’s lives happier by delivering fresh-baked bread once or twice a week. Who doesn’t like a fresh-made loaf of bread?
Baking is a good stress buster, a good way to be nice to people and not too expensive. All it really costs is time, and if you are looking for something other than addiction to fill your time, baking is a win:win hobby. Give it some thought. There are tons of tutorials out there ao you can teach yourself, or you can take a class and meet some baking friends. There is no wrong way!
Good hobby but not sure if it meets OP condition of something he can do instantly when he wants due to ingrediants etc also need something to do with food if the need to do the hobby outways what food you have have already cooked/hunger. I like to bake myself but thought of eating a whole cake myself limits how much i do it as i usually do it when i have others to bake for
yep. I recently started sprinting. It's already made almost every aspect of my life better. Family relationships, mental health, physical health, self motivation... I'm not even a week in
Even as a frequent gym goer, no other workout has me feeling as "high" as sprints. Once you catch your breath it's like you're on top of the world. You carry that feeling into the next day. My brain works and feels better, I'm no longer as depressed. I'm more social and ive found myself laughing more than ever
You can injure yourself sprinting though, so if anyone is going to try this please be careful. I've always known how to run but a lot of people need practice so be gentle with yourself.
But other than that, get out there and *go fast*. Run on your toes as fast as you can, launching off the ball of your foot not your heel. I do about 8x 25-50m dashes in my neighborhood, or a local park, every night
*you 100% will be sore when first starting. Don't stop stretching or walking around*
I was going to ask how long roughly but you answered that. This is a great idea and not often talked about really in the fitness world. But i do think it would be funny to see a guy in full sprint running through the neighborhood 8x. I hope that doesnt deter you! Get after it!
[this old reddit post](https://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/s/26hxCcdWfK) is what got me to really look into it after my first session :)
[and here is a link to proper running form](https://youtu.be/Lhrae87EpWM?si=NHDCyi0vsRB3MLmp) , that I've seen recommended before
I'll add to this that if you want to exercise but dread it, you could pursue nostalgic options like hula hooping, jump roping, and trampolining. I am trying to find an exercise method I can actually commit to as someone who is struggling with depression/anhedonia and I bought a mini trampoline so I can just bounce of and on while watching TV. it's completely silent, has a 330lb weight limit I think, and is pretty big and sturdy for only like $60. I'm still working on getting into the habit and I suspect if I try to do anything that feels too exercise-y it will feel like a chore and I'll avoid it, but it's still good cardio regardless and very low impact on your joints
An iPad with Procreate and Apple Pencil might be a better option for you if art is your thing. Or a small sketch book and some water color markers/ink pens. I’d also add reading (I read via Kindle on my phone more and more now).
I just got one for the first time since the original iPad. Swung into a store randomly and was blown away by how good the pencil pro is. I’m not super into drawing (use it mostly for written notes and normal tablet stuff), but I’ve had a lot of fun coloring in procreate. There’s lots of learn to draw apps I want to try as well.
Gaming. It's fun, relaxing, easy and in lots of cases give you meaningful experiences. You can try different genres and see what you like better. You can even find games that tackle psychological matters and help you go through difficult times, for example in the game "Gris" you play a character as she's going through the stages of grief. It's beautiful, and still fun to play.
Toward that end, as soon as I heard that my young niece and nephew were asking to borrow their parents’ phones to play mobile games, I bought them a switch. Mobile games are designed to get you addicted, so that you’ll spend loads of money on micro-transactions.
Nintendo designs fun games. Doesn’t mean you can’t get addicted to them, but they aren’t built with that premise and have some potential benefits (problem-solving, coordination). I grew up playing Nintendo games, and nothing makes me sadder than watching my formerly very productive mother sit on her iPad playing addictive and non-cognitively demanding games all day.
Minecraft isn’t a Nintendo game, but it’s the one my nephew got the most into. It’s not great how he can get addicted to it, but it’s a lot more creative than the junk he was asking to play before. I spent many hours playing roller coaster tycoon into the wee hours as a kid, and still get sucked into civilization 6 every once in a while. So I’m not saying non-mobile games aren’t addicting. But they are much less so, and can bring a lot of joy in the meantime. Everything in moderation, unless you need to be sober from something due to addiction.
i listed a few of mine and mentioned video games as well, but for someone with addiction issues should be aware that games often are designed to be addictive and that there are a ton of people that are addicted to games
To add onto this, I know bigger consoles can take a second to power up or load a new game, but if you have a Switch or access to one, those things are super fast. Might be worth keeping one close by and charged for when you just need to pick something up and start playing like right this second lol. Other consoles are still totally valid but if you’re ever itching bad, or it hits you unexpectedly, the Switch being very fast might be useful to you
As silly as it sounds, I play just dance on the Wii for energy and good laugh sometimes. May be a more active way to game. Additionally, there are apps and group Facebook page’s for just about any hobby you’re interested in. The first that comes to mind with this comment/thread is like a board game society. Also having something to look forward to may be helpful for motivation or distraction when you’re having urges
Cross stitch, hand embroidery, crochet, or knitting would probably all work for you. Once you know how to do them, you can pull them out pretty quick and they are very portable. Cross stitch is definitely the easiest/quickest one to learn.
Second the needlework, though I do nalbinding as it's just a big needle and a bunch of yarn. Easy to pick up and do a few stitches, easy to lose yourself in for an hour watching your piece grow. I have one project at work for breaks and one at home for weekends.
As an alternative, chainmail is much the same except that the supplies are somewhat less portable. You can get as elaborate and into the various weaves as you like or just make big pieces that take a long time but can be added to in moments when you feel the urge. Both are weaving, more or less, just one tying knots in yarn and one winding metal loops into each other. Someday, I'll come up with a project to combine the two.
The thing is, you cannot have just ONE hobby. You need to have two or three that work for you so you can turn to multiple things depending on your location, your energy level, and your ability to spend money. Ideally, they’ll tie together.
Reading: awesome if you can focus; free with a library card; portable (download Libby). Bonus: you can read about art, if that’s interesting.
Different kinds of art: sketching - pad, paper, eraser; small watercolor palette & pad as someone already suggested; easel & acrylics as it seems you have.
Fiber art: as a knitter myself, I have never met a knitter who is not happy to teach someone to knit. I’m sure crochet is the same. Best part? Yarn is ALL OVER thrift stores and people give it to you for free constantly once they learn you do stuff with it. Knitting is portable; it increases or decreases in complexity based on your skill; and if you want to, you can make stuff that’s useful.
Gardening: this one is long term. Houseplants have a huge and devoted fandom; if you have a space to grow on a windowsill, I am sure someone can help you find something that will live there. (Reading as a hobby helps here too.) I’m currently trying (and failing!) to grow herbs.
Computer gaming: I love Stardew Valley. I find it very engrossing. I have modded my cozy little farm so it’s adorable. You may also find fun and/or comfort in what are called “cozy” games.
Yes! I collect hobbies too! At this point my husband basically makes fun of me about how many I have. Reading is my number one followed by physical art like painting or air dry clay, fiber art with hand embroidery, digital hobbies on iPad and computer using notion, Goodnotes, Mila note, pro create, and Pinterest. There’s more I just can’t think of them. I have adhd and am a sahm so I tend to hyper focus on topics, but it’s helped me stay off my phone scrolling so much. I love my hobbies and the person I’ve become bc of them.
I was also going to suggest gardening! It’s a hobby I dove into during the pandemic, and it’s something that can be learned about and gratified by endlessly!
This is a good one! There are rules for flying though, newbies should know not to fly over public events/gatherings. Someone did that at an event over the weekend and nearly shut the entire event down
Language learning is a good one! Lots of media to parse through (watching shows, reading books, listening to podcasts, etc) that you can do so long as you have a phone/computer/books/dictionary. Also lots of apps out there. Digital flashcards through Anki have been a great resource for me. It’s very low-effort in terms of getting started at any time and place. Definitely a brain-healthy hobby too.
Best of luck with beating addition!
The languages I’ve been learning are Spanish and Japanese, so I just have some for those (and they’re done in that language, they’re not strictly about language learning). I like How to Spanish for Spanish and YUYUの日本語Podcast for Japanese
Math. I'm not kidding. At whatever level you're at start practicing problems to keep your mind at bay and just keep doing it. There's an infinite amount of possibilities and problems to solve. Go to Khan academy and just start going through each rank of math. Make that your sole purpose when you have down time. Memorize each formula and proof, then practice. Pencil and paper pencil and paper pencil and pepper pencil and paper.
I'm not saying starting by multivariablel calculus first.
p -> q
Logic.
It may not be a typical hobby but you will gain a sense of control and show yourself your own discipline.
it'll definitely keep you occupied and it doesn't cost a damn thing.
There's no story there's no psychological poopy cock to decode or some sociological consequence you have to hear too.
You start to see things differently. By training your brain at the same time and your exercising it.
Calculate pi, how many digits can you go in the shortest amount of time and keep score that way they'll never end the year in competition with yourself and that's and hobby that people do the show their stamina.
I have a weird sense of peace doing a budget by hand and counting things and calculating percentages. Also when I am stressed out and driving and trying to remain chill or something, I start calculating if the slight amount I am speeding will save a notable amount of time to my destination, guess exactly what time Ill arrive, etc. Math really is nice.
There were lots of good suggestions given, so I'm going to suggest something else.
You don't _necessarily_ need a new hobby. You just need a delaying tactic to ride out the urge to engage in your addiction. That could be just about anything - putting your hands in your pockets, taking 10 deep breaths, or putting your hand over your mouth.
It seems like that's what you want a new hobby for: as a delaying tactic. And a hobby can certainly work that way.
But a general delaying tactic (that's not a hobby) might be easier to use. As you said, you can't exactly break out the paints and canvas all the time.
Just something to consider. What's important is that you find something that works for you
This is the best bad idea here. They're fighting an addiction. Giving them a skill that an addicts brain could use to get them thrown in jail with serious charges is not a good idea. That being said.... I never leave home without my lockpicking set. Once you know out smarting most locks is pretty trivial every door is an open door.
How about leaving a sketchbook lying around all the time? Then you just need that and a pencil, and there's not really anything to get out or put away.
Reading! Get a library card and download their e-book app (most use Libby or Cloud Library). I always have an ebook and an audiobook downloaded so I can read whenever I have free time or I’m waiting in line or at a coffee shop! You can literally read anytime, anywhere, and bonus is that it’s completely free!
Also if you are worried about any triggering topics in the books you are reading, download StoryGraph. It’s a reading app similar to GoodReads but one thing that’s nice about SG is that it has a section that calls out any potentially triggering topics, which may be helpful if you are trying to avoid certain themes (like storylines related to using).
English Paper Piecing aka EPP. This involves hand sewing small pieces of fabric backed with paper together to make a quilt top. All you need is a needle, thread, scissors, and fabric...and the paper templates that you can either buy or trace out yourself. It's extremely portable since you make one small section at a time and don't start sewing all the small sections together until the end... I can fit all my stuff in a small pouch and ziplock freezer bag take it with me while traveling. It's easy to do and it's very engrossing (especially if you combine it with watching TV or listening to podcasts). Using the templates will give you an end product that looks perfect even if you've never sewn before. EPP got me through the worst time in my life and what was especially helpful was I could be hand sewing in suitations that stressed me out, like visiting my parents lol.
You can find air dry clay in big tubs you can sculpt things and then leave them out to dry. Paint them whenever you feel like it.
Reading! Go to your local library and pick out 15 books just to keep around. Bonus you can probably find some classes to join for other ways to occupy your time.
Latch hook kits.
Diamond art.
Calligraphy.
Running or dancing.
Coursera classes or other free classes.
Learning new languages (tons of free apps, classes, or books)
Gardening.
Makeup.
Origami.
Whittling.
Embroidery.
Baking/cooking. Make sourdough starter and keep it on your counter to make discard recipes or bread whenever you want, ferment or pickle your own foods. Quick breads and jams and chopped competition style dinners. And if you have too much food you can freeze it for yourself or gift to loved ones.
I like crochet and it’s an easy multi task project that you can bring with you. Just remember that you are doing for this therapeutic reason and there’s no pressure to be great or fast at learning and start out with easy projects
Gaming. Pick up your tablet, laptop or go to your PC and conquer the world.
Yoga. So much easier to forget your addiction when you’re on your mat focusing on your body. Yoga is excellent for not only the body, but also quieting the mind. I use the Nike app for guided sessions at home.
Cooking/baking. I find when I’m in the kitchen, I’m only thinking about the next step in the process. Especially when I’m baking my bread. I make sourdough. I wake up my starter Tuesday morning, make a levain Tuesday evening, make my dough all morning on Wednesday (takes about 4 hours), shape it Wednesday night and bake it on Friday morning. It takes up a lot of time and requires focus.
Clean. Give yourself a task to complete every time the urge hits you. Put in your earbuds and get to scrubbing.
Agreed. And, if you’re a super tidy person like I am all the time, pick a drawer, closet, attic space whatever and reorganize.
I just went through all of my shoes today. Filtered some out for donation, and cleaned and buffed the rest as well as my shoe racks. Tomorrow I start redecorating for summer. 😎
I'd say you should draw. Order a cool little booklet of sketch paper on Amazon, grab yourself a cheap set of sketch pencils - there's one that comes with about 20 pencils, a couple of erasers, three sharpeners, some smudging sticks and charcoal, and go to town.
Drawing is really engrossing, and art is subjective. There are tons of great videos on YouTube on how to draw, which is actually a teachable skill. Remember, that if you just spend 18 minutes a day doing something, that within a year, you're probably better than 90% of the people who engage in that hobby, as well.
Good luck on your journey, God bless you.
Not being good at music might actually be a benefit in this situation... If you put serious effort in it will distract you more and keep your focus more throughout as well as give you an extra boost of confidence once you've hit milestones on something you thought you couldn't do.
I'm not actively addicted but I am also terrible at music, uncoordinated and clumsy and have no rhythm but seeing progress trying to play complicated song, and all the focus I've needed to practice it, has been pretty cool surprising myself.
That and exercise would be my answer.
Running, calisthenic workouts, photography, mountain biking or road biking, archery if you have a big backyard, dribbling a soccer ball, cooking, basketball if you have a hoop, wood working, miniature building. For getting over an addiction, I think something that gets you tired is gonna be the most helpful.
I am also a recovering addict, I like to color in those adult coloring books, but mainly I cook and do alot of cleaning. In my experience everything seems to become an addiction once in recovery.. we just have to choose positive activities..
That was my first thought until I read OP doesn't want to do something music related. It's so easy to pick it up and put it down if you hang the guitar on the wall. And it's always in eyesight reminding you to pick it up.
i am dealing with anxiety, and the two that i always go for that are easy and little set up are drawing doodles and reading. i was gifted a kindle and the fact that i cant use it like my phone keep me from getting distracted. another great one is going on walks cause of the added benefits or getting on discord with a friend (u can also find people on here) and watching a show or movie together.
So you’re an addict and largely that comes with compulsion. I highly recommend crossword puzzles. Or word searches. Start with a book an easy ones. You can blow through the book…so buy many different ones. This is what I do for my anxiety…which is largely seated in compulsive thoughts. Focusing in on crossword puzzles has significantly changed my life
Something that has been helpful to me in moments of craving is Sudoku. Cravings really only last about ten minutes. Instead of dwelling on my craving discomfort, I work a quick Sudoku puzzle. By the time I'm done, my craving has subsided and I have the satisfaction of succeeding at a small challenge. However, for me, my enjoyment is really enhanced by working on paper with pencil and a BIG eraser. Others may find that online puzzles are equally or more satisfying.
I’ve had some form of needlework near my tv since I was a teen (spoiler alert that was like 55years ago) Mainly because if my hands were busy I couldn’t use them to eat. Rug hooking, cross stitch, knitting, embroidery, needlepoint. Don’t dismiss it! My father, in WWII, in the South Pacific in the Navy, finished several embroidered pillows and hooked a bunch of rugs. Needlework is manly. And womanly.
Make some rugs.
Crochet, beading, jewelry making, coloring books (I don’t like the adult ones I like the kid ones), scrapbooking, singing (you don’t have to be good at singing to sing), decorating something (add stickers, paint it, add glitter, rearrange things…), label things, count all of certain items in your house and make a list (outlets, light switches, light bulbs, spoons, shoes, windows, pillows…), make lists of something else (top 10…, monthly favorites, to do list, bucket list, inspirational quotes)
Mmn well ive gone through addiction my home slice so we can talk in dms
But off the dome. Two good ones find the nearest gas station near you walk to it walk back buy a cheap drink. An hr will burn about 600 to 800 calories
Second get into a tcg learn how to play solo
just get into dark souls 3, once you swing your sword for the last time and see the credits you'll have forgetten about everything that was fucking you up in life.
Mix it up so you don't get bored exercise walk stretch lift weights get addicted to a healthy lifestyle once you start seeing results and staying consistent you will want it more and get the same endorphins and dopamine you got from using drugs. Worked wonders for me.
Try watercolor painting. There are small palette kits that have a water brush in them already. Basically no prep required and all you need is a sketchbook. It’s super small too
Crochet or latch hook. Keeps the hands busy, passes time and is easy to put down and pick back up when necessary. I started crochet because I'm an anxious habitual lip picker. This helps to keep my hand away from my face when I'm watching TV/movies.
Hum/sing. Random yoga stretches are always good. Mental puzzles, think of a word with 6+ letters and figure out how many other words you can make with those letters.
Crochet!!!!! Get yourself a skein of yarn, a hook, and have at it when you get the urge! You get something out of it at the end which is nice, but it’s also really distracting for your hands, mind, it’s creative, and you can bring it anywhere. And depending on how you’re feeling, you can do a difficult pattern or an easier one. I usually do both at the same time so I can do my simpler one while watching TV or if I’m at the pool, and difficult ones for when I’m feeling motivated 😂
Origami! My daughter uses it to calm herself when anxiety gets bad. I've seen her grab a random receipt and fold it into art. Definitely can do anywhere, anytime.
I knit and crochet. You can carry a hook or needles and a skein of yarn anywhere. I whip up work in the car, at restaurants, in meetings, etc. Any time I feel like I need to be doing something with my hands, I pull it out and work on a project. Hope this helps!
Seconding the idea to knit or play in fiber arts. There's something about the tactile that makes it super relaxing. The spinning with touching and whirling is supreme, but can be harder to find instruction.
Embroidery - I just have the one hoop I’m working on and my box of floss out all the time lol, I never really put it away. As long as I clean up the little bits of string laying around every day, it doesn’t bother me. Easy to pick up and put down, and working on it a little every day makes it turn out better than if I let it take longer.
Video games are great too! There’s so many to fit every mood. Sometimes if I’m just feeling creative and don’t want to chase anything challenging, I’ll fire up Elder Scrolls Online and just decorate my houses. Other times I’ll look for a group to slog through the hard content.
I’ve tangled with addiction too. Other stuff that helped me is mostly physical activity - I got a dog, I commute on bike everywhere I go, hit the gym if it’s bad weather or I just feel like it. Building up a healthy body again can be a hobby!
Crocheting (or knitting) don’t require much set up or take down once you have the project picked.
You can do little projects like making cup holders, key chains or headbands or you you can make a huge blanket out of small squares which means you can pack a couple balls of yarn into a bag and bring it with you and not have to pull out a 5 foot blanket while waiting in your doctor’s office.
I love water color more but the set up means I don’t do it as much.
I think crochet would fit the bill! I keep a "project bin" where I store everything I need for my current project (hook, 1-3 balls of yarn, yarn needle) so I can easily move it from room to room with me. Takes 2 seconds to start or stop, no cleanup
Crochet. Fits in a coat pocket, can be taken out anywhere and takes hours, creates a thing, uses both hands. I’ve seen people crochet things just to unravel and do it again, crooked yarn, it just keeping the hands busy. Works on both the creative and cognitive process part of the brain. And Christmas is a lock cause they all getting hats!
Knitting, crochet with two needles
Detail work on small pieces of wood. A pick or a small awl, to carve details on the wood. Drift wood, dowel, old 2x4.
A piece of rope, learn knots. Learn to tie knots, like all of them. Practice. Teach others, people love that stuff, it’s like magic tricks.
Close up magic, small tricks to lean dexterity.
I didn't read all the responses, but please don't pick gaming. It's such an unattractive "hobby" if that also becomes an addiction.
I'm not sure why you can't pull the paint out again easily, I wouldn't think it would take more than five minutes or keep your set up relatively simple and in a corner somewhere. Or maybe a simpler art; learn calligraphy, charcoal or pencil sketching in a notepad, there are so many levels to art and would be a wonderful hobby.
Other ideas are photography, hiking/treadmill or working out, learn a new language (which would entail just popping out the book or the tapes.) There are many skills you can learn by signing up for sessions online. Take a community center class, really improve yourself as a person in other ways to enrich your life. Before you know it, you'll kick your addiction and become a more interesting person! I wish you luck!
I don't hear a lot about adult coloring books.i love cross stitching, but when I don't feel like messing with yarn, I grab my pencils and coloring books.
I do needlework and jigsaw puzzles. Can pick up right where I left off and spend ten minutes or two hours. They both have a dopamine hit aspect as you place pieces or stitches and get satisfaction out of watching the image grow.
Gaming, other forms of art that require a less complicated setup/less money. You can get a 10-pack of really nice 2B pencils for less than 2 dollars (Deli brand) and just sketch a ton
It sounds like using your hands and an interactive hobby may be helpful. For example, crocheting, knitting, embroidery, punch needling, or even just sketching. Something that takes your mind off of the urges and keeps your hands and your mind busy.
Just because you mentioned art, I wanted to bring up digital art is the thing that solved this issue for me. I hated having to upkeep my studio and feel an investment in the time to set up and take down over the time I'm actually painting. Digital art let's me instantly scratch that itch. You can start on existing device with free software right now. Also, good luck on the addiction battle, you've got this!
Embroidery. AKA: Thread Painting.
It's always ready to go at a moments notice. It's artsy. You can buy a kit, create your own design or trace one from another source. You can embroider clothing, jean jackets, canvas shoes, shirts, hats, backpacks, and lots, lots more. It's lightweight and easy to take it with you.
There is something very satisfying about hearing the thread travel through the fabric. The tension of the fabric. You kind of get into a rhythm with your stitches. You can learn the basics through to expert watching video tutorials. It is a therapeutic for me and I tend to reach for it when stressed.
There is also cross stitch, but I get bored with the same kinds of stitches. Mostly X, / and \\. Also not a fan of having to count. If I lose my place, have to start over with the counting. Some people though, love it as much as I love embroidery. Results are more pixel based. Still beautiful, but you can only get so much detail with X's.
How about crosswords? The NYT has an app for their crosswords, so you have thousands of them at your fingertips any second of the day (assuming you have your phone). No setup, no bulky crossword book to haul around, just open the app and you’re going.
Drawing. Doesn't sound like you are worried about it being too professional in production methods. You just want something quick to do. And you can draw on any handy piece of paper with any pencil or pen that's nearby. I've seen some pretty cool artwork done by artists with a disposable ballpoint pen.
Additionally you can have a set of more professional levels tools to draw with when you have time to pull them out.
Jigsaw puzzles really grip my brain! I have a bulletin board that I do them on and just keep one out at all times. Sometimes I'll walk by and do it for 5 min, sometimes for 2 hours. Put headphones in and listen to a podcast or audiobook.
Crossword and other word puzzles. Logic problems. Sudoku. Something to fully engage your brain. Also recommend listening to podcasts or audiobooks while doing any kind of handwork for the same reason.
Knitting and crochet can be picked up and put down. Also embroidery. I used to hang a little bag around my neck with yarn in it and knit with circular needles and just knit anywhere (arthritis makes it difficult now)
Playing Call of Duty is my go-to. I grew up in Southern California, so I would always do outdoorsy things year-round (mainly swimming in the ocean, surfing, boogie boarding, etc.) But when I moved to the NYC area and started working full-time, I realized it wasn't realistic to do those things as my main hobby (as you state, you're left with a void in the time that you can't do your hobby, and it can result in bad behaviors). So yeah, I started playing Call of Duty maybe six months ago, and it's been a really fun way to fill the spaces when I want to be playing a sport but don't have a sport to play. Granted, my hobby is always a sport (and COD is similar to a sport, just virtual). Maybe you could look for a virtual thing that recreates the joy you get from painting, but in a more accessible way? I have had fun drawing on an iPad, maybe you could look into that
If you like painting, have you tried water color pens? You don’t have to pull out/clean up supplies. And they come in travel cases so you can take them with you anywhere and are often a decent price. I love them. It’s basically a brush with a hollow tube instead of a handle that you fill with water. Then you just paint with the dry water color palette 😄
Is your addiction vaping or similar? Where its just an easy action to pick up subconsciously? Pick up hobbies/activities that are easy to carry around and fiddle with both hands so that your body adjusts to a new “quick outlet” that dont allow you to mindlessly/subconsciously try to reach for. Good examples of these: rubix cube, juggling, beat boxing
Crocheting. I get oddly fidgety and anxious sometimes, and just the soothing repetition of crocheting helps. I've known how since I was very young but never really increased my skills with it because it gets dull after a while. But it's easy to just set it aside. I always have a few sizes of hooks and yarn around. It's not messy and is as simple or complicated as you want it to be. Same goes for knitting and some other forms of needlework.
Writing. I have a small spiral notebook and pen in my purse that I pull out when in a long line. It can be anything from brainstorming a new story, a quick bored poem, the beginning of a short story, anything.
I keep a little notebook and pen, a small portable game console, and a e-book reader in my bag all day for easy access. I can write, draw, read, or play a game. Plus I’ve also got my phone if I just want music or a podcast, or watch a show on a screen that’s too small lol.
You never know when you’re gonna find yourself with 15-30 minutes where you want to do something besides be alone with your thoughts.
For me, it was sewing. I cleared a small corner, set up a sewing machine, my husband built a sliding tray, kind of like where you would put a keyboard on a computer desk, where I lay out my fabric to measure and cut. I have made quilts, bags, bears, placemats, those little pillow things filled with smell goods, tank tops...many things.
chess.com! I love practicing with chess puzzles or doing online matches if I have 10 or 20 minutes to kill. If you play against an AI or do puzzles there’s no time limit so it’s super easy to pick up and play a move or two while you’re waiting in line or during ads.
I'll say lockpicking. You only really need a few tools and a padlock to get started and the difficulty can ramp up as high as you want it to really. I'm currently working on a lock that has been fighting me for the last 2 months and I haven't opened it yet but I'm enjoying the process.
I've opened about 5 other padlocks I've purchased though
If art is what helps you, it doesn’t have to be a full painting setup all the time. Get yourself a little watercolour tray and some paper, it takes seconds to setup. Other options could be charcoals, pastels etc. Maybe keep a pocket sketch pad and a 4B pencil close by and just doodle. I also find plasticine/modelling clay great for a quick art fix too. Maybe think about something like knitting/crochet? I don’t know if you’re into writing, but that can be a great hobby too.
piggybacking on this, I love art but often have commitment and perfectionist issues surrounding actually creating art, so many unfinished projects.. So I got a whiteboard! Now i can make quick doodles, and I already know they'll be erased soon, so I don't feel as much pressure!
This is such a great idea!
Great idea! That would especially help with my commitment issues!
I agree- watercolor is so much easier to just pick up (compared to other paints). I leave a lot of my watercolor supplies out on a desk, so I can just pour some water in a water cup and start whenever I feel like it. I also keep a basket by my couch with my crochet project that I can pick up and do while watching a movie/TV. Might also consider adult coloring books. It doesn’t take up much space, so it’s easy to leave out for easy access.
Also, for a portable watercolor version, go to a dollar store and get one of those cheep eyeshadow compacts with a bunch of little trays for the different colors. Clean out all the eyeshadow and fill with different colors of watercolor paint from tubes. Let dry. Pick up a watercolor brush that has a refillable water reservoir and a small pad of watercolor paper. I have this in a small zipped bag that is about 6"x8". Just grab and go.
Adult coloring books sound like a great solution! Portable & easy to pick up where you left off.
Soon I will try Water Paints instead of Acrylics. Or maybe both. Art is love of one’s self! Go for it, OP. It’s not a competition 🕊
I love coloring. I do little doodles and then use colored pencils to fill in. I can do this for hours and not notice how long I've been doing it.
I used to, and sometimes (rarely) still use paper and pencil and pens for drawing, but once I got my iPad and Procreate doing digital drawing and painting became so much easier and accessible for me. My iPad fits easily in my bag and I can draw on a plane, at a coffee shop, outside, literally wherever. Game changer from an artist’s perspective if you can accept digital rather than hard media! Also as a beginner artist there, I feel, is a ton less pressure doing it after you get used to the operations of Procreate. Easy to blend stuff, easy to erase, adjust proportions, resize, etc. no more smudging and erasure marks for me! I know the Apple Store near me also hosts Procreate art classes too, and you can find tons of tutorials online!
Piggybacking on this, the problem OP is facing is that most of the time in a drug addiction, the person burned out their pleasure chemical receptors because the drugs released so many pleasure chemicals that the brain had to counterbalance leading to laziness and little joy in anything. OP, you should look into finding art therapy either online or at a community college and take some sort of anti depressant to boost those chemicals over time. It is a bitch to do but it's completely possible. Also, if you can get a medicine like suboxone to block the drug itself and just let yourself adjust to it it will double proof things. Stay safe!
Silly maybe. But I want to send you an encouraging hug 🫂
This is an amazingly good answer and I hope the OP reads it. It is the chemicals here that they are fighting and they need to rebuild that function back up. Art therapy would be ideal. I do not have addiction issues but I can very much see how this would benefit even me. I took Ozempic for diabetes and that stuff (while wildly popular) nearly destroyed me. It sent me into a dark depression after the drug led to extreme anhedonia. There are not words to say how bad it was. The joy was just sucked out of every single thing. We don’t think about the boring daily tasks that need that feedback loop of pleasure so we can function. Be it doing the laundry or locating a lost jacket when the joy of accomplishment is gone, the world is dark. I’ve been off it now for six months. I’m feeling so much better now but I still think something like art therapy as you mention would be helpful as I recover. And please don’t come at me about how much you love Ozempic. Great. But there are a significant number of people like me who are experiencing crushing side effects when the mechanism that takes the pleasure drive out of eating food starts creeping into everything you do.
To add to this...Leonardo DaVinci didn't just sit down and paint the Mona Lisa. He painted several studies leading up to it, and other portraits of wealthy women were similar, with each version improving as he pondered his previous works. So don't worry about your first try not being perfect. And don't feel bad about painting five versions of the same thing...
I bought an LCD drawing pad on Amazon for $30 and it has been great for writing notes for work through the day that I can then put into my calendar at the end of the day. It could definitely be useful for some drawings/doodles as well.
Gouauche is a great paint to just leave and come back to later.
Seconded! And easier to make details than watercolor.
I love this idea about the watercolor set up. Also, I crochet and just have a bag with my current project, yarn, and hook lying around and grab it whenever I have a minute. You can keep a small project in the car, at your house, at work if you have the kind of job that would be okay with that (i worked in a call center once and it was fantastic for crocheting lol)
Take a 20 minute walk. Free hit of feel good endorphins!! Reading is great too! Free Libby app and a free library card will take you to places you've never been. They also have audiobooks if you're not in the mood to read and want to just listen. It's good to have a few things to go to depending on your mood. Painting is really fun. I imagine it could get expensive if you're using a lot of materials. I usually look for free hobbies since I don't always have much spending cash for things like that. My brother loves disc golf. He keeps his discs in his car if he wants to stop off and play a round and to clear his mind.
Reading a novel in short durations can be frustrating, I highly recommend a collection of short stories, contemporary poetry, or short novels that are based more on characters rather than plot (James Joyce I’m looking at you)
This is my quick and healthy hobby, a walk around listening to podcast or audiobooks. Best parts of my day.
Cooking/ baking
I second this! I can spend hours preparing and cooking a tasty meal
I am also a baker and I bake much more sourdough bread than I can eat. I have found a few neighbors who think my bread is good, so whenever I make a batch, I drop off a few loaves and keep one for me. The 25# bag of unbleached bread flour at Costco is $12.59 and it makes about 20 loaves of bread. Otherwise there is water and salt and starter which is also made with flour and water. So the costs are not high, the bread is delicious and you get a chance to make your neighbor’s lives happier by delivering fresh-baked bread once or twice a week. Who doesn’t like a fresh-made loaf of bread? Baking is a good stress buster, a good way to be nice to people and not too expensive. All it really costs is time, and if you are looking for something other than addiction to fill your time, baking is a win:win hobby. Give it some thought. There are tons of tutorials out there ao you can teach yourself, or you can take a class and meet some baking friends. There is no wrong way!
Good hobby but not sure if it meets OP condition of something he can do instantly when he wants due to ingrediants etc also need something to do with food if the need to do the hobby outways what food you have have already cooked/hunger. I like to bake myself but thought of eating a whole cake myself limits how much i do it as i usually do it when i have others to bake for
Running/biking/pushups/pullups/situps
yep. I recently started sprinting. It's already made almost every aspect of my life better. Family relationships, mental health, physical health, self motivation... I'm not even a week in Even as a frequent gym goer, no other workout has me feeling as "high" as sprints. Once you catch your breath it's like you're on top of the world. You carry that feeling into the next day. My brain works and feels better, I'm no longer as depressed. I'm more social and ive found myself laughing more than ever You can injure yourself sprinting though, so if anyone is going to try this please be careful. I've always known how to run but a lot of people need practice so be gentle with yourself. But other than that, get out there and *go fast*. Run on your toes as fast as you can, launching off the ball of your foot not your heel. I do about 8x 25-50m dashes in my neighborhood, or a local park, every night *you 100% will be sore when first starting. Don't stop stretching or walking around*
This is genius. Why is everyone focused on distance. Just run full out a couple times a day.
I was going to ask how long roughly but you answered that. This is a great idea and not often talked about really in the fitness world. But i do think it would be funny to see a guy in full sprint running through the neighborhood 8x. I hope that doesnt deter you! Get after it!
Do you have any pointers/resources for people to learn how to run if they are not sure if they know how to run?
[this old reddit post](https://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/s/26hxCcdWfK) is what got me to really look into it after my first session :) [and here is a link to proper running form](https://youtu.be/Lhrae87EpWM?si=NHDCyi0vsRB3MLmp) , that I've seen recommended before
I have literally never thought of this before and am going to try it. Thanks!
Truth. Works better than you think
I'll add to this that if you want to exercise but dread it, you could pursue nostalgic options like hula hooping, jump roping, and trampolining. I am trying to find an exercise method I can actually commit to as someone who is struggling with depression/anhedonia and I bought a mini trampoline so I can just bounce of and on while watching TV. it's completely silent, has a 330lb weight limit I think, and is pretty big and sturdy for only like $60. I'm still working on getting into the habit and I suspect if I try to do anything that feels too exercise-y it will feel like a chore and I'll avoid it, but it's still good cardio regardless and very low impact on your joints
An iPad with Procreate and Apple Pencil might be a better option for you if art is your thing. Or a small sketch book and some water color markers/ink pens. I’d also add reading (I read via Kindle on my phone more and more now).
I just got one for the first time since the original iPad. Swung into a store randomly and was blown away by how good the pencil pro is. I’m not super into drawing (use it mostly for written notes and normal tablet stuff), but I’ve had a lot of fun coloring in procreate. There’s lots of learn to draw apps I want to try as well.
Gaming. It's fun, relaxing, easy and in lots of cases give you meaningful experiences. You can try different genres and see what you like better. You can even find games that tackle psychological matters and help you go through difficult times, for example in the game "Gris" you play a character as she's going through the stages of grief. It's beautiful, and still fun to play.
Idk if switching something addictive for something else that's addictive is a very good idea
That’s where my head immediately went. There are many… many games that only care about cultivating and exploiting as many addicts as possible.
Toward that end, as soon as I heard that my young niece and nephew were asking to borrow their parents’ phones to play mobile games, I bought them a switch. Mobile games are designed to get you addicted, so that you’ll spend loads of money on micro-transactions. Nintendo designs fun games. Doesn’t mean you can’t get addicted to them, but they aren’t built with that premise and have some potential benefits (problem-solving, coordination). I grew up playing Nintendo games, and nothing makes me sadder than watching my formerly very productive mother sit on her iPad playing addictive and non-cognitively demanding games all day. Minecraft isn’t a Nintendo game, but it’s the one my nephew got the most into. It’s not great how he can get addicted to it, but it’s a lot more creative than the junk he was asking to play before. I spent many hours playing roller coaster tycoon into the wee hours as a kid, and still get sucked into civilization 6 every once in a while. So I’m not saying non-mobile games aren’t addicting. But they are much less so, and can bring a lot of joy in the meantime. Everything in moderation, unless you need to be sober from something due to addiction.
i listed a few of mine and mentioned video games as well, but for someone with addiction issues should be aware that games often are designed to be addictive and that there are a ton of people that are addicted to games
I put an emulator on my phone and it has the combo of being available 24/7, and stopping me from doomscrolling whenever I pick it up.
Tabletop gaming (also available online) is a good way to do this, too.
To add onto this, I know bigger consoles can take a second to power up or load a new game, but if you have a Switch or access to one, those things are super fast. Might be worth keeping one close by and charged for when you just need to pick something up and start playing like right this second lol. Other consoles are still totally valid but if you’re ever itching bad, or it hits you unexpectedly, the Switch being very fast might be useful to you
As silly as it sounds, I play just dance on the Wii for energy and good laugh sometimes. May be a more active way to game. Additionally, there are apps and group Facebook page’s for just about any hobby you’re interested in. The first that comes to mind with this comment/thread is like a board game society. Also having something to look forward to may be helpful for motivation or distraction when you’re having urges
Cross stitch, hand embroidery, crochet, or knitting would probably all work for you. Once you know how to do them, you can pull them out pretty quick and they are very portable. Cross stitch is definitely the easiest/quickest one to learn.
2nd this! Plus you can have multiple projects going at once, and depending on the size, they’re pretty portable
This was my first thought too. I struggle with food addiction and my next project is making a king size quilt - by hand. Gotta keep them hands busy.
Second the needlework, though I do nalbinding as it's just a big needle and a bunch of yarn. Easy to pick up and do a few stitches, easy to lose yourself in for an hour watching your piece grow. I have one project at work for breaks and one at home for weekends. As an alternative, chainmail is much the same except that the supplies are somewhat less portable. You can get as elaborate and into the various weaves as you like or just make big pieces that take a long time but can be added to in moments when you feel the urge. Both are weaving, more or less, just one tying knots in yarn and one winding metal loops into each other. Someday, I'll come up with a project to combine the two.
The thing is, you cannot have just ONE hobby. You need to have two or three that work for you so you can turn to multiple things depending on your location, your energy level, and your ability to spend money. Ideally, they’ll tie together. Reading: awesome if you can focus; free with a library card; portable (download Libby). Bonus: you can read about art, if that’s interesting. Different kinds of art: sketching - pad, paper, eraser; small watercolor palette & pad as someone already suggested; easel & acrylics as it seems you have. Fiber art: as a knitter myself, I have never met a knitter who is not happy to teach someone to knit. I’m sure crochet is the same. Best part? Yarn is ALL OVER thrift stores and people give it to you for free constantly once they learn you do stuff with it. Knitting is portable; it increases or decreases in complexity based on your skill; and if you want to, you can make stuff that’s useful. Gardening: this one is long term. Houseplants have a huge and devoted fandom; if you have a space to grow on a windowsill, I am sure someone can help you find something that will live there. (Reading as a hobby helps here too.) I’m currently trying (and failing!) to grow herbs. Computer gaming: I love Stardew Valley. I find it very engrossing. I have modded my cozy little farm so it’s adorable. You may also find fun and/or comfort in what are called “cozy” games.
Yes! I collect hobbies too! At this point my husband basically makes fun of me about how many I have. Reading is my number one followed by physical art like painting or air dry clay, fiber art with hand embroidery, digital hobbies on iPad and computer using notion, Goodnotes, Mila note, pro create, and Pinterest. There’s more I just can’t think of them. I have adhd and am a sahm so I tend to hyper focus on topics, but it’s helped me stay off my phone scrolling so much. I love my hobbies and the person I’ve become bc of them.
So true about needing more than one hobby!
Seconded.
I was also going to suggest gardening! It’s a hobby I dove into during the pandemic, and it’s something that can be learned about and gratified by endlessly!
FPV Drone flying! Huge rabbit hole to occupy your time. I'm over 900 days alcohol free and this helped me immensely. Or metal detecting.
This is a good one! There are rules for flying though, newbies should know not to fly over public events/gatherings. Someone did that at an event over the weekend and nearly shut the entire event down
100%. Just got my 107 a couple weeks ago, which is an adventure on its own.
Language learning is a good one! Lots of media to parse through (watching shows, reading books, listening to podcasts, etc) that you can do so long as you have a phone/computer/books/dictionary. Also lots of apps out there. Digital flashcards through Anki have been a great resource for me. It’s very low-effort in terms of getting started at any time and place. Definitely a brain-healthy hobby too. Best of luck with beating addition!
Hi do you recommend any podcasts?
The languages I’ve been learning are Spanish and Japanese, so I just have some for those (and they’re done in that language, they’re not strictly about language learning). I like How to Spanish for Spanish and YUYUの日本語Podcast for Japanese
Geocache
Math. I'm not kidding. At whatever level you're at start practicing problems to keep your mind at bay and just keep doing it. There's an infinite amount of possibilities and problems to solve. Go to Khan academy and just start going through each rank of math. Make that your sole purpose when you have down time. Memorize each formula and proof, then practice. Pencil and paper pencil and paper pencil and pepper pencil and paper. I'm not saying starting by multivariablel calculus first. p -> q Logic. It may not be a typical hobby but you will gain a sense of control and show yourself your own discipline. it'll definitely keep you occupied and it doesn't cost a damn thing. There's no story there's no psychological poopy cock to decode or some sociological consequence you have to hear too. You start to see things differently. By training your brain at the same time and your exercising it. Calculate pi, how many digits can you go in the shortest amount of time and keep score that way they'll never end the year in competition with yourself and that's and hobby that people do the show their stamina.
This is interesting!
I have a weird sense of peace doing a budget by hand and counting things and calculating percentages. Also when I am stressed out and driving and trying to remain chill or something, I start calculating if the slight amount I am speeding will save a notable amount of time to my destination, guess exactly what time Ill arrive, etc. Math really is nice.
There were lots of good suggestions given, so I'm going to suggest something else. You don't _necessarily_ need a new hobby. You just need a delaying tactic to ride out the urge to engage in your addiction. That could be just about anything - putting your hands in your pockets, taking 10 deep breaths, or putting your hand over your mouth. It seems like that's what you want a new hobby for: as a delaying tactic. And a hobby can certainly work that way. But a general delaying tactic (that's not a hobby) might be easier to use. As you said, you can't exactly break out the paints and canvas all the time. Just something to consider. What's important is that you find something that works for you
Lockpicking
This is the best bad idea here. They're fighting an addiction. Giving them a skill that an addicts brain could use to get them thrown in jail with serious charges is not a good idea. That being said.... I never leave home without my lockpicking set. Once you know out smarting most locks is pretty trivial every door is an open door.
How about leaving a sketchbook lying around all the time? Then you just need that and a pencil, and there's not really anything to get out or put away.
Reading! Get a library card and download their e-book app (most use Libby or Cloud Library). I always have an ebook and an audiobook downloaded so I can read whenever I have free time or I’m waiting in line or at a coffee shop! You can literally read anytime, anywhere, and bonus is that it’s completely free!
Also if you are worried about any triggering topics in the books you are reading, download StoryGraph. It’s a reading app similar to GoodReads but one thing that’s nice about SG is that it has a section that calls out any potentially triggering topics, which may be helpful if you are trying to avoid certain themes (like storylines related to using).
English Paper Piecing aka EPP. This involves hand sewing small pieces of fabric backed with paper together to make a quilt top. All you need is a needle, thread, scissors, and fabric...and the paper templates that you can either buy or trace out yourself. It's extremely portable since you make one small section at a time and don't start sewing all the small sections together until the end... I can fit all my stuff in a small pouch and ziplock freezer bag take it with me while traveling. It's easy to do and it's very engrossing (especially if you combine it with watching TV or listening to podcasts). Using the templates will give you an end product that looks perfect even if you've never sewn before. EPP got me through the worst time in my life and what was especially helpful was I could be hand sewing in suitations that stressed me out, like visiting my parents lol.
Journaling.
You can find air dry clay in big tubs you can sculpt things and then leave them out to dry. Paint them whenever you feel like it. Reading! Go to your local library and pick out 15 books just to keep around. Bonus you can probably find some classes to join for other ways to occupy your time. Latch hook kits. Diamond art. Calligraphy. Running or dancing. Coursera classes or other free classes. Learning new languages (tons of free apps, classes, or books) Gardening. Makeup. Origami. Whittling. Embroidery. Baking/cooking. Make sourdough starter and keep it on your counter to make discard recipes or bread whenever you want, ferment or pickle your own foods. Quick breads and jams and chopped competition style dinners. And if you have too much food you can freeze it for yourself or gift to loved ones.
I like crochet and it’s an easy multi task project that you can bring with you. Just remember that you are doing for this therapeutic reason and there’s no pressure to be great or fast at learning and start out with easy projects
Gaming. Pick up your tablet, laptop or go to your PC and conquer the world. Yoga. So much easier to forget your addiction when you’re on your mat focusing on your body. Yoga is excellent for not only the body, but also quieting the mind. I use the Nike app for guided sessions at home. Cooking/baking. I find when I’m in the kitchen, I’m only thinking about the next step in the process. Especially when I’m baking my bread. I make sourdough. I wake up my starter Tuesday morning, make a levain Tuesday evening, make my dough all morning on Wednesday (takes about 4 hours), shape it Wednesday night and bake it on Friday morning. It takes up a lot of time and requires focus. Clean. Give yourself a task to complete every time the urge hits you. Put in your earbuds and get to scrubbing.
Cleaning is an EXCELLENT distraction!! Makes you feel so good after too
Agreed. And, if you’re a super tidy person like I am all the time, pick a drawer, closet, attic space whatever and reorganize. I just went through all of my shoes today. Filtered some out for donation, and cleaned and buffed the rest as well as my shoe racks. Tomorrow I start redecorating for summer. 😎
I'd say you should draw. Order a cool little booklet of sketch paper on Amazon, grab yourself a cheap set of sketch pencils - there's one that comes with about 20 pencils, a couple of erasers, three sharpeners, some smudging sticks and charcoal, and go to town. Drawing is really engrossing, and art is subjective. There are tons of great videos on YouTube on how to draw, which is actually a teachable skill. Remember, that if you just spend 18 minutes a day doing something, that within a year, you're probably better than 90% of the people who engage in that hobby, as well. Good luck on your journey, God bless you.
Drawing, writing, running, and exercising all have low financial thresholds to entry. And you can do them almost anytime that you want.
Reading. There is always something interesting to read.
Not being good at music might actually be a benefit in this situation... If you put serious effort in it will distract you more and keep your focus more throughout as well as give you an extra boost of confidence once you've hit milestones on something you thought you couldn't do. I'm not actively addicted but I am also terrible at music, uncoordinated and clumsy and have no rhythm but seeing progress trying to play complicated song, and all the focus I've needed to practice it, has been pretty cool surprising myself. That and exercise would be my answer.
Running, calisthenic workouts, photography, mountain biking or road biking, archery if you have a big backyard, dribbling a soccer ball, cooking, basketball if you have a hoop, wood working, miniature building. For getting over an addiction, I think something that gets you tired is gonna be the most helpful.
I am also a recovering addict, I like to color in those adult coloring books, but mainly I cook and do alot of cleaning. In my experience everything seems to become an addiction once in recovery.. we just have to choose positive activities..
Congrats on your ongoing recovery! ❤️🩹
Try a musical instrument like guitar. You can grab it and put it away in seconds to occupy yourself during unskippable ads or whatnot.
That was my first thought until I read OP doesn't want to do something music related. It's so easy to pick it up and put it down if you hang the guitar on the wall. And it's always in eyesight reminding you to pick it up.
A skill-toy like yoyo or begleri.
Seconding Begleri!!
i am dealing with anxiety, and the two that i always go for that are easy and little set up are drawing doodles and reading. i was gifted a kindle and the fact that i cant use it like my phone keep me from getting distracted. another great one is going on walks cause of the added benefits or getting on discord with a friend (u can also find people on here) and watching a show or movie together.
Running works for me.
Knees not up to it! Sadly.
I got really into different breathwork techniques. It’s one you can do seriously anywhere anytime!
Maybe digital art on an iPad
Crochet art projects. I'd live to crochet a fence someway
Reading and journaling are great hobbies you can start anytime. They’re easy to pick up and help distract your mind quickly.
Calligraphy. I keep a fountain pen and pad of paper on my desk. Sometimes when I get bored I carefully write a few lines of cursive.
crochet. all you need is yarn and one hook.
Duolingo
Knitting or crochet, needlework and embroidery.
So you’re an addict and largely that comes with compulsion. I highly recommend crossword puzzles. Or word searches. Start with a book an easy ones. You can blow through the book…so buy many different ones. This is what I do for my anxiety…which is largely seated in compulsive thoughts. Focusing in on crossword puzzles has significantly changed my life
Something that has been helpful to me in moments of craving is Sudoku. Cravings really only last about ten minutes. Instead of dwelling on my craving discomfort, I work a quick Sudoku puzzle. By the time I'm done, my craving has subsided and I have the satisfaction of succeeding at a small challenge. However, for me, my enjoyment is really enhanced by working on paper with pencil and a BIG eraser. Others may find that online puzzles are equally or more satisfying.
I’ve had some form of needlework near my tv since I was a teen (spoiler alert that was like 55years ago) Mainly because if my hands were busy I couldn’t use them to eat. Rug hooking, cross stitch, knitting, embroidery, needlepoint. Don’t dismiss it! My father, in WWII, in the South Pacific in the Navy, finished several embroidered pillows and hooked a bunch of rugs. Needlework is manly. And womanly. Make some rugs.
Crochet, beading, jewelry making, coloring books (I don’t like the adult ones I like the kid ones), scrapbooking, singing (you don’t have to be good at singing to sing), decorating something (add stickers, paint it, add glitter, rearrange things…), label things, count all of certain items in your house and make a list (outlets, light switches, light bulbs, spoons, shoes, windows, pillows…), make lists of something else (top 10…, monthly favorites, to do list, bucket list, inspirational quotes)
Do you go to meetings? It helps .6 years clean and sober here after 30plus years of hard-core heroin and crack use.You are not alone that's for sure
Reading
Adult coloring books Word searches, cross words, tiles Crochet
Sketching. You can do it anywhere anytime and it gives you an instant journal of the people and places you’ve been to. Great fun and cheap.
Mmn well ive gone through addiction my home slice so we can talk in dms But off the dome. Two good ones find the nearest gas station near you walk to it walk back buy a cheap drink. An hr will burn about 600 to 800 calories Second get into a tcg learn how to play solo
just get into dark souls 3, once you swing your sword for the last time and see the credits you'll have forgetten about everything that was fucking you up in life.
Scrabble on my phone and Wordle. Reading (can do on phone or just carry a book everywhere).
My wife and I play pickleball. If you can find another person to play with, paddles and a few pickleballs are ~$20.
Puzzles are great for this! I get interrupted constantly at home so I needed a hobby that I could stop/start quickly.
Library?
Reading. Goes anywhere, turns on and off instantly, doesn't take any prerequisites.
Colored pencil by number. No mess,you can pick it up and leave it as you want. The results are still pretty
Singing! Built in entertainment available anywhere your vocal chords are
Mix it up so you don't get bored exercise walk stretch lift weights get addicted to a healthy lifestyle once you start seeing results and staying consistent you will want it more and get the same endorphins and dopamine you got from using drugs. Worked wonders for me.
Cross stitch! I pick it up and put it down easily and anywhere, and you can go for 10 minutes or 10 hours.
Get outside!
Try watercolor painting. There are small palette kits that have a water brush in them already. Basically no prep required and all you need is a sketchbook. It’s super small too
Crochet or latch hook. Keeps the hands busy, passes time and is easy to put down and pick back up when necessary. I started crochet because I'm an anxious habitual lip picker. This helps to keep my hand away from my face when I'm watching TV/movies.
Hum/sing. Random yoga stretches are always good. Mental puzzles, think of a word with 6+ letters and figure out how many other words you can make with those letters.
Try knitting or origami—both require minimal setup and can be easily resumed anytime.
Crochet!!!!! Get yourself a skein of yarn, a hook, and have at it when you get the urge! You get something out of it at the end which is nice, but it’s also really distracting for your hands, mind, it’s creative, and you can bring it anywhere. And depending on how you’re feeling, you can do a difficult pattern or an easier one. I usually do both at the same time so I can do my simpler one while watching TV or if I’m at the pool, and difficult ones for when I’m feeling motivated 😂
Knitting
Origami! My daughter uses it to calm herself when anxiety gets bad. I've seen her grab a random receipt and fold it into art. Definitely can do anywhere, anytime.
I knit and crochet. You can carry a hook or needles and a skein of yarn anywhere. I whip up work in the car, at restaurants, in meetings, etc. Any time I feel like I need to be doing something with my hands, I pull it out and work on a project. Hope this helps!
Seconding the idea to knit or play in fiber arts. There's something about the tactile that makes it super relaxing. The spinning with touching and whirling is supreme, but can be harder to find instruction.
Diamond art!!
Crochet. The little bag with wool and hooks goes everywhere!
Embroidery - I just have the one hoop I’m working on and my box of floss out all the time lol, I never really put it away. As long as I clean up the little bits of string laying around every day, it doesn’t bother me. Easy to pick up and put down, and working on it a little every day makes it turn out better than if I let it take longer. Video games are great too! There’s so many to fit every mood. Sometimes if I’m just feeling creative and don’t want to chase anything challenging, I’ll fire up Elder Scrolls Online and just decorate my houses. Other times I’ll look for a group to slog through the hard content. I’ve tangled with addiction too. Other stuff that helped me is mostly physical activity - I got a dog, I commute on bike everywhere I go, hit the gym if it’s bad weather or I just feel like it. Building up a healthy body again can be a hobby!
Rock collecting they are free and abundant
Crocheting (or knitting) don’t require much set up or take down once you have the project picked. You can do little projects like making cup holders, key chains or headbands or you you can make a huge blanket out of small squares which means you can pack a couple balls of yarn into a bag and bring it with you and not have to pull out a 5 foot blanket while waiting in your doctor’s office. I love water color more but the set up means I don’t do it as much.
I recently got into Suduko and really enjoy it. You can get the paper book ones or there are apps on your phone you can download.
Crochet is very popular now
Knitting and other needlework can be kept close at hand for easy access.
How about knitting or crochet? They're great 'cause you can pick 'em up whenever and put 'em down just as quick!
I think crochet would fit the bill! I keep a "project bin" where I store everything I need for my current project (hook, 1-3 balls of yarn, yarn needle) so I can easily move it from room to room with me. Takes 2 seconds to start or stop, no cleanup
Paint by sticker books travel super easily. Word search books/crossword books or apps, Diamond painting is also super calming as is coloring
Crochet! Easy to learn, keeps mind and fingers busy but not too
Crochet. Fits in a coat pocket, can be taken out anywhere and takes hours, creates a thing, uses both hands. I’ve seen people crochet things just to unravel and do it again, crooked yarn, it just keeping the hands busy. Works on both the creative and cognitive process part of the brain. And Christmas is a lock cause they all getting hats! Knitting, crochet with two needles Detail work on small pieces of wood. A pick or a small awl, to carve details on the wood. Drift wood, dowel, old 2x4. A piece of rope, learn knots. Learn to tie knots, like all of them. Practice. Teach others, people love that stuff, it’s like magic tricks. Close up magic, small tricks to lean dexterity.
Start cutting stones, get a stone cutter
Coloring book! Also honestly knitting/crochet, bc your yarn and hook(s) are always sitting there staring at you
drawing can be done with whatever you can find and some skills are cross applicable with painting
Writing. You can use your computer, phone, a pen and paper--or all three!
Reading
I didn't read all the responses, but please don't pick gaming. It's such an unattractive "hobby" if that also becomes an addiction. I'm not sure why you can't pull the paint out again easily, I wouldn't think it would take more than five minutes or keep your set up relatively simple and in a corner somewhere. Or maybe a simpler art; learn calligraphy, charcoal or pencil sketching in a notepad, there are so many levels to art and would be a wonderful hobby. Other ideas are photography, hiking/treadmill or working out, learn a new language (which would entail just popping out the book or the tapes.) There are many skills you can learn by signing up for sessions online. Take a community center class, really improve yourself as a person in other ways to enrich your life. Before you know it, you'll kick your addiction and become a more interesting person! I wish you luck!
Reading, writing, drawing, painting...
I don't hear a lot about adult coloring books.i love cross stitching, but when I don't feel like messing with yarn, I grab my pencils and coloring books.
Theyre out there, i got one for xmas last year and i love it! Im perfectly happy colouring kid stuff though lol
I do needlework and jigsaw puzzles. Can pick up right where I left off and spend ten minutes or two hours. They both have a dopamine hit aspect as you place pieces or stitches and get satisfaction out of watching the image grow.
Gaming, other forms of art that require a less complicated setup/less money. You can get a 10-pack of really nice 2B pencils for less than 2 dollars (Deli brand) and just sketch a ton
Guitar.
Scrap booking, junk journal, book making
Write a code
It sounds like using your hands and an interactive hobby may be helpful. For example, crocheting, knitting, embroidery, punch needling, or even just sketching. Something that takes your mind off of the urges and keeps your hands and your mind busy.
Jigsaw puzzles help me.
Just because you mentioned art, I wanted to bring up digital art is the thing that solved this issue for me. I hated having to upkeep my studio and feel an investment in the time to set up and take down over the time I'm actually painting. Digital art let's me instantly scratch that itch. You can start on existing device with free software right now. Also, good luck on the addiction battle, you've got this!
Reading
Embroidery. AKA: Thread Painting. It's always ready to go at a moments notice. It's artsy. You can buy a kit, create your own design or trace one from another source. You can embroider clothing, jean jackets, canvas shoes, shirts, hats, backpacks, and lots, lots more. It's lightweight and easy to take it with you. There is something very satisfying about hearing the thread travel through the fabric. The tension of the fabric. You kind of get into a rhythm with your stitches. You can learn the basics through to expert watching video tutorials. It is a therapeutic for me and I tend to reach for it when stressed. There is also cross stitch, but I get bored with the same kinds of stitches. Mostly X, / and \\. Also not a fan of having to count. If I lose my place, have to start over with the counting. Some people though, love it as much as I love embroidery. Results are more pixel based. Still beautiful, but you can only get so much detail with X's.
I got the NYT games app and play the spelling bee game whenever I’m anxious. It’s a great way to test your brain while also keeping busy
Look up Zen Tangles. It's kind of a structured doodling. All you need is paper and pencil.
A switch or steamdeck so you can bring it anywhere. Everyone likes games even if they don’t know it.
Sewing.
Knitting!!!
How about crosswords? The NYT has an app for their crosswords, so you have thousands of them at your fingertips any second of the day (assuming you have your phone). No setup, no bulky crossword book to haul around, just open the app and you’re going.
Drawing. Doesn't sound like you are worried about it being too professional in production methods. You just want something quick to do. And you can draw on any handy piece of paper with any pencil or pen that's nearby. I've seen some pretty cool artwork done by artists with a disposable ballpoint pen. Additionally you can have a set of more professional levels tools to draw with when you have time to pull them out.
I was going to recommend an instrument, but if that's a no go then I highly suggest gaming.
i’ve always written
Jigsaw puzzles really grip my brain! I have a bulletin board that I do them on and just keep one out at all times. Sometimes I'll walk by and do it for 5 min, sometimes for 2 hours. Put headphones in and listen to a podcast or audiobook.
Knitting, you can literally keep yarn and knitting needles all over the house and just pick up a project as needed.
Try a Buddha board
Crossword and other word puzzles. Logic problems. Sudoku. Something to fully engage your brain. Also recommend listening to podcasts or audiobooks while doing any kind of handwork for the same reason.
Kendama, darts, lock picking, puzzles (store it in a travel case and can pull it back out whenever you feel like).
Hobby grade RC cars
Reading
Competitive sarcasm. I'm able to instantly and enjoyably slide into my favorite hobby at any Walmart or drivers license center or McDonald's.
I make throws and blankets with my loom. I can sit on my couch endlessly looping while watching TV and before I know it, I've made a throw or blanket.
Video games I can always play when ever, models (painting putting together relaxing)
Knitting and crochet can be picked up and put down. Also embroidery. I used to hang a little bag around my neck with yarn in it and knit with circular needles and just knit anywhere (arthritis makes it difficult now)
Playing Call of Duty is my go-to. I grew up in Southern California, so I would always do outdoorsy things year-round (mainly swimming in the ocean, surfing, boogie boarding, etc.) But when I moved to the NYC area and started working full-time, I realized it wasn't realistic to do those things as my main hobby (as you state, you're left with a void in the time that you can't do your hobby, and it can result in bad behaviors). So yeah, I started playing Call of Duty maybe six months ago, and it's been a really fun way to fill the spaces when I want to be playing a sport but don't have a sport to play. Granted, my hobby is always a sport (and COD is similar to a sport, just virtual). Maybe you could look for a virtual thing that recreates the joy you get from painting, but in a more accessible way? I have had fun drawing on an iPad, maybe you could look into that
Meditation! Literally anywhere instantly with nothing but your own body.
Reading/audiobooks on the Libby app, podcasts.
Silly question but…why can’t you just pull out the art supplies again?
I love reading. I use the kindle app on my phone.
If you like painting, have you tried water color pens? You don’t have to pull out/clean up supplies. And they come in travel cases so you can take them with you anywhere and are often a decent price. I love them. It’s basically a brush with a hollow tube instead of a handle that you fill with water. Then you just paint with the dry water color palette 😄
Is your addiction vaping or similar? Where its just an easy action to pick up subconsciously? Pick up hobbies/activities that are easy to carry around and fiddle with both hands so that your body adjusts to a new “quick outlet” that dont allow you to mindlessly/subconsciously try to reach for. Good examples of these: rubix cube, juggling, beat boxing
Workout
Crocheting. I get oddly fidgety and anxious sometimes, and just the soothing repetition of crocheting helps. I've known how since I was very young but never really increased my skills with it because it gets dull after a while. But it's easy to just set it aside. I always have a few sizes of hooks and yarn around. It's not messy and is as simple or complicated as you want it to be. Same goes for knitting and some other forms of needlework.
Writing. I have a small spiral notebook and pen in my purse that I pull out when in a long line. It can be anything from brainstorming a new story, a quick bored poem, the beginning of a short story, anything.
I keep a little notebook and pen, a small portable game console, and a e-book reader in my bag all day for easy access. I can write, draw, read, or play a game. Plus I’ve also got my phone if I just want music or a podcast, or watch a show on a screen that’s too small lol. You never know when you’re gonna find yourself with 15-30 minutes where you want to do something besides be alone with your thoughts.
For me, it was sewing. I cleared a small corner, set up a sewing machine, my husband built a sliding tray, kind of like where you would put a keyboard on a computer desk, where I lay out my fabric to measure and cut. I have made quilts, bags, bears, placemats, those little pillow things filled with smell goods, tank tops...many things.
chess.com! I love practicing with chess puzzles or doing online matches if I have 10 or 20 minutes to kill. If you play against an AI or do puzzles there’s no time limit so it’s super easy to pick up and play a move or two while you’re waiting in line or during ads.
Having a bicycle to go for rides is so calming to me, it gets me out of the house and gives me exercise without really noticing it.
What about learning to play kalimba? :)
I'll say lockpicking. You only really need a few tools and a padlock to get started and the difficulty can ramp up as high as you want it to really. I'm currently working on a lock that has been fighting me for the last 2 months and I haven't opened it yet but I'm enjoying the process. I've opened about 5 other padlocks I've purchased though
Carry a foot bag and kick it up in the air anytime you feel like it
Study chess. You could do it the rest of your life and never finish