Imagine you’re on a date – you and your partner may go out for a drink, or you have a glass of wine (or two) at dinner, or you order a cocktail at a dine-in movie theater.
While alcohol is often part of socializing, not everyone can partake, especially those who are in addiction recovery. Often receiving treatment for alcoholism requires many changes at home, including how spouses spend their time together. If you or your spouse have quit drinking, you may wonder about sober ways to celebrate special occasions. Whether your anniversary is coming up or you just want to have a fun night with your loved one, below are some non-drinking date ideas you can try.
20 Sober Date Ideas You Should Try
As a drug rehab in Texas, we understand how common alcohol is, especially within the average date setting. Whether you’re at a restaurant or the movie theater, alcohol is often readily available. However, it can be difficult to find non-drinking date ideas for special occasions, especially if you or your spouse is in addiction recovery.
Luckily, the team at our Banyan Texas rehab shares 20 sober date ideas below that you can use to celebrate a special occasion or just have fun with your partner.
- Satisfy your sweet tooth by splitting a sundae
- Try some new cuisine at a local food truck
- Enjoy the ambiance and some fresh coffee at your local coffee shop
- Work on the partnership by practicing yoga together
- Test each other’s skills by playing sports
- Check out some fun and quirky art at a local art museum
- Marvel at the stars in a planetarium
- Embrace the kid-at-heart at your nearest water park
- See your hometown through new eyes by visiting local tourist attractions
- Enjoy some coffee or hot chocolate under the stars
- Test your physical endurance on a hike
- Take a romantic stroll past the tigers at the zoo
- Race each other at the ice-skating rink
- Pick out some potentially new furnishings at IKEA (their meatballs are also fantastic)
- Check out the fresh produce and hand-made trinkets at your local farmer’s market
- Enjoy the outdoors with some homemade food on a picnic
- Enjoy a good movie in the comfort of your own car at a drive-in
- Warm up under the sun and inhale the salty air at the beach
- Test each other’s skills with video games
- Stay at home and watch your favorite movies on the couch
While this process may be challenging or even awkward at first, sober dates don’t have to be boring or restricted. If anything, it can be fun to find new things that you and your spouse can enjoy together without relying on alcohol to have a good time.
Eventually, you’ll learn which places and activities best suit your relationship. Once you and your spouse learn what to avoid, planning fun sober dates will be easier. What’s more, not only can these changes help you grow closer together, but they also allow you to play an active role in your spouse’s sobriety or help you maintain your own.
Additional Tips on How to Date Sober
If you’re in addiction recovery and want to get back into the dating game, there’s a safe way to go about it. It’s recommended that individuals in addiction recovery wait at least a year before they get into any romantic relationships unless they were already in one prior to their treatment. Similarly, our specialists also encourage clients to disconnect themselves from anyone outside of rehab, as they may encourage them to use drugs or drink.
But if you’ve been sober for a while and you’ve hit the point where you want to start dating, below are some tips for dating sober that can help you enjoy yourself without jeopardizing all of your hard work.
- Let the other person know you don't drink before the date. This will set a precedent for the date and even help you both plan out a date that each of you will
- You don’t have to explain or defend your sobriety. If they’re questioning your decision to not drink or even encouraging drinking, then you know this person isn’t the one.
- Being sober doesn’t mean you can only date sober people, but this can be dangerous. If things do progress and you eventually want to live together or spend more time together, and they drink, that means you’re going to be around alcohol more frequently. While they might agree to not keep alcohol in the house, should you live together, this and various other scenarios can be tricky and even dangerous to maneuver if you aren’t established in your sobriety.
- Be comfortable sharing your story… eventually. Being sober is nothing to be ashamed of, and if things go well with this person, you’ll eventually have to open up more about yourself, including your sobriety. Though you don’t have to discuss it right away, be prepared to have this conversation.
If you’re struggling with drug or alcohol use or know someone who is, don’t wait to get help. Banyan Treatment Centers Texas offers various drug and alcohol treatment programs as well as medically monitored detox to aid in your recovery. Call us today at 888-280-4763 or send us your contact information, and we’ll reach out to you.
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