Staying sober does not mean that you have to remain in solitude in a dark room. You likely thought that you were having fun when you were drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana, using prescription opioids, heroin, cocaine or other drugs. Perhaps you knew that you needed treatment at a recovery center such as The Ranch, but you thought fun sober activities didn’t exist. After all, the people at the bar laughed and danced the night away, and the people you used with seemed to have fun while they used their drugs.
Perhaps you are afraid that being sober means that your social life is over. Some people possibly believe that there are no fun activities for people that do not use alcohol or other drugs. Maybe you have a dual diagnosis disorder, and fear that other people will not like you when you are sober.
There are several myths about being sober yet not having fun sober activities to engage in after completing a treatment program. Learn the truth about how to have fun and still maintain your sobriety.
The Fear of Socializing While Sober
There are some people that potentially never attended a social activity or met with friends unless they had a drink in their hand or drugs in their pocket. Are you one of those individuals? You likely heard all the myths, and fear that your fun is over since you became sober.
There are many activities that sober people become involved in, and yes, they do have fun. The National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) points to the fact that behavioral therapies in treatment helps clients to make the most of their readiness for treatment, and their readiness for change. Learning to stay sober while having fun is possibly a test of your readiness to change from the belief that the only way to have fun is to be under the influence of alcohol or other drugs that you used before entering treatment.
Learn to participate in fun sober activities, without feeling that you have to return to your former lifestyle just to have friends or engage in social activities.
Fun Sober Activities
Do you have a hobby that you used to enjoy before your addiction? Perhaps, while in treatment at The Ranch, you discovered a variety of activities that you enjoy, that also provides relaxation, along with sober fun. Some examples of fun activities without using include:
- Fishing or camping
- Engaging in sports
- Hiking or traveling
- Going to a restaurant that does not serve alcohol
- Meeting new friends at sober social activities
- Have sober friends over for watching movies or to eat lunch or dinner with you
- Attending sober social events
Fun Sober Activities Possibly Help You Avoid Certain Risks
Do not listen to people that tell you that it is okay to ‘just have one drink,’ or to ‘just hit it once.’ This scenario likely jeopardizes your sobriety. PsychCentral explains that going around your old hangouts is ‘particularly dangerous.’ Instead, have some non-alcoholic drinks, food, and fun with people that stay sober. Avoid temptations that jeopardize your sobriety, and enjoy the fun of healthy relationships.
When you build a strong social network, you likely spend time with people in that network. Throw a barbecue, plant a community garden, or find a volunteer opportunity. Every community likely has agencies, companies, or pet shelters that need volunteers. Choose something that you like, and contact the business to start your fun volunteer activity.
You do not have to spend money to join a gym. Start an exercise program at your own home, or find one in your neighborhood, or in your peer support group.
Treatment and Fun Sober Activities
Learning to discover fun sober activities is part of the treatment process. This is what you go through healing at The Ranch. Our empathetic treatment team realizes you likely engaged in social activities while using, but did not know how to enjoy sober activities. Utilize the lessons that you learn in treatment, and keep this with you even after you leave treatment and enter aftercare, or live in the community.
Learn more about recovery at The Ranch. Contact us at 717.969.9126, and learn to take back control over your life, including learning how to enjoy fun sober activities.
