Ten Ways to Have Fun in Sobriety!
“Well now that I am sober, what am I supposed to do? I’m not going to be fun anymore.”
We hear this response quite often for people that are either considering becoming sober or are newly sober. We live in a society that encourages binge drinking as well as drug use in any possible occasion whether it is to celebrate, to morn, when you’re bored, when you are lonely, when you are with your friends, and any other possible scenario.
In the spirit of National Recovery Month (Recovery Month), a national observance held every September to advocate and support all things recovery, we wanted to share some tips for those of you worried about your life being over now that you are sober. We get it, that fear makes sense; however, becoming sober does not have to about making limitations to your life, but rather ways to expand your life. Most of our patients who are sharing this concern are in a position in their life where substances have hindered their quality of life and those around them. Often, the substance use has resulted in legal problems, isolation, mental health problems, career problems, and more. As you can see, the substance use often limits one’s fullest potential.
Let’s get to the good news—YOU CAN STILL HAVE FUN SOBER AND PROBABLY HAVE MORE FUN THAN YOU COULD IMAGINE!
Some initial reflection:
- What is a hobby of yours that you have put aside when using or drinking became a higher priority?
- What is something you have wanted to do but felt you could not do it sober?
The beauty of living in southern California is that
- The recovery communities are MASSIVE here and
- There are so many fun adventures to have while living a sober lifestyle.
Here is a list of ideas:
- Watch a sunrise that was hard to wake up for due to hangovers or being out all night
- Hike a mountain—you have plenty of options!
- Develop a social network through 12-step, SMART, Refuge, Meet-up groups, and more for building new friendships!
- Learn a new instrument and use your recovery for inspiration in making new music!
- Surfing and snorkeling
- Learn to cook foods that can improve your physical and mental health
- Concerts with sober community
- Travel with sober community and remember the trip
- Attend recovery conferences
- Learn ways to manage cravings, anxiety, and depression with meditation and yoga
Resources for support and sober activities in San Diego!
https://rm.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org/
https://aa.org/
https://www.smartrecoverysd.org/
https://www.meetup.com/find/?keywords=sober&source=EVENTS
https://www.soberafe.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwpreJBhDvARIsAF1_BU19m2HmS0bzW3a8A7LDg_FG862LbSYBxcvd4NVcpZmv5UJiYJudtoEaAoVsEALw_wcB
At Hills Neuroscience, we offer therapy approaches for those suffering from substance use problems with a blend of eastern and western approaches via individual therapy, group therapy, massage, acupuncture, cranial sacral therapy, trauma-informed substance use interventions (i.e. EMDR), and more.
To schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation to see if our services are right for you, call +1 858 880-4019.
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