Sober Singles: Dating While in Recovery
After more than two years into the pandemic, singles seeking love are turning away from virtual dates and venturing back outside for face-to-face meetups. Dating outside your house, for many people, means meeting up at a bar or club. However, for singles in addiction recovery that can be an uncomfortable or triggering situation.
It’s challenging to find someone you are compatible with and it’s even more difficult getting back on the dating scene while in recovery. However, you are not alone and there are many resources (including this blog) to help you navigate sober dating.
How Long Should You Wait to Date?
There isn’t a set “rule” on how long you should wait to date after you have begun your recovery journey. However, many experts recommend waiting 1 year after becoming sober before dating. They recommend 1 year because dating can introduce emotions and situations that can complicate sobriety.1
Although the temptation may be strong, here are some reasons why it’s a good idea to stay a sober single (at least for a while) and wait to date:
- Strengthen this new sober version of you.
- Focus on recovery.
- Establish emotional stability.
- Develop a sober support network of friends.
- Build confidence.
- Learn your triggers.
Take this time to instead get comfortable with the new you and build a strong support system for your sobriety. Research on addiction has found that support from other recovering peers can help provide coping strategies and hope during trying times.2 By creating a solid foundation of supportive friends and family, you can be better prepared for the inevitable lows that accompany the highs of dating.
Meeting Someone in the Sober Scene
When you are ready to re-enter the dating world as a sober adult, there are lots of online and in-person resources. If you prefer finding love through the comfort of your cell phone, there are many sober dating apps to explore including:3
- Clean and Sober Love.
- SoberSinglesDate.
- Loosid.
- Sober Grid.
- I Am Sober.
But don’t feel like you need to limit yourself to sober dating apps. Other apps like Hinge let preferred members filter for users who also chose to not use drugs and alcohol. You can furthermore specify on your profile that you prefer meeting a like-minded sober significant other.
If you prefer meeting people in person instead of online, there are a lot of great local resources near Tampa, FL. One great resource is The Phoenix, a sober active community where the cost of membership is 48 hours of sobriety. Class offerings include book clubs, boxing, camping, hiking, music, rock climbing, and much more. The Phoenix also hosts social events for sober individuals to connect with other sober individuals. They have locations all across the United States, including Tampa, and also offer online classes.
Relationships and Relapse
Another reason to wait to date at least a year is that although relationships can be wonderful and beneficial, they can also lead to negative outcomes. Rejection, arguments, and break-ups are all parts of relationships that can trigger using drugs/alcohol again after quitting, also known as a relapse.
Mentioning these potential consequences isn’t to scare you into not dating, it is to make you aware of the extra layer addiction recovery adds to the bumpy road to love. Having a loving partner has helped many in their addiction recovery. Famous country singer Keith Urban credits his wife Nicole Kidman to his success in sobriety after battling drug and alcohol addiction for many years with multiple stays in rehab.4
Rehab for Alcohol & Drugs Near Tampa
River Oaks Treatment Center near Tampa, FL offers substance addiction treatment for individuals beginning their recovery or for those who have experienced a relapse and need to re-enter rehab. Each patient’s treatment is tailored to their unique needs and offered on a continuum of care that includes:
- Medically assisted detox.
- Inpatient/residential addiction treatment.
- Outpatient addiction treatment.
- Partial hospitalization programs (PHP).
- Intensive outpatient programs (IOP).
Start the admissions process today or learn more about our rehab programs by reaching out to our admissions navigators available 24/7 at .
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