You don’t have to drink to have fun with your friends. For alcohol addicts, I know that sounds like a strange concept, but it’s true. I regularly tell clients about different fun alcohol-free social activities. Check out some of these fun sober activities that don’t involve alcohol.
1. Walk the Neighborhood
Meet a friend or gather your family for a daily walks around your home’s development or local park. Talk about the best and worst parts of your day, share dreams for the future or discuss current events as you ask open ended questions , deepen your relationships and interact with your neighbors.
2. Cook a Meal
Do you have a specialty dish or a recipe passed down from your grandmother? Grab your friends, pots and pans and get cooking. Additionally, try new recipes, add exotic spices to your favorite dishes, recreate restaurant dishes or make your personal comfort foods before enjoying a delicious meal together.
3. Read a Book
Social activities like book clubs get you out of the house and around friends who share your passion for literature, sci-fi or history. It doesn’t matter if you join an organized group, start your own book club or informally read a favorite genre or author with your best friend. What does matter is that you’re enjoying a fun activity and your friends without alcohol.
4. Plan a Barbecue
Everyone needs to eat, so invite friends to join you for a cookout on the grill at your house or at a park. You can provide the grill, sturdy plates and silverware, plenty of napkins, a cooler filled with bottled water, soda and lemonade and lawn games like Frisbee or volleyball while your friends bring the meat and side dishes for your tasty barbecue.
5. Play Games
Put down the beer and pick up a deck of cards as you play a game of Rummy, try your hand at Pictionary or beat the world-record 61-hour Monopoly marathon . Whichever game you choose to play provides hours of fun and keeps your mind and your hands busy.
6. Participate in Sports
Hiking, swimming, soccer, rock climbing, karate and biking are the first six activities that come to my mind when I think of sports, but the possibilities are limitless. Join your local fitness club or YMCA with your friends and spend quality time together as you tone your body, improve your mood and hang out socially.
7. Serve Someone
Together, you and your family or friends can meet someone else’s needs as you serve someone. Volunteer at a homeless or animal shelter , visit a nearby nursing home or join the public library fundraising committee. The donation of your time enriches someone else’s life and fulfills you.
8. Share a Hobby
With your spouse, kids or friends, fire up the power tools in your garage and fashion a table from salvaged beams . If woodworking isn’t your thing, take up painting, make jewelry, bake desserts or carve bonsais. A hobby provides hours of entertainment and enjoyment for you and your friends.
9. Clear out Clutter
I know you’re wondering why cleaning earns a spot on a list of social activities, but it’s a task that’s definitely more fun to do with a friend. Plus, addressing your home’s clutter brings you one step closer to long-term sobriety. So, grab a trashcan and your friend as you clean out your closet, attic or junk drawers and create a peaceful and clean home.
Just because you want to stay sober doesn’t mean you have to stay locked up in your bedroom. Get out and socialize. My list of nine social activities keeps you occupied and ensures you have fun without alcohol.
Implementing New Sober Activities Into Your Lifestyle with Morningside Recovery
One of the keys to a successful relapse prevention is having a solid support group helping you along. Morningside Recovery offers several great programs to teach you new life skills and sober activities such as group therapy, family therapy, and an aftercare program. Call Morningside Recovery at 855-271-2252 today for more information on treatment options and sober activities.
By Angela Lambert
Photo by: makelessnoise (Flickr)
