Why Dating is a Bad Idea in Alcohol or Drug Addiction Recovery
You may have heard that dating while in alcohol or drug addiction recovery is dangerous territory, and while many sober coaches, sponsors, and therapists advise against it but how much truth is there in this age-old rule?
Should You Date in Alcohol or Drug Addiction Recovery?
The short answer? It’s probably not a great idea. Let us tell you why.
#1. You Should Really Be Focused on Your Drug Addiction Recovery
Dating in general is tough and time consuming. From the butterflies to the impromptu date nights to the first real fight, dating can be quite the distraction from your everyday responsibilities and ultimately from your recovery.
#2. Jumping In Too Soon Can Lead to Relapse
Getting back on the dating train too soon can be bad for business in early recovery. When you aren’t fully committed to yourself and your recovery you could end up trading one high for another. The feel-good hormones that are synonymous with those lovely first few months of hanging out with someone special are awesome – but can replace your drug of choice to become your new fix. Which is toxic for you and your new potential love.
#3. Your Physical and Mental Health is Not Great
This may sound harsh but, think about your addiction as a disease or sickness – which is exactly what it is. When you’re sick, what do you want to do? You want to get better. Because being sick sucks. You want to sit around your apartment, drink tea, eat soup, and Netflix your favorite movies. You will never get better if you don’t put all your focus on doing so and entering a relationship grounded in your recovery will be better for you and all parties involved.
#4. Alcohol and Drug Treatment is Tough Stuff
Seriously. When you are in residential drug rehab, you are on a path of self discovery, which sounds way more fun that it often is. Stuff comes up from your past and you learn things about yourself that help you to figure out how you came to start using in the first place. It is so necessary to reach long-term recovery but it’s usually not pretty. So, starting something up with someone new when you are in this in-between stage with yourself can really only lead to disaster. It’s not fair to you and it’s definitely not fair to the other person.
This isn’t all to say that dating in recovery can’t ever be done and that you should avoid relationships of any kind like the plague. However, as we said you’re recovery is should be a top priority and it’s better to be safe than sorry.
If you or someone you love could benefit from outpatient addiction treatment, contact Discovery Transitions today at +1-(866)-916-3211 to speak to an addiction counselor. We can provide information about the treatment programs at our intensive outpatient addiction treatment center and answer any questions you might have about your addiction and recovery.
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