Without a doubt, getting sober is a huge accomplishment—but what most people don’t take into account are the difficulties people face after they get sober. In addition to staying away from drugs and alcohol, many people in recovery also need to re-engineer their social lives to avoid anybody who tempted them or caused problems for them in the past. And for anyone who can’t make a new group of supportive friends and colleagues, loneliness or social isolation can quickly lead back to relapse. Though there are obviously plenty of aspects of sobriety that hold life or death importance, what often goes undiscussed are the problems faced by sober singles dating.
Though it goes without saying, the landscape of modern dating has changed significantly throughout even the 21st century. In the past, the courtship period was longer and slower. Today, technology has accelerated the speed of life so much that we often don’t have much time to slow down and get to know someone. For any sober singles dating, this can present some unique problems. According to 2015 data from the Pew Research Center, 59% of people think online dating is a favorable way to meet people (up from 44% in 2005). Still, meeting online can often mean you think you know the person you’re meeting better than you do before you meet in person. And when you do meet in person, there’s a good chance that alcohol will be involved to make everyone feel at ease…which is a problem for anyone in recovery.
Although sharing sobriety isn’t the only valuable predictor for whether a relationship between two sober singles dating will be successful, it’s definitely a helpful thing to know. Still, it remains something of a social faux pas to turn down drinks on a first date, or to launch into a long explanation about why you now abstain from drugs and alcohol as a result of your past. All of these things present additional blocks to intimacy and connection, two things that can help recovering singles preserve their sobriety. Though it goes without saying, everybody deserves the chance to meet someone special and to be happy. Fortunately, now there’s a better way.
Though online dating apps and sites have previously been less than optimal for sober singles dating, First Beat Media has new services to change all that. Like any other online dating service, new users can log in, upload pictures, fill our their profile with relevant information, list their interests and start browsing for other single members to connect with. Still, the crucial difference is that First Beat Media’s dating services have already pre-sorted their pool to include only people who are sober and in recovery. This way, anybody who makes a connection with someone online before meeting them won’t have to worry about how to navigate the first date—instead, they can focus only on expressing themselves and making a good first impression.
According to statistics from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism from 2015, more than 15 million people ages 18 and older have or develop alcohol use disorders in their lifetime. Though the damaging effects of these disorders are self-evident, only about 6.7% of men and 5.4% of women actually get treatment. Needless to say, getting sober is a huge accomplishment—and it shouldn’t be a hindrance for anyone looking to make a connection in the future. Fortunately, First Beat Media’s dating services are closing the gap for sober singles dating. Whether they’re looking for a long-term partner or just a short-term romance, these services will let users get back on the market in a safe and controlled way. After all, being sober shouldn’t make it any harder to find that someone special.
Sponsored DISCLAIMER: This is a paid advertisement for California Behavioral Health, LLC, a CA licensed substance abuse treatment provider and not a service provided by The Fix. Calls to this number are answered by CBH, free and without obligation to the consumer. No one who answers the call receives a fee based upon the consumer’s choice to enter treatment. For additional info on other treatment providers and options visit www.samhsa.gov.
