One of the hardest adjustments for a recovering alcoholic or drug addict having gone through rehab is finding activities that don’t involve alcohol. Going out to to restaurants that serve alcohol and bars with your friends are no longer an option. Here are some fun ideas for things you can do that don’t involve alcohol:
1. Watch a Movie: Movies can be a great way to escape without drugs or alcohol. Either go to a theater with a friend, or rent a few videos you can watch for a movie marathon at home.
2. Play a Sport: When doing drugs or drinking, interest in sports or exercising usually is nonexistent. There are plenty of sports you can do – fishing, baseball, basketball, tennis, hockey, or soccer. If playing on a team isn’t your thing, you can get a gym membership, lift weights, go jogging, or take a walk.
3. Go Out for Breakfast: Breakfast is a great meal to go out for that doesn’t involve the pressure or temptation to order a drink. You can go out with friends, or buy a paper while you enjoy some good old breakfast food like eggs or pancakes.
4. Read a Book: Reading is also another great way to escape without using drugs or alcohol. You can visit a library or bookstore either alone or with a friend, and look for some great new things to read.
5. Take a Class: If you have the extra time, taking a class on something you enjoy can be a lot of fun. You can take classes on photography, pottery, art, cooking, literature, business, web design, bird watching. It can also be a great way to meet new people who aren’t involved in drugs or alcohol.
6. Visit a Museum: A museum is a great place to have fun without alcohol and brush up on some history and art at the same time.
7. Go to the Zoo: The zoo is another often forgotten about place you can visit and see all kinds of animals to get your mind off of drinking or drugs.
8. Volunteer: There are many places you can go to volunteer – homeless shelters, church groups, etc. Giving back to your community can be a very rewarding way to keep you occupied to stay away from drugs and alcohol.
Do you have any things you enjoy doing that don’t involve drugs or alcohol? Feel free to leave your ideas in the comments below.
9: play a computer game! Especially online games can be so much fun that you can really lose track of time.
I agree about getting active – sport releases all kinds of endorphins which give you a natural high – without the hangover!
You could also try extreme activities like bungi jumping if you’re after a rush – as long as it doesn’t leave you needing a drink!
-Learn a new language (or try!) – Let’s say you have always wanted to learn French or way back in school you learned some SPanish/German/Russian/whatever but don’t really remember much of it– go to Borders or a local bookstore and pick up a disc that you can put on your ipod (listen while running— combines 2 of these!) or in your car/at home- and get one inexpensive intro lesson book— online and you can find tons of resources too… it’s a fun way to pass an hour or so a day alone at the house, or you can study out at a bookstore and meet new people…. or try to find a friend to learn it with you too! It can be really fun… and a great way to keep your mind busy!
i need help… i drink everyday of the bloody week!!! and these things dont even remotely sound interesting to me… :’(