Dating in Recovery: Why Wait a Year?

When you first get out of rehab, it’s natural and normal to feel quite disoriented, confused, scared, and overwhelmed. After all, there’ no drug or alcohol to cushion you from the hurdles of life and the real world. This is why it’s best to be prepared for your new life in recovery and to focus on self-care. Doing these things will help you avoid relapse and therefore set you up for lasting, life-long recovery.

Still, being in recovery is no walk in the park. There will be many challenges that can cause you mental and emotional turmoil. This is exactly why addiction professionals recommend that you wait for one full year before you start dating. That is, of course, if you’re single.

Dating in Recovery: The First Year

The first year of recovery is volatile. This is when you are barraged by many things that will challenge the foundation of your sobriety. Having strong emotions, such as the uncertainty and demands of a new relationship, and even an ensuing breakup, can put your sobriety at risk, making you more vulnerable for relapsing.

Let’s take a look at some of the most common challenges when you’re dating in recovery.

Dating in Recovery

1. Anxiety. Being around new people or not being with your friends in active addiction can give you social anxiety. This can then cause you to crave for your addictions as a form of escape or release.
2. Societal pressure. You may feel pressured into sharing about your time in rehab as well as your struggles in sobriety, which you may readily share with people you’ve just met or may harshly judge you.
3. Increased exposure to triggers. Dating in recovery will mean you will expose yourself physically, emotionally, and mentally to pressures and demands of new relationships.
4. Distractions. Being in early recovery means you have to focus on yourself, practicing self-love, which can do wonders for a lifelong recovery.When you start dating early in your recovery, you become distracted from the things you should be doing.

Despite these warnings, you still can’t tall how secure you are with yourself and with your recovery.

For help with your own struggle against drug, alcohol, and gambling addiction, call or text us at 09175098826.