Getting (and staying) sober is no easy feat—especially when you’re a dating recovering alcoholic. According to an article in Psychology Today, only around a third of those who have been abstinent from drugs and alcohol for less than a year will remain sober in the long-term. Though there’s the obvious initial difficulties of finding help, overcoming physical and psychological cravings, and replacing any problematic friends or acquaintances who may still be hanging around, the less obvious challenges like finding romantic partners also make the road ahead difficult.
For most “normies,” modern dating presents all kinds of challenges to meeting people all on its own—and it’s only becoming more and more popular as a way to meet romantic partners. According to a study published in The Journal of Popular Economics, the prevalence of online dating has likely been responsible for a 33% increase in marriages (as compared to a hypothetical world where these apps and services didn’t exist). While the data seems to show that dating online actually produces great outcomes for finding good life partners, the picture isn’t so clear for a dating recovering alcoholic.
As anybody who has been on a dating app knows, much of the work of getting acquainted happens in the texts before even meeting the other person. Though this can help foster a deeper connection, it can also put a lot of pressure on the first actual date. When the first date finally comes, the chances are pretty high that both people involved are going to want to order drinks to ease into the evening. And according to statistics from Alcohol.org, more than 60% of those polled even reported drinking before the date to get relaxed. Needless to say, any dating recovering alcoholic is going to have trouble in situations like these.
While it’s obvious that being pushed into a situation where drinking is nearly required might increase the chance of relapse, there’s also the less-serious but still-unpleasant possibility of having to explain why you don’t drink on a first date. Because drinking on dates is such a normalized part of American life, not imbibing draws a lot of attention to itself—and away from whatever potential connection you and your date might have. Dating recovering alcoholics already have plenty of pressure to maintain their sobriety on their own without adding someone else into the mix. Still, everyone deserves the chance to meet that someone special.
Fortunately, these old obstacles to sober dating don’t have to be the case anymore thanks to First Beat Media’s dating services specifically for the dating recovering alcoholic. Like any other online dating app or service, all new users can download the app, fill out a profile with relevant details, upload a picture of themselves and start browsing their potential new dates almost immediately. Although the way the site works is similar to any other online service, everyone on the app has already been prescreened and sorted to consist only of those in recovery. That way, any pressure to drink on the first date is automatically taken out of the equation.
Although online dating services and apps have revolutionized modern dating, they’ve largely left sober communities behind. Up until now, these apps have gone hand-in-hand with increased use of alcohol—though First Beat Media has proven that doesn’t need to be the case. With these new services, recovering alcoholics and addicts can find a safe community to look for their perfect partner (or just their next romantic fling). No matter what people choose to use these services for, nobody would argue that everyone deserves the right to meet someone that they can share their life with. No matter how difficult that might’ve been in the past, First Beat Media has created a service that helps all dating recovering alcoholics who are looking for love.
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.
