7 Sober Activities to Enjoy at the Weekend

Sep 22, 2016 | Blog, Recovery

When a person walks away from a life of drug and alcohol use and decides to start living sober, they often find that they are not entirely sure what to do with themselves – especially at the weekend. But sober life does not have to be boring! Read on for sober ways to have fun.

7 sober ways to have fun at the weekend

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    • As many discover, sober living is actually a lot more fun and fulfilling than living in the haze of addiction. Try these seven sober weekend activities.

For those who have completed addiction treatment and are entering recovery, finding ways to keep yourself occupied and entertained can be challenging. This is to be expected when drugs or alcohol have been such an important part of your life for so long. Once you have committed to staying sober, you are likely to find that at times, you are not completely sure what to do with yourself.

But as many discover, sober living is actually a lot more fun and fulfilling than living in the haze of addiction. The trick is finding ways to keep yourself occupied – especially when Friday evening rolls around.

With that in mind, here are some sober ways to have fun at the weekend:

1. Volunteer

For people who are stepping into a new life of sobriety, finding purpose can be a challenge. This is a natural result when you have invested so much time and energy into altering the state of your mind. Once you have decided to stay sober, it is a good idea to look for activities that fulfil you. Giving back to your local community by volunteering is a great way to do this.  It is also a great way to meet people who share common interests other than partying.  Just check in with local community organisations, charities or religious groups to see if they could use any help. The answer will almost certainly be yes.

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2. Study a Language

Studying a language is a great idea for several reasons. To begin with, learning new languages is good for your brain. Studies have found that speaking two or more languages makes you a better problem solver, boosts multitasking ability, staves off dementia and improves memory and decision-making skills. And that is without even considering the cultural and professional benefits of actually being able to speak a foreign language. Learning a new language would be difficult if you were not staying sober, so why not take advantage of this opportunity?

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3. Host a Party

Some would even say it is the host’s duty to stay sober at their own party. However, hosting a sober party works best when the guests stay sober as well. With that in mind, make sure that those who will be attending are clear that this is going to be a sober party, and that there is no need to BYOB. In this case, your duty as host will be to plan some fun games or activities to ensure that everyone has a good time. Here are a few ideas:

  • Barbecuing
  • Playing or watching sports
  • Swimming
  • Hiking
  • Building a bonfire
  • Playing cards or board games

It is also a good idea to plan the party earlier in the day. And make sure to keep everyone well fed, as this will help to curb any desire to drink alcohol.

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4. Plan a Film Festival

If you are a movie buff, planning a film festival can be a lot of fun. You do not have to be a filmmaker to stage a good film festival. Instead, you can play the role of the curator, assembling a list of some of your favourite films so that you can share them with your friends.

You will need to make a few decisions before you get too far into the planning process. To begin with, determine whether you are going to make a day of it by screening several films, or if you are going to just show a movie or two. You will also want to decide whether there is going to be a running theme with your movie selection.

Finally, mix it up a little – especially if you are having several friends over. Make a point of alternating genres and movie types. This helps to ensure that you have lined up a selection of films to suit a variety of tastes.

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5. Write a Song

Writing music is a great activity for creative people. If you are already musically inclined, then you probably have your own ideas about the writing process. But even if you have never played an instrument in your life, there is still a lot to enjoy about creating music. Here is a straightforward tutorial on song writing for beginners.

One of the things that makes song writing such a great sober activity is that it serves as an outlet for your thoughts and feelings. Writing in general is widely recognised as a strong recovery tool, as it helps you explore your feelings as you get them down on paper. Song writing takes this to the next level by adding music as a powerful mode of expression.

Just bear in mind that writing even a short song is going to require a significant time investment. You will not perfect it in a day. But that is a good thing, as it gives you an activity to keep you occupied as you progress through the addiction recovery process.

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6. Join a Sporting League

There are so many reasons to look to sport when you are trying to stay sober. For one thing, it is difficult to excel at a sport when you are constantly getting high or nursing a hangover. Secondly, sport is inherently social, which means you have a built-in support structure of friends and teammates.

Finally, exercise of any kind releases dopamine in the brain, which can be beneficial as you make the transition away from drugs or alcohol.  Exercise has a substantial antidepressant effect, and the biochemical changes that it makes in the brain are a serious benefit for anyone who is trying to find new purpose in a life of sobriety.

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7. Two Words: Video Games

Video games are definitive proof that sober life can be heaps of fun. Multiplayer modes are perfect for parties, but you can also play solo. Video games are an effective bridge to sobriety for someone who is trying to quit drugs or alcohol, because they are goal-oriented and – for the right person – genuinely entertaining.

One of the reasons that video games are such a satisfying sober activity is that they activate the brain’s reward centre.

* Playing video games can also lead to a process addiction, so beware of using video games as a full-on substitute for drugs or alcohol. Moderation is key.

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Support for Maintaining a Successful Recovery

It is important to take a proactive approach to maintaining your recovery, and making sobriety fun is an important part of that.  The Cabin Edge operates an inpatient addiction treatment programme in Chiang Mai that has been designed specifically for young men. We offer a free online aftercare programme to help graduates of our treatment programme stay in touch with their recovery community peers from anywhere in the world.  For more information on addiction treatment and aftercare, contact us today.

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