Alcohol has been used as a social lubricant and is woven into the fabric of most of our social interactions. Drinking and using other addictive substances is often a way for men to bond with each other in social situations. The myth that you bonding requires alcohol is dangerous. Additionally, there are loads of other ways to bond with your male friends. Here are a few ways to bond without the alcohol.
- Talk about your interests and plan an activity based on a shared passion. Alcohol often serves as a mask. It’s easy to hide behind substances or use them as our main source of bonding. When we lift the veil, we remember all of the interests we had before we started drinking.
- Try something adventurous. Mountain biking, surfing, or hiking a trail are a few ways to bond with your guy friends while engaging in some seriously adventurous pursuits. Adventure can boost endorphins naturally, offer a unified bonding experience, and create new neural pathways in the brain.
- Play sports. Get back into the sports you loved as an adolescent. Join an adult baseball league or hit the gym with your friends.
- Eat good food together. Engage the senses and chat over takeout or at a restaurant. We forget that there are plenty of ways to enjoy life through our senses and sharing meals with friends is an age-old bonding experience.
- Join an organization or meetup group. Getting sober is a great way to expand your horizons and meet like-minded people. Discover what resonates with you and join a community where you can meet new people and explore your interests.
A life without alcohol can open new doors to more interesting and expansive ways of bonding with your friends. You’ll probably learn new things about your buddies while experiencing the clarity, connection, and exciting paths of sober living. What are your current ideas about male bonding? How have these ideas changed since sobriety? What kind of bonding activities would you like to include more of?
Tree House Recovery of Orange County, California is a premier men’s addiction treatment facility that uses eight different modalities to help our men become the best versions of themselves they can be. We teach our men that every day of their journey is something to celebrate, and that recovery isn’t a sprint– it’s a marathon. To get started with Tree House Recovery, call us today at (855) 202-2138.