Teetotal and on Tinder- doable?

[ohmadays]

NC.

I'm in my mid-20s, rather lonely and thinking about trying out online dating.
I took a year out from uni (due to an illness) early this year. I'm making a good recovery and have learnt to drive.
BUT

I'm still on medication and will be for another 6 months at least. I was told that I should not be drinking by my doctor. Therefore I've been teetotal for the last year, and have gotten used to making my excuses, being the designated driver etc.

I fell out of touch with a lot of people after I moved home, don't like sitting at home with my parents, thought I might as well try something new!

Has anyone had a positive experience of dating without drinking??

Thanks

[Crabbo]

I don’t drink, met my husband on okcupid

[ohmadays]

Good for you crabbo! I thought about okcupid but it seems a little too serious for what I want.

[LesisMiserable]

I married my DH in July, nearly three years after swiping right . No drink was consumed that night. The first date, lots, but not the Tindering night 😏

[Josuk]

Why is drinking a necessary condition for dating?
Drink coke, or something. Why is that a problem???
You don’t need to have a reason why you don’t drink at the moment - or ever. You can say - medical reasons, or that you just don’t like it.

Do you think the men you’d date would only want you when you are drunk?

[Ellisandra]

I don't really understand the question!
I've been teetotal my whole life (simply hate the taste of alcohol) and it's never impacted my dating like - online or otherwise.

[LoveforPGTipsMonkey]

Ellisandra, well it's just many people find a drink helps then to relax and be more themselves on a 1st date with a stranger - some find it nerve-wrecking if they fancy the guy (or if they dislike him, drinking helps to be tactful/more good-humoured). Maybe OP never dated without that aid before!

[LemonysSnicket]

As someone in their early 20s I feel I should warn you that tinder is more of a sex app than a dating app.

[Shoxfordian]

I think you should put a line in your profile to say you don't drink so people who meet you aren't expecting to drink with you.

Another vote for Ok Cupid though, its where I met my lovely boyfriend

[TheFifthKey]

I met my boyfriend on Tinder and our first two dates were extremely sober and quite sedate (walks/coffee) - it was for reasons of circumstance rather than by choice but still very enjoyable and didn’t hinder us getting together at all!

[free2017]

I don’t drink and when I dated it was not a problem. My friends used to tease me on a night but at the end I was useful as I was the only one who knew the way home . You will be fine OP. Goodluck

[ChinwagCharlieBear]

I'm in my early 20s and haven't touched a drop of alcohol in my life. This has made no difference to dating/relationships at all, I am fine with others drinking. With my DP we ended up in a bar for our first date and I just had diet coke while he had a beer or two! It has never been a problem with previous dates (two who I have met on Tinder)

[ohmadays]

Hmm. Thanks for the heads up Lemony.


I ask because almost every single encounter I've had with an attractive fella has involved alcohol. It'd be a bit weird for me trying to relax while sober.

[BatshitCrazyWoman]

I divorced an alcoholic, and although I do drink ( a glass or two of wine a week at most ) I knew when online dating that I absolutely didn't want even one date with someone who 'needed' to drink to relax. I never found dating an issue despite that (met someone on Plenty of Fish). Go for a coffee!

[PsychedelicSheep]

Tinder is no more a sex app than any of the others. Plenty of people on there looking for casual and serious relationships.

[PsychedelicSheep]

Personally I think it’s the best one because no one can message you unless you’ve matched with them first. So you don’t get inundated with messages from guys you wouldn’t consider dating.

[Ssdw]

I dont think it will matter as most of the guys just match and never talk... or exchange a few messages but never make it to a date :/
I guess you can say im getting a bit cynical about it.
Being a teetotal is certainly not a reason why you shouldnt try Tinder or any other dating app. I dont find it being a hook up app. My profile makes it clear what im looking for. No matter what dating site or app you use, there will always be men who claim to want a relationship but only really want a hookup.
I guess there might be men who wouldnt want to date a teetotal for whatever reason, so you might only be a good match for a smaller number of men, but im sure there are plenty who wont mind and there are other teetotals on it too.

[User452734838]

I don't drink and to be honest, while I don't mind people drinking, i find the smell of the alcohol in them a bit of a turn off if they have had a lot.

[bufin]

Tinder is not a sex app. Unless you put overtly sexy pics up and say you're looking for sex.

[userxx]

That's why they were attractive, because you were pissed 😎. You can definitely date without alcohol involved. Give tinder a go, it's as much of a hook up site as all the others.

[LesisMiserable]

A sex app?! What absolute bollarks.

[SummatFishyEre]

I met my boyfriend on tinder and I dont drink. I think he found it a bit awkward at first but he got over it pretty quickly. Just go for a coffee

[lottieandmia22]

Lots of young people don’t drink - personally id view it as a positive thing

[forumdonkey]

I met my bf on tinder and we both drove the first few dates so no drinking. Our dates were in bars but no alcohol and our first date was 4 hours long and would have been longer if we'd not had other commitments. Good luck OP, I genuinely have never been happier but I kissed a lot of frogs until I found my prince

[Josuk]

OP - I also wanted to add that if you can’t relax when you meet someone - and need alcohol to do that - then i’d be a little 😳.
What makes you so tense around men?

[ohmadays]

There might be some truth in that theory userxx ! I remember swearing to a friend that this guy was REALLY fit, only to see his profile pic in the cold light of day...

If you really want to know, Josuk, I always have been rather a shy person, and very embarrassable. I generally clam up around people I don't know, but I can be good company one-on-one once I've got over the initial awkwardness.

Thank you to everyone who has volunteered some positive feedback.