Date Night Ideas for People with IBS

The new year is finally here, which means Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Now we all know that the real significance behind Valentine’s Day has nothing to do with romance. Nonetheless, whether you celebrate the holiday or not, I wanted to provide the IBS community with a few date night ideas that I feel could help spice up their relationships while dealing with IBS.

My wife has always been my best friend, but I’d be lying if I said we didn’t have any down moments regarding our intimacy at some point during our relationship, especially due to my invisible illness. To make a long story short, we didn’t (and never) want to give up on our love, so we decided to think of creative ways to keep the romance and spark alive, while also not stressing about my IBS too much. Ever since we decided to make each other our priorities, we have grown closer and closer as friends and as a married couple. Therefore, I would like to share what has worked for me in my relationship/marriage while dealing with my IBS in hopes that they will work for some of you too. By no means am I a relationship expert. I am only sharing what I feel could help others step out of their normal shell and be more open-minded with their loved ones. It is up to you, the reader, if you want to try out any of my ideas or not.

Make a memory on video

This activity doesn’t require you to leave the comfort of your own home, which is great if your IBS is not behaving too well but you still have enough energy to do something. You can use your phone or a regular camera on a tripod while both of you casually talk or do something funny on film. Heck, you can even talk about how your condition affects your relationship or life. Nowadays, vlogging is becoming a common thing on social media and all you have to do is record your day naturally without worrying about being so formal – just be yourselves. This activity has not only helped me appreciate the special moments with my wife, but also to create more of them as well that we can look back on, even while dealing with my IBS symptoms.

Make a song together

This might sound silly if you’re not much of a singer or musician, but it’s another activity you can do from the comfort of your own home. You’d be surprised how much fun you can have with one another just being goofy while thinking of a song concept or lyrics to write down. Recently, my wife and I were being silly and creative together, and we came up with a hilarious song related to what I go through with my IBS. It’s called “I’m Constipated!” While coming up with the lyrics together, it was nonstop laughter in our home-office. We just couldn’t help ourselves with being silly and having that much fun together brought us that much closer. What’s great is that throughout our sessions, my IBS didn’t bother me at all.

Try out a new cuisine together by taking a cooking class (online or in-person)

Thanks to my wife, my palette has grown tremendously. When we want to be spontaneous, we’ll either learn a new recipe from an online video or we’ll go to an actual cooking class and gain experience that way as well. The great thing is that we like to try dishes that are sometimes very close to being IBS-friendly, so I don’t always have to worry about my symptoms going too crazy on me when we try something new. Plus, doing activities that we enjoy brings us closer.

Watch new movies in or out of the house

This is another activity you can do from home if your IBS symptoms are misbehaving. Create an ambience with white Christmas lights and lighting candles with pleasant aromas. My wife and I sometimes love having date night at home while having a romantic atmosphere and watching movies we haven’t seen before. It also makes it easier for me to deal with IBS issues if I have too, which she understands.

I truly hope some of you find these tips to be helpful in not only making it easier to have date night while having IBS, but also bringing something new to your relationships. It takes being open-minded and willingness to keep the love fresh and alive. I personally feel doing the same thing over and over again creates a routine that one gets easily tired of and loses interest in. Again, I am no relationship-expert, but just someone who truly cares for other human-beings and their happiness. So, if there is anything that has helped me with either my condition or in my life, then I’m always willing to share with others.

Please feel free to comment below what has worked for you in your relationships while dealing with IBS. Thank you for reading and take care!