Interesting & Fun Ways to Have a Great Sober Summer

By recognizing that the first part of the night may be the hardest, you can help plan for it. Utilizing a trusted friend to help you through the most difficult parts is a good strategy or reminding yourself why you are choosing not to drink. If you can weather that initial discomfort, things can get easier. To succeed in your recovery, plan events and activities yourself in the summer that you can enjoy with your positive supports.

Begin your recovery

Others may struggle with sobriety because of the increased demands on their time. This could come from having kids home from school or a busier social calendar than usual. Having too many obligations can lead to stress and feelings of overwhelm, both of which can trigger a relapse. Take someone who is also sober or in recovery–or who is willing to forego substances during the event.

Alcohol-Free Social Events in Austin, TX – Summer 2019

Depending on what’s going on in your life and how busy your summer calendar is, you may experience these emotions more frequently during the summer months. That’s why it’s so important to be self-aware and notice times =https://ecosoberhouse.com/ when your emotions are tempting you to drink or use drugs. But you don’t have to let complacency cost you your sobriety. Prioritize recovery meetings in your schedule and keep attending no matter how busy you get. If you miss a meeting due to vacation or another event, go twice the next week. In addition, stay in contact with your sponsor and keep practicing addiction treatment therapies you learned during rehab.

Figuring out Fun: A Guide to Joyful Recovery

Reading a good book, such as Mindfulness and the Twelve Steps, watching a favorite movie or spending time journaling are all great ways to reward yourself at the end of the day. They also give you something to look forward to and will take your mind off any difficult moments at the party. There is no shame in planning an easy escape if things get too stressful or old friends get out of hand. Try these solutions to ensuring you will be able to leave when the time is right for you. Alcohol addiction and alcohol-related deaths have increased dramatically in recent years. Today, alcohol consumption is one of the leading causes of preventable death in the United States.

• Then, you can manage all of the food and drink at the party.
• Just like people and places are relapse triggers, so too is boredom.
• Arriving solo, with a sober buddy or with someone who won’t mind ducking out early if you begin to feel uncomfortable gives you the freedom to leave when you’re ready.

It is good to remember that these responses don’t need to be elaborate but simple reasons you can use to how to survive summer parties and boozy bbqs reply quickly. For example, if someone at a party asks “Can I get you a drink” you can say “I’m just going to start with water.”  If someone asks “Why aren’t you drinking? Pay attention if there is someone who gives you a hard time about not drinking and presses you on the issue. Usually, that has more to do with that person then it does you and could indicate they may have their own problem around the subject.

Written by Evolve's Behavioral Health Content Team

The most important thing to remember when trying to stay sober at summer BBQs is that you can always opt-out. If it sounds like things will be getting out of hand, feel free to decide in advance that it won’t be a good fit for you. If you start to feel uncomfortable or are feeling tempted to drink, just leave the party behind. Another way to stay sober at summer BBQs is to talk to your friends in advance. If you’re comfortable with the people that will be at the BBQ, you might let them know about your desire to quit drinking.

Decide if you’ll feel comfortable being around alcohol at all. If so, you might want to have a plan to leave if things start getting very out of hand. Or if people are peer-pressuring you to join in the drinking.

How to Stay Sober at Summer BBQs: Stay in Control

While that can be a lot of fun, many summer activities revolve around drinking alcohol. Just like people and places are relapse triggers, so too is boredom. Especially for those who are newly sober, using substances as a way to cure boredom and increase excitement is very common. And even if you’ve been sober for months or years, extra-long summer days with fewer responsibilities may make you feel like you have more time on your hands than usual. Then, you can manage all of what is alcoholism the food and drink at the party. Communicate with your guests that the party is alcohol- and drug-free.

Camping: Nature’s High, No Substances Required

• Let your friends and family know that taking alcohol out of the equation makes for a safer summer.
• This gives your day structure that doesn’t revolve around the event itself.
• No matter how much booze there is, the gathering is about more than sitting outside and drinking.

Who do you want to say goodbye to before heading out? Every party is different, so be sure to think it through each time. If you’re feeling uncomfortable for any reason, at any time, you can always leave when you need to. The earlier you are in recovery, the more difficult that will be. It might seem like you won’t have options to have fun. That’s especially true if you’ve never been to parties without drinking, because you might simply not know what to do with yourself.

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Let others know at the onset that you only have an hour (or two) and then you must be on your way. You don’t need to explain why, but if you feel more secure with a justified reason, make plans that require you to leave at a specific time. Meeting an old friend for coffee, picking up your dry cleaning or simply getting back to some work waiting at home are all legitimate reasons to leave the party. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, more than 14 million Americans struggle with alcohol addiction. Each of those individuals started the dwindling spiral of addiction with one sip of alcohol, and then another, and another, and another. To ensure a healthy, safe, illness-free, violence-free, and enjoyable summer barbecue or friendly get-together, it would be a good idea to keep alcohol entirely out of it.