If there’s a concert you want to go to or some other non-sober event, put together a group of sober friends/family members to go with you. It’s a far better idea to keep yourself busy visiting with people instead of standing aside and watching everyone else enjoying the festivities with a drink in hand. Maintaining recovery from an alcohol use disorder is an ongoing process that can include how to survive summer parties and boozy bbqs setbacks. So if you’ve relapsed in the past, give yourself some grace as opposed to beating yourself up, as the latter course certainly won’t help your recovery. Rather, chalk up the misstep as part of the process, learn from your experience, and take whatever steps are necessary to ensure you don’t repeat the experience. When you quit drinking, lots of unexpected little things come up.
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I’ve had a few BBQs and festivities this weekend, despite the rain. As summer officially kicks into “party” mode, I thought I would share some tips and tricks to navigating the sober life in a world of booze. https://ecosoberhouse.com/ Still, it’s normal to not always feel empowered when you’re around drinkers, or feel a strong temptation to imbibe. If you’re newly sober, Coulter says to recognize you’re learning new patterns and behaviors.
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At the end of the day, it’s important to understand what sobriety means to you. Sometimes that’s about life goals, sometimes it’s about feeling good about yourself, sometimes it’s about not letting family down or about being a good parent. Try writing them down before you go to a party so you can look back and go “This goal is more important to me” every time you are tempted. Having those goals clearly structured and top of mind can help a great deal over just having them loosely formulated in the back of your mind, because it means you can focus on that goal instead of on cravings. It means paying attention to whether you can safely be around alcohol.
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- Summer brings with it an air of celebration, filled with pool parties, family reunions, weddings, and holiday gatherings.
- While these moments are often joyful, they can also present unique challenges for individuals committed to a substance-free lifestyle.
- Take control of your summer, and let your commitment to sobriety shine.
- Recognizing and celebrating milestones in your recovery process is crucial.
- AbcV is a chic and vibrant restaurant that offers plant-based meals, making it a perfect venue for any dinner-and-drinks dates you might want to set up.
- As a rehab center committed to your long-term recovery, we want to ensure you enjoy every sunny day this season without jeopardizing your progress.
Remember that you are deserving of compassion and forgiveness, especially from yourself. Take your sobriety one day at a time, and don’t be hard on yourself if you experience a craving while traveling or out for a night on the town. Choose an activity that will help you get your mind off of negative thoughts and calm you down when you feel stressed. If you can get a friend or family member involved, they can provide you with additional support and distraction. Because alcohol is more available and harder to avoid during the summer, here are some tips on how to enjoy sober living during the warmer months. Summer can amplify common stressors, such as social gatherings, disrupted routines, and the pressure to indulge.
- Having a group of like-minded individuals to lean on can provide encouragement, accountability, and understanding.
- That means choosing your friends and the people you hang out with care.
- For over 50 years, Gateway Foundation has been helping patients achieve freedom from addiction through our drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs.
- Your decision not to drink is your own business, and no one else’s.
- This is how you teach yourself that you’re capable of more than you think.
Keep Non-Alcoholic Drinks in Hand
Remember – you can’t figure sobriety out without overcoming a few challenges. Pushing through something like this, sober, is how you grow. This is how you teach yourself that you’re capable of more than you think. No matter how much booze there is, the gathering is about more than sitting outside and drinking. The real reason you’re going might be to catch up with old friends, celebrate a birthday or spend quality time with family.
Or it could mean planning outings for a group of alcohol-free peers. It might also includ ensuring you have therapists and professionals at the ready. The point is to surrond yourself with support all summer long. We will explore three ways you can control peer pressure in each of these situations. Let’s dive into some strategies that will help you stay true to your commitment, have a blast, and ensure a safe and sober summer. Third, have an escape plan if you want to leave the event early.
Here are a few tips to get you started before you head to the beach or the neighbour’s backyard. That is exactly why we offer a chance for parents of teens to connect virtually in a safe space! Each week parents meet to share resources and talk through the struggles of balancing child care, work responsibilities, and self-care. There’s literally beer everywhere at summer barbecues in the U.S., even if it’s not the 4th of July. When you leave treatment, you know enough get yourself through the first few weeks of sobriety sane and healthy.