Whether you’re travelling for business or pleasure, it can be challenging to maintain your sobriety, particularly as you are away from your usual support network. You also step outside of your daily routines to enjoy new experiences surrounded by others who will more than likely want to enjoy a drink while they’re out of town. How can you cope in this situation and pass the ultimate test of your sobriety when you’re on vacation? Here we give you some tips to keep you sober and still enjoy your time away to the fullest.
Choose Your Destination Carefully
It makes sense that if you’re on a 18-30 holiday in a booze-laden resort, you’re going to be faced with temptation throughout your stay. If Europe is of interest to you, you might want to avoid Germany during its Oktoberfest where the beer flows freely or France, where wine glasses are always full whenever there’s food in sight. Beach resorts can also be alive with temptation, particularly as for many sunbathing and drinking go hand-in-glove! Why don’t you consider camping on a site where there is not alcohol allowed? Perhaps you could take an activity vacation where you’ll be walking or scuba-diving rather than socializing from dusk until dawn.
Take Your Smartphone with You
When you’re travelling away from your support network, it’s easy to feel lost and alone when your sobriety is challenged. By taking your smartphone, you’ll be connected at all times to the people supporting your recovery which will prevent you from falling off the wagon. You can also get plenty of free apps that deliver an inspiring message to your smartphone on a regular basis. These messages can give you the encouragement you need to be strong and staying sober.
Schedule Your Activities Before You Leave
Research your destination ahead of leaving to find out exactly what’s on offer in terms of activities and entertainment. Try and schedule activities and events for each day of your stay so that you have a diary of things to do. By reducing the amount of time spent exploring resorts and kicking your heels, you’ll be less likely to fall into drinking to entertain yourself. Structure is crucial to your successful recovery and it’s worth introducing it into your business and leisure trips too as a failsafe.
Use Your Coping Strategies
Stress is one of the most common triggers for drinking and travelling to a destination can be very stressful. Prepare for your trip by developing some coping mechanisms to keep your resolve, such as deep breathing exercises or mindfulness practices like meditation. By preventing yourself from being wound up by the whole travelling experience, you’ll feel more able to cope with stress without using alcohol to self-medicate.
Choose Casa Recovery for Drug Addiction Treatment in Orange County, CA
We understand more than anyone how stressful travelling can be and the pressure of temptation when you reach your destination. We have holistic treatment for alcohol addiction at our rehabilitation center in Southern California that gives you all the support you need to continue you recovery journey, even while on vacation. For sensitive and confidential alcohol addiction treatment in San Juan Capistrano, CA, Casa Recovery has an excellent reputation for delivering results over the long term. You needn’t feel alone in your addiction. All our treatment programs are developed with you specifically in mind. For more information and a consultation in confidence, contact our experienced therapists today.