7 Important Tips for Traveling While Sober and Having an Even Better Time

Understanding personal triggers can be difficult, leading to unpreparedness in managing cravings. Healthcare professionals at your treatment facility can help you understand your triggers. Many people don’t know very much about the state they live in and the local attractions to be found there.

• One of the biggest make-or-break factors in sober vacations is your access to accountability.
• This might be a friend or loved one or it could be a sponsor or therapist.
• I would prioritize opportunities to day drink with less guilt than on ‘non-vacation’ days.
• Alcoholics Anonymous even offers a directory of online meeting you can participate in while you travel.
• The journey from initial use to addiction passes through several distinct stages, each with its challenges and signs.

Ways to Celebrate Halloween Sober: Joy Without Fear

• But when you’re in recovery, the better rule-of-thumb is to stay connected to your sober friends, therapist, sponsor, group leaders and supportive family members.
• This will help you maintain stability in your life and stay on track in your recovery journey.
• Some singles might shy away from the vacations they desire out of fear that they won’t be able to have fun, or that they might have the wrong kind of fun and relapse.
• When you switch your goals from partying to pampering, you’ll be more inclined to hit the spa instead of hitting the club.

For those struggling with addiction and substance abuse, this is a big deal! Depression and anxiety are often root factors in the development of addiction, so exercise can be one of the most effective tools in combatting relapse. Even though vacations are supposed to drain stress, they can sometimes end up aggravating it. Dealing with emotional triggers in an unfamiliar setting is much harder than it would be at home.

Plan in Advance

Practicing gratitude involves recognizing and appreciating the positive aspects of your life while on the trip. This mindset can shift your focus from what you’re missing to what you have. Incorporating mindfulness and gratitude into your daily routine can significantly enhance your vacation experience and support your sobriety. By being mindful of both emotional and physical risks, you can transform challenges into opportunities for personal growth and memorable, substance-free experiences. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.

Vacation Mode

You will come to see, through self-discovery and recovery, that if you have your sobriety, you have yourself. My journey to freedom from alcohol has also taught me to ask for what I want. That could look like asking my fellow vacation goers for some alone time, or seeing if the hotel can include a plush robe in my room. If you do feel ready to venture out on a sober vacation, the first step is to plan for success. As a result, you may find your mind drifting to addictive substances like benzos and thinking “I can just take one to take the edge off.

• Having these ideas already planned will make it easier to stay away from anything centered around alcohol.
• Bringing things that remind you of the importance of your sobriety journey is a good way of staying sober while having fun.
• This should include building a supportive network, engaging in ongoing therapy, and establishing a structured daily routine.
• Where other clinics only offer a one-size-fits-all approach to rehab, recovery and aftercare, 12 Keys places emphasis on treating you as an individual.

Take the First Steps to Permanent Sobriety

Support from family and friends can aid you in achieving your recovery goals. If you have loved ones willing to stand by your side through your journey, take all the support and encouragement you can get. Many treatment facilities also offer family therapy, which can provide support for all members of the family, as opposed to only the individual struggling with substance misuse. Toward the end of your time in a rehab center, you and your counselor will come up with a continuing care plan (also known as aftercare) based on your progress up to that point. Aftercare can significantly reduce drug and alcohol vacationing in recovery relapse rates.