Norwegian Cruise Line, for its part, earned recognition for having the best adult alcohol-free beverage program at the 2023 Vibe Vista Awards. While holiday drinking in my youth felt purely hedonistic at the time, in hindsight it was one of the ways I measured becoming a grownup. To travel to the continent as a teenager was to step briefly into the future and visit a universe where, for one splendid week, I could order a beer and say ciao, before I went back for AS-levels. Drinking has emboldened me linguistically, helped forge new friendships and papered over the cracks in old ones. And when you take initiative over the planning, it’s easier to ensure the evening is both fun and alcohol-free. If you know other people in recovery, they may be particularly grateful that you organized something.
- The holidays can make it tough to stay sober, especially with all the parties and get-togethers where there’s usually alcohol around.
- One thing that helps is thinking about the challenges of past holiday events so you can avoid the same pitfalls.
- She believes the decline in gen Z drinking is because “they are more cautious and risk averse”.
From Byron to Patrick Melrose to Withnail in the tearoom to the Inbetweeners, British culture bulges with examples of drinking on trips away. If you know Cousin Sadie is going to grill you about rehab, avoid her. If Uncle Brian is going to mix you a stiff drink, stay away from him. If the office New Year’s party is really all about drinking or other drug use, make a brief appearance or don’t attend.
Replies to “Sober for the Holidays (and beyond) ~ Part 1”
Some families might consider the holidays an inappropriate time to help a loved one get into addiction treatment when, in fact, it could be an ideal opportunity. For many of the reasons mentioned earlier, substance abuse tends to ramp up over the holidays. https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/8-tips-on-ow-to-spend-holidays-sober/ Addiction treatment initiated during the holidays could be the best gift you give to your family, your friends and yourself. She went to India in February and didn’t drink at all, even when she ventured out with large groups of fellow travellers.
- Stress is a common trigger for relapse not just during the holidays, but at any point in the recovery process from alcohol or drug addiction.
- Other tried and true stress busters are taking a walk in nature, journaling, or sharing your feelings with a loved one.
It’s about tuning into the sights and sounds around you allowing anxious thoughts to drift away. Contiki recently added a South Korean tour featuring a K-pop dance class. A the Philippines tour announced this year “was introduced to satiate the appetite of young travellers looking to visit more remote locations in a safe but authentic way”, Ambler says. Enter your phone number below to receive a free and confidential call from a treatment provider.
I’m In Recovery
It’s only a sip, and it doesn’t mean you’ve relapsed—or that you should entertain the thought of relapsing now. As we know all too well ’tis the season to overindulge with heavy meals and lots of sweets. Of course, it’s okay to partake a bit (we are only human), but try to set a limit and make every effort to eat https://ecosoberhouse.com/ nutritious meals and snacks each day. Strive for a full night’s sleep most nights of the week. And keep up with your exercise routine whether that means taking a daily walk or going to the gym. The bottom line is that a sober holiday is much more achievable when the added stress is brought down to a minimum.
A couple of years ago, before a two-week holiday to the Algarve, I decided I wouldn’t drink. There would be no more vinho verde to wash down a charcoal-grilled bream. It would be adeus to the icy Sagres lager that goes so perfectly with those fat, yellow Portuguese chips. Aside from the gustatory pleasures, I worried about being the sober one.
‘The Holiday Blues’
If you follow these tips, you should be able to keep yourself free of drugs this year. Whatever your relationship with alcohol, or your goals, if you feel you’d like some support to drink less this holiday season Ria Health can help. Our telehealth program gives you access to expert medical support, online coaching meetings, anti-craving medications, virtual support groups, and more—all from an app on your smartphone. Lastly, you need to talk to your loved ones about your sober holidays to make sure that they understand what you are experiencing. This step can be a very hard one if they don’t know you’re having a substance abuse problem. However, it is critical to be as honest with them as possible.
