The beer gardens are open and summer is here, so how are you going to go about those sober summer nights spent socialising? Here is everything you need to know and consider about getting social and staying sober this...
The beer gardens are open and summer is here, so how are you going to go about those sober summer nights spent socialising? Here is everything you need to know and consider about getting social and staying sober this summer.
Where do you want to spend your time?
Think about where you want to be spending your time this summer. Do you want to be in the beer garden and soaking up the sun? If you do, the good news is that you can do that sober, whether you choose a soft drink or a non-alcoholic alternative that you can road-test in the warmer weather. But, think about what you want to do and how you want to spend your time. Don’t feel peer pressured into going out of old habits or just because everyone else is.
Getting in with the right crowd
You want to be around people who respect your choices and decisions and are there to support you with that. This is particularly important when you are expressing your wishes to maintain abstinence whatever the weather, so pay attention to how people react to this decision and then curate your social circle accordingly.
Knowing your ‘out’
Knowing when it is time to go home is always tough but thinking about this beforehand will mean that you leave at the right moment, and don’t end up faced with cocaine exposure in the toilets, being offered shots and suchlike. You can go home having had a pleasant time without the temptation or being surrounded by a group of drunk friends. Plan your exit beforehand and plan to leave with another sober friend if that would make you feel more comfortable.
Staying sober
Remember why you’re doing this and why you are on this journey.
Sobriety is not an easy path and recovery is not linear, but you can enjoy those social summer moments even when you are staying sober.
Help Me Stop offers non-residential rehab programmes for drug and alcohol addiction. Our treatment programme centres around integrative psychotherapy, which blends a number of evidence-based therapies, including the 12 step approach to addiction treatment, person-centred therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), psychodynamic therapy, family therapy, art therapy, recovery workshops, mindfulness, and more. We work mainly in group sessions, and every client also has a one-to-one counselling session each week with their focal therapist.
We make sure that you have the tools you need to help you stop and enjoy life beyond addiction. Many of our therapists and staff are in recovery themselves, and all of our therapists are BCAP members.
We are always here for a confidential chat if you think you would like to discuss how we can support you not only this summer, but beyond that too.
Call us or email us and speak to a member of the team and we will see where we can go from there.
The post Sober Summer Nights first appeared on Help Me Stop.