Sober Summer
It’s finally summer! We are now surrounded by sunshine, pool/lake days, grilling out, and the freeing feeling of being on vacation (even if it’s just for the weekend). With a lot of these activities, alcohol is usually not far away and often seen as mandatory in order to have fun. If Choosing to be sober or are sober-curious, but worried about it putting a damper on your fun summer plans or being judged by others? Don’t worry! You can still have a fun summer and keep your sober goals intact!
Many of us worry about peer pressure from friends, family, social media, or society. Whether it is being judged or fear of being left out of activities, it is understandable why it can be difficult to stick to, especially during the summer. Finding activities, friend groups, and environments where you are more focused on either relaxing or enjoying yourself can help you feel less pressured to have to include alcohol. More and more bars, events, restaurants are now including “mocktails” and other alternatives to alcohol besides just water, soda, and lemonade. We all deserve a nice beverage without compromising our goals!
Two of the major barriers that many newly sober or sober-curious people face are what activities you can still enjoy while not drinking, and how to talk to those around you about your choice to stay sober.
What activities can I still participate in? (spoiler: a lot more than you think!)
Instead of looking at what you can’t participate in, but instead looking at what you enjoy doing.
Nature Walks
Concerts
Sporting events
Pool/Lake days
Grilling out
Trying new restaurants
Food festivals
Learn a new skill
Gardening
Reading books
Joining volunteer organizations
Take a cooking class
How to have the discussion with those around you
At first it can feel awkward to talk about, but having some phrases ready can help you feel more prepared.
Try out some of these:
“I’m not drinking tonight”
“I’m driving so i’m not drinking”
“I don’t drink anymore”
Having a drink of some kind already so you can say “I already have a drink but thank you” can also help!
How to manage social anxiety
Regardless if you are choosing to drink or not, you still deserve to be able to have a fun, anxiety free time wherever you go. Here are some tips to help with making your alcohol free outings stress free:
Bring a support person- having someone who can help buffer negative influences and comments can help you feel more relaxed and able to actually enjoy yourself
Have an exit strategy!- it’s okay if you want to leave if you feel too uncomfortable but having the option to call a ride share, a friend, or another exit
Don’t put yourself in unnecessary uncomfortable situations- you are the decision maker in your life, if the situation, environment, or people present are going to make you uncomfortable, you don’t necessarily have to go!
Have grounding techniques ready- deep breathing, motivational phrases, fidget toys in your pocket ect
Having a focus on having a fun summer, rather than just a “sober summer” can help you still enjoy your warm weather time! Make a check list of activities to complete such as https://www.theluckiestclub.com/100-sober-summer-activities to help you find ideas to make the most of your summer. Check out your local NA/AA groups for local sober activities if you want a place to start where you can meet people on a similar journey!
References:
https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-go-out-when-you-re-quitting-drinking-4788307https://www.narconon.org/blog/tips-for-staying-sober-this-summer.htmlhttps://www.apa.org/topics/substance-use-abuse-addiction/socializing-no-alcoholBlog Disclaimer
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