4thekidz

Work has me traveling this weekend and staying in a high-end hotel...by myself....with a gorgeous bar.....right downstairs....and an in-room fridge.

8 days sober....but true test #1. Stay tuned.....

Francismcan

so go to an AA meeting

Latte

Do they have a gym?

OklaBH

Take a walk, see new sights, watch tv, turn in early....many options besides getting wasted

Sudz No More

I hate that too 4thekidz. Do like others have suggested and try to occupy yourself with interests. I just hid in my room the last time and I worry about the next as I fear several trips are being planned for me later this year. I am trying to have a game plan for myself ready to go before I leave.

Hang in there and try to keep your mind elsewhere. I'm pulling for you.

MrDavid

Sounds like a plan. Remember...meeting makers make it.

FrothyJay

While I think it's great to encourage someone to go to a meeting, I think in AA we should get rid of the "meeting makers make it" expression when our success rate hovers around 5%. Meeting makers clearly aren't making it.

The large majority of people who attend an AA meeting are told to not drink and go to meetings and they scratch their heads and say, "I thought you were going to show me how not to drink."

Yes, when you're traveling on business and feeling exposed, there's nothing better than an AA meeting to help you.

But to suggest that making meetings is all that's required to "make it" is just dangerous. Meetings are not the AA program-- they are merely a venue where the AA program-- the 12 steps-- are to be taught and practiced.

Zebra1275

Alone in a hotel room can be a dangerous time. The mind starts thinking, "gee, I can drink and nobody will ever know." Plus, if you are alone in your hotel room, it's easy to feel, well, alone and isolated which can be a trigger (eg. H.A.L.T.) in itself.

When I find myself in this situation, I have a plan. I keep myself busy and my night structured. I've gone to meetings, went to a movie, went to the gym, had dinner with people, shopped, worked on my laptop, hung out on SR, whatever.

traid77

Hear, hear. Well said, sir.

Lenina

4thekids,

I spend a lot of time on the road in hotels. I usually know what's to do in the hotels I stay in. You can call and have the in-room bar/mini fridge either locked or removed. It's not an unusual request and many corporate accounts do this anyway to "avoid misunderstandings."

Take some recovery literature along. Put together a journal and maybe a study plan. Go ahead and bail early on functions or dinners when they start to go from business to drinking. Have someone to call if things get tricky or you feel over-whelmed. Make a phone appointment at a certain time so someone can call you!

Many hotels will comp corporate accounts for use of the gym. See if there's a spa you can make an appointment in at the hotel.

You can do this! Just have a plan and stick to it! I hope this helps.

Love,

Lenina

Veritas1

Have you ever listened to AA speakers online? I find them to be very helpful.

You can check out the various sites, click on some and find one you like!

Good Luck!

Pete55

AA Meetings,
you might just find others who are in the same situation, they to would be thinking the same thing, and to a meeting to think about it a bit more!
That's what Bill W did, and met Dr Bob

4thekidz

Fantastic input, all; thank you so much. I'm as ready as I'll ever be.

CarolD

Hi again....welcome to our Alcoholism Forum.....

To attain your goal of lasting sobriety ...keep in sober focus

David 1

I know you mentioned that it is a "test" in your post and I suppose it really is but I hate that concept especially when you have eight days. At some point, you will be ready for a "test" and I like the general advice to remove easy access to alcohol. And do whatever you have to do to stay sober ... each hour or day at a time.

You can't run away and hide but at least be diligent in your recovery. I really echo what Lenina had to say in her post!

Dave

azureseas

A good book. I've been reading a bunch of biographies by alcoholics, really enjoying them, check out the SR book club under the social forums

TheEnd

Just because it's there, doesn't mean you have to drink it. Go out for a stroll and enjoy the city.

TwelveSteps

Just an aside, I always make this request, and more than once I've been told there would be a charge ($~25) for this "service."

As an attorney, I politely remind them that the Americans with Disabilities Act requires that reasonable accommodations be provided to someone with a disability without charge, and that this is such a request (alcoholism is considered a disability under the ADA). I then remind them that if they are found liable of violating the ADA, their liability would likely far exceed the amount they are trying to charge me.

I've never had a hotel fail to back down on their attempt to charge me after I have shared this information with them.

GG

FrothyJay

God, if alcoholism were only that easy.

ZZworldontheweb

Having them de-stock the mini-bar is a good idea. Just tell them you don't like the smell or you're a Muslim or something. They usually do it right away and usually remember not to re-stock. I've even seen them replace it with little extra things like more juice or bottled water...