Vacation as a Trigger
 

So, I'm going on an overseas vacation later this week. I've always associated vacation with "getting away" and letting loose. Along with that, came a lot of drinking. I generally find excuses to drink everywhere when on vacation. Wondering, anybody else have similar experiences? I'm going with a responsible friend, but I'm just not sure that will be enough. What are some good ways of dealing with that?

Welcome to the forum Kenkasuru :)
Vacations seem to be a problem for a lot of people.

I think support is important, vacation or not...if you can log on here, it will help if my experience is any guide...if you're open to the possibility of face to face support something like an AA meeting might help too - they're pretty much everywhere :)

D

When I travel I make sure to find local AA meetings and connect

Welcome to SR....:wavey:

The wife and I are planning a vacation for the fall. I decided to get sober 1 month 13 days ago, I am living day to day working hard to maintain it. I do fear vacation drinking...but I also fear drinking consequences every day also.

I have done utmost research into the place we are going and trying to have something to do everyday whilst we are there. There lots to see and do and generally speaking just relaxing in the sun sober may be a differrent change. I may just like it?!?!?!

I can always try it can't I? In fact I have never had a sober vacation. In fact I have been a downer on every vacation we've had so far...the last one comes to mind.

Got pissed drunk as soon as we woke at 6am to go drive to the airport, pissed on the plane...couldnt sleep for a long flight, got "cut off " on the plane.
Arrived at hotel and fell asleep for 24 hours got drunk upon waking asleep agin from 12 noon till midnght almost everyday there. One night I wet the bed. I also was arguing with my wife the whole time I was there. Didnt enjoy any of the exotic food while there as I rather drink and throw up instead of eat. Dont really remember any of the ruins or forts or beaches or much of anything else. I do remember trying to climb over a steel gate with a heavy backpack on to trying to get to a beach when i lost my balance fell backwards and with my foot threaded through the bars of the fence the sheer weight of my body tore all the ligaments in the back of my knee in one leg (9 months recovery).
Drank on the plane on the way home and my wife sat two aisles away from me to avoid the embarrassment.

The trip two years before that I thought it would be funny to jump off a thirty meter cliff into water after drinking a fifth of vodka, tore muscles off my scapula and bruised my tailbone (12 months full recovery, could sit properly for at least 6 months) spent most of the vacation crippled and in pain.

So , ya, I think I will stay sober and busy this time. Actually enjoy the vacation, food and relaxing this time....just sayin...

Paraphrasing form 1st edition Big Book, alcoholics can do all kinds of things, parties vacations, weddings etc, that they are not supposed to do - provided they are in fit spiritual condition. We meet these conditions everyday. The alcoholic who cannot meet them still has an alcoholic mind. There is something the matter with his spiritual condition.
If you are shaky, perhaps it would be safer to work with another alcoholic.

Well, if you have established patterns on prior vacations such as: sleep in, eat late, etc. you could try avoiding that and try setting up something new: get up early and go for a walk or run or swim, read up on local history and visit interesting sites, dine early and go to a coffee shop or something.

I think the habitual 'drop-off zones', habits we have associated with drinking in the past, are the things to avoid and replace with different behavior.

For me, 'sitting by the pool' usually meant 'drinking by the pool' so that had to go for awhile.

Such a trigger for me too!!! All vacations (and I love to take them all the time) I like to drink and drink, but then never feel the full effects of the "relax" in vacation. I always say I wont drink then.....there goes the beer, wine, rum!! WHile some enjoy a sunset cocktail, I just cant because I cant have 1 or 2, it just is not fun! THen, I cannot sleep because I drank so much, couldnt remember ect>>>> horrible!!!
I like the previous posters suggestion of changing routines and getting up early.