somedumbkid

In a few days, I will be going to a tropical island (rather not say where) for a ten day vacation.

I am staying on a resort, and I am SO freaking excited.

I have no idea how I'm gonna resist the urge to drink when I will literally be surrounded by unlimited amounts of (sort of) free alcohol! I am absolutely terrified.

I know if I drink I will undoubtedly end up blacking out in front of family members and doing shameful things. Not to mention I'd end up spending days hungover, recovering and not really enjoying the vacation to the fullest.

I'm about seven days sober right now and while I have a long way to come I do not want another vacation to be ruined by booze.

I am just afraid the minute I get there I am going to be showered in delicious tropical beverages in coconuts and I just wont be able to say no.

Any advice?

KateL

Relax, enjoy the luxury and order the most delicious, alcohol free, yummy cocktails, insisting that you don't want to spoil the ambience of a relaxing holiday by getting blotto Easy as pie xxx good luck!

Gal220

Some suggestions for what I do on vacation: Whatever you are doing now to stay sober, keep it up and maybe even.put in some extra effort. If you do AA, you can always find a meeting pretty much anywhere. If you're at an all-inclusive or have alcohol stocked in your room, you can call ahead and ask for it to be removed. Make sure the people you are with know you won't be drinking, not so they can police you, but just so they don't constantly ask you if you want a drink. And plan to be busy. Do all the cool stuff you can't really do while drinking. And have fun!

BarbieKen

How are you staying sober? What's your plan for vacation?

Dee74

Really bad timing for a vacation SDK.

If you must go...use the days from now to build up a really solid plan - think about the likely temptations and how you think you might to deal with them, and think about support - how to use it, and where to find more.

what recovery resources are on this island?

It will take a lot of work and commitment but if you really want to stay sober, you can

totfit

Ya know, you just don't "Just get showered in delicious tropical beverages in coconuts". It is in your head. Now you may drink a bunch of it and feel as if it is so, but the video is pretty upsetting. Now, if you really look around there are people enjoying what the tropics are all about and if it were about drinking it can be done in a close. Think about it.

1newcreation

Thats a tuf one sdk! Wouldn't go unless I have to only coz of time you have sober. If you have an aa mtg group that you attend, get some phone #'s,big bk,12&12 & handful of grapevines. Look @ it this way: this will be a test to c if sobriety really matters to you
Best wishes

TigerLili

I wouldn't go if there was any way of getting my money back. I know there is no way I could be safe in that situation.

Stay in touch with SR via your phone, iPad or whatever. Definitely see if there are any AA meetings on the island and make use of them.

Maybe try and do some things you've never done before, like paragliding, snorklng etc and focus on those, rather than the drinking aspect of the trip. You'll find that many people won't be drinking that much at all. I was so surprised to see how little most people drank when I stopped. I thought everyone drank like fish. Not so!

JTBIV

I leave for Costa Rica tomorrow, kid. I know the fear. I'm 12 days sober and want to keep it going. Like you mentioned, think about the hangovers and how that is no way to enjoy a new place. We got this

JackieC

I'm going on a trip in March and I'm already panicking about it, so I can relate to how terrified you are. Remember -- when you arrive, you think "All I have to do is get through THIS day without drinking. There's all this fun stuff to do, the beach is gorgeous, the people are beautiful, and all I have to do is get to tonight when I put my head on the pillow. I'll worry about tomorrow, well, tomorrow."

Then the next day, do that again. It sounds silly but it works.

And come check in here and let us know how you're doing. We'll all be jealous of the scenery and the weather.

Jackie

readerbaby71

When you feel like this remind yourself of how you'll feel the day after. The shame, guilt, sickness. I really try to think the drink through. You can have a blast without alcohol! Instead of recovering by the pool, you'll be lounging and enjoying yourself.

I know it's harder when everyone around you seems to be having fun drinking. Just keep in mind that most of them can do that. You cannot.

Have fun and come to SR if you feel like drinking. It helps.

RevivingOphelia

I went to a posh all-inclusive resort in July and wasn't really tempted at all. I ordered the most amazing fresh juice drinks and non-alcoholic Pina Coladas were my friend! Waking up without a hangover was fantastic and allowed me to get massages, go horseback riding, work out in the fitness room, swim, and ENJOY the scenery and hospitality without the pain of hangovers and anxiety. I would also order room service and have coffee on the balcony watching the sunrise. All this would never have happened during my drinking days.

I must say not drinking made it one of the best vacations I've ever had!

You won't regret it.

Sudz No More

Order some mocktails and stick to it. You still can enjoy the nice ambience of your surroundings with the taste of coconut. The last time I checked, alcohol did not grow in coconuts

quitter13

I'm assuming this trip was booked long before you decided to stop drinking?

Never the less, you have to first chose to go or not to go. If it was me and I really thought it would compromise my sobriety I would chose to stay home. Losing the money sucks but think about all the money wasted from drinking. Your starting a new life and new lifestyle and there may be a few financial hits as you transition.

If you are going , I sure hope you will have supportive people with you. Do all of the family you are going with know about your problems with drinking and your current sobriety? Do they support your sobriety? Or are the people you are going with all active alcoholics who won't care about your sobriety and also might feel bad about themselves and try to undermine your sobriety for their own benefit?

Seems like a risky situation but if you are committed it can be done. As others mentioned there will be plenty to do to keep you busy. I'm sure there will be snorkeling and scuba diving. If you are not already certified you could get PADI certified on the island and spend every day scuba diving if you want and have a much more amazing time then you would if you drank until you passed out on the beach and ended up with sun stroke. Horseback riding, spa days, hiking, kayaking, parasailing, surfing....not sure all the activities available but I'm sure there will be plenty to do that doesn't involve drinking if you want. Just stay busy day and night and if you have to do it without the people you came with then that's fine. Your sobriety should be the most important thing right now

ScottFromWI

Keep in mind that there are a whole host of things to do besides drink anywhere. Our alcoholic minds just tell us that all people do on vacation is drink, but in reality they don't. You are actually surrounded by alcohol right now, we all are. It might not be in your hand or immediately available in your home, but it could be in a very short period of time.

Plan out your day to take advantage of the weather, outdoors, food, shopping, sightseeing, whatever else there is to offer. And while you are doing so, notice how many people are NOT drinking....you'll be pleasantly surprised to see that they are the majority.

quitter13

This is very true. But...the all exclusive resorts and cruises attract a certain type of people because it's all you can drink for the entire vacation

karate

Get the beverages with alcohol .

All the good ones are better with the poison in them

Joe Nerv

Almost reluctant to post this...

I'll start by agreeing that if your sobriety is truly important to you, I'd try to figure out a way to postpone this trip. You're way early in your sobriety, and that does NOT sound like the best place to be. If that's not possible, then I agree with what's already been stated. Do everything you possibly can to build yourself up before you go, and have a solid plan for when you get there. IMHO, whether you're a fan of AA or not, you should go every day you're there. Quit AA when you come back if you hate it, but you are truly going into the lions den, and you are not a lion tamer.

The part I'm hesitant to post about is this. I've been on lots of vacations, lots of cruises, spent lots of time in clubs and bars, and never had any desire to drink. About 2 years ago I went on an all inclusive vacation to Jamaica, and while I had no compulsion to drink... it was the first time in 27 years that I felt a little left out, and wished I didn't have a problem. I think the turquois blue drinks in the pool bar were what hit me most. I asked for something that color that was non alcoholic, and they literally laughed at me. There was no such thing as not drinking alcohol at the resort I was at. It was like they had no concept of what that meant.

I have a really solid foundation, and I was able to just shrug it off, but the temptation on an all inclusive island vacation is incredibly powerful. I am just about certain you will need help if you plan to remain sober. The good side of this is, if you make it through this one, the rest will be easy . Wishing you the best.

GreenBottles

Well, if you get drunk also you wont remember much about the vacation. If you stay sober the whole time and try pay attention to unique things about the island, any aspect of it, then that will stick with you and will be a good memory.

I realised now at 38 that the MEMORY of an experience is far more valuable than the experience itself and how you are feeling in the expereince itself in the moment. Alcohol makes you feel great in the MOMENT but for people like us we will usually create something in the moment that will serve for us to have a bad memory of the moment. And that memory will haunt us for the rest of our lives. So, by being sober through the whole MOMENT you then create a memory of that moment which will please you over and over again for your whole life.
Lets say you might be feeling kind of edgey and thirsty during that vacation as you are tempted to drink. BUT, that feeling of being edgey and thirsty you will not REMEMBER about the trip in years to come. You will remember all these nice things you did without being drunk. And that is part of training the mind to learn that you can have memories of great times you did things without drinking.

Alot of us pissheads have created a library of bad memories that haunt us and even drive us back to drink so that we can feel good in a moment.
We simply need begin making good memories, they are priceless.

RobbyRobot

Yeah, I do have some advice - You CAN say no to drinking alcoholic beverages. My wife and I have been to island resorts in St.Lucia and Antigua and they couldn't care less if you drink or not because its already all paid for in advance anyways. They do care if your enjoying yourself since tourism is their bread n butter and they really want you to have a great time so you'll come again and bring and tell all your friends too, lol.

Seriously. They really don't care. In fact, many of them are tired of dealing with guests who are drunk, believe me. We had no difficulty in having them understand we don't do alcohol. As soon as they saw our huge smiles as we said no alcohol, they just served us what whatever we ordered no problems.

Of course, if a guy makes it look like he wants to have that drink, wants to be part of the drinking crowd, longing for it, then they won't care about a guy drinking either. Why should they?

Some of these island all inclusive vacations can really cost, and when you drop like $20,000 you can believe that whatever you want done will be as you ask, lol. It really comes down to are you having a great time in the sun or are you freaking out?

Smile your way thru it all, and forget about the alcohol, if you decide to follow thru and go. Usually with only a week left, you'll get absolutely no refund on your investment if you opt out.

Serious choices. I just want you to know from me your in charge of YOU at seven days as well as at any future days in your sober journey. If no doesn't mean no now, then when will it?